There was a moment during the Career Opportunities in Health & Fitness panel at FitnessFest 2026 where the room shifted. You could feel it. Not a loud, dramatic shift, but a quiet recalibration, like everyone collectively realizing, “Wait… there’s more out there for me than I thought.”
Moderated by Jessica H. Maurer and sponsored by ISSA, this panel wasn’t about surface-level inspiration. It was about access. Access to real career pathways, real hiring insights, and real conversations with the people actively shaping the future of the fitness industry.
And they delivered.
Pulling Back the Curtain on Opportunity
From the very first question, the tone was clear: this wasn’t going to be a highlight reel of success stories. This was a behind-the-scenes look at how the industry actually works.
Connor Ray brought immediate clarity to what career navigation can look like today, unpacking how ISSA’s Career Connect platform is evolving beyond a traditional job board into something far more dynamic, serving both employers and professionals in entirely different ways.
Alongside him, Tami Nealy painted a bigger picture, sharing trends already reshaping the industry over the next 3–5 years. Her insights reminded attendees that fitness careers are no longer linear. They’re layered, multifaceted, and increasingly influenced by communication, branding, and digital presence.
What Employers Actually Want (And What They Don’t Say Out Loud)
From overseeing large teams to scaling national brands, the panelists didn’t sugarcoat it. Hiring in fitness is evolving, and technical skill alone isn’t enough.
Tanna Wick shared what it really takes to stand out across 25+ locations at Mountainside Fitness, emphasizing consistency, coachability, and presence as non-negotiables.
Meanwhile, Sara Kahn pulled back the curtain on the explosive growth happening at EōS Fitness, where expansion isn’t just about more locations. It’s about more roles, more pathways, and more opportunities for long-term careers inside the organization.
The message landed clearly: if you’re only preparing for the training floor, you’re missing half the map.
Expanding the Definition of Impact
Then the conversation deepened.
When Lauren Hopps and Lorrie Karn stepped in, the panel moved beyond careers and into purpose.
At Ability360 Sports & Fitness Center and Benefitness Adaptive Gym, fitness looks different. It’s not driven by aesthetics or performance metrics. It’s driven by accessibility, dignity, and quality of life.
Their insights challenged the room to think bigger. Inclusion isn’t a buzzword. It’s a responsibility. And for professionals willing to step into this space, the impact is both profound and deeply needed.
They didn’t just talk about opportunity. They redefined it.
Building Careers That Actually Last
The fitness industry has long struggled with retention, and this panel didn’t avoid that reality.
Instead, it addressed it head-on.
From intentional team development to creating cultures people want to stay in, Tanna Wick and Sara Kahn shared what sustainable careers require, not just from professionals, but from organizations themselves.
And Tami Nealy brought it full circle, highlighting how communication roles are expanding within the industry, creating entirely new career avenues that didn’t exist a decade ago.
The takeaway was clear: longevity in fitness isn’t accidental. It’s built.
The Final Word That Stayed With Everyone
As the panel closed, the conversation shifted from strategy to something more personal.
Advice. Perspective. Truth.
Each panelist offered insight not just as a leader, but as someone who has navigated this industry in real time.
And what emerged wasn’t a single “right” path, but a shared understanding:
There is space for you here.
Maybe it’s on the training floor.
Maybe it’s behind the scenes.
Maybe it’s in a community that needs you more than you realize.
But it exists.
