The Inflection Point Is Here: Inside The HFA Show’s Women’s Leadership Summit

The Women’s Leadership Summit at The HFA Show 2026 brought together the voices, data, and vision driving a new era in women’s health — and the conversation didn’t disappoint.

The summit kicked off with a sponsor spotlight from Daxko. Daxko Chief Marketing Officer Wendy White set the stage with a thought-provoking look at AI’s growing influence on the fitness industry. With women currently trailing men by 25% in AI adoption, the message was clear: the time for women leaders to lean in, experiment, and shape this technology — rather than react to it — is right now. The concept of “10x employees” resonated throughout the room, framing AI not as a threat, but as a tool for amplifying talent and closing longstanding gaps in pay and advancement.

Before introducing the panel, author, journalist, and podcaster Anne Marie Chaker offered a deeply personal and powerful opening, sharing her journey through postpartum depression, loss, and unexpected transformation through fitness. And her core message? Stories create movement. They attract investment, inspire change, and have the power to reshape an entire industry.

Moderated by HFA Senior Director of Communications Pam Kufahl, the panel — featuring Dr. Roohi Jeelani, CEO of Onto Health; Annbeth Eschbach founder of Exhale and ResetOne; Ann Gilbert, owner of Fit-Her Health & Fitness; and investor Omair Khan of ARTIS Ventures — dove deep into the inflection point women’s health is experiencing right now across fertility, hormonal health, menopause, and active aging.

Khan outlined why investor attention is surging, pointing to a broken primary care system and a data-savvy consumer base demanding better solutions. Gilbert shared how Fit-Her has evolved into a longevity and wellness destination built on education, community, and meaningful partnerships. Eschbach made a passionate case for weight training as a non-negotiable pillar of women’s health, connecting it to bone density, heart health, and cognitive function. And Jeelani brought the clinical lens, reinforcing why evidence-based care and integrated health models are essential to moving the needle.

The bottom line from this panel: science, investment, and fitness are finally speaking the same language, and women are leading the conversation.