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Our Team

//  ABOUT US

Who We Are

We’re an entrepreneurial team of current and former athletes committed to finding more effective ways to train, and we’re dedicated to making elite-level training available for any athlete. Our leadership has decades of experience in Olympic training, large-scale fundraising, and technical development across multiple platforms.

Our Partners

University of Michigan Performance Research Laboratory (MiPR)

MiPR conducts world-class research that supports athletic competition and recreation at all levels. VALR and MiPR work together to extend the scientific basis that supports our approach to training.

Artemis Ward is a digital creative agency telling stories that connect with diverse audiences around the world.

Cooley offers its clients exceptional legal counsel paired with invaluable business advice. The firm’s culture leads to a spirit of true partnership with its clients, particularly within the startup and funding communities.

University of Michigan Performance Research Laboratory (MiPR)

MiPR conducts world-class research that supports athletic competition and recreation at all levels. VALR and MiPR work together to extend the scientific basis that supports our approach to training.

Artemis Ward is a digital creative agency telling stories that connect with diverse audiences around the world.

Cooley offers its clients exceptional legal counsel paired with invaluable business advice. The firm’s culture leads to a spirit of true partnership with its clients, particularly within the startup and funding communities.

Senior Advisors

Alistair Brownlee
Alistair is probably best known as a two-time Olympic Gold medalist and multiple World and European Champion Triathlete. But deep down, he’s a lifelong endurance athlete with a passion for health and fitness who loves helping others to be more active. He describes VALR as fulfilling this goal perfectly by delivering simple and motivational advice that aligns with his most fundamental belief for training and health by emphasizing that the majority of activity be low intensity. Alistair looks forward to helping as many people as possible improve their health and fitness using VALR.
Andy Walshe, Ph.D.

Dr. Walshe served for 9 years as Red Bull’s High Performance Director where he conceptualized and managed all aspects of elite performance for Red Bull athlete and sports programs—including Felix Baumgartner’s supersonic free fall jump from the edge of space. He currently leads The Liminal Collective as Partner and Co-Founder in its efforts to democratize elite learning to humanity in the areas of elite sport, national security, space flight, and deep-sea exploration.

Arthur L. Weltman, Ph.D.

Dr. Weltman serves as Professor and Founding Chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Director of the Exercise Physiology Core Laboratory at the University of Virginia. He has authored or co-authored more than 200 research papers on exercise physiology, more than 20 of which directly address blood lactate-based training. Dr. Weltman has helped create the body of science upon which VALR’s training principles are based, and now expresses his excitement for our mission to make lactate-based training widely available.

John Kelly, Ph.D.
An expert in machine learning, John serves as Cyber Risk Architect at Envelop Risk Analytics and Technical Advisor at quantum computing company QxBranch. An elite ultra-endurance runner, John made history in 2017 as the 15th person to ever complete the Barkley Marathons since its 1986 inception. This 100-mile, 60-hour, invitation-only event is known as the toughest endurance challenge due to its unforgiving terrain and dense forest. Holds a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University in Electrical Engineering and Machine Learning.
William C. Meyers, M.D.
Will specializes in sports medicine, particularly the treatment of core injuries. Widely regarded as the top sports physician for this practice, he has surgically treated well-known, marquee athletes including Adrian Peterson, Justin Verlander, and David Lee. Will has evaluated more than 15,000 patients, including professional athletes from the NFL, NHL, NBA, Major League Baseball, Olympic Track & Field, collegiate and recreational athletes.
Dean Thompson
A successful serial entrepreneur and accomplished software technologist, Dean served as co-founder and CTO of mSpoke, which became the first company acquired by LinkedIn, where he subsequently served as Principal Architect. Dean currently serves as CTO of NoWait (acquired by Yelp) and graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a dual focus in Applied Math and Computer Science.

Senior Advisors

Alistair Brownlee

Alistair is probably best known as a two-time Olympic Gold medalist and multiple World and European Champion Triathlete. But deep down, he’s a lifelong endurance athlete with a passion for health and fitness who loves helping others to be more active. He describes VALR as fulfilling this goal perfectly by delivering simple and motivational advice that aligns with his most fundamental belief for training and health by emphasizing that the majority of activity be low intensity. Alistair looks forward to helping as many people as possible improve their health and fitness using VALR.

Andy Walshe, Ph.D.

Dr. Walshe served for 9 years as Red Bull’s High Performance Director where he conceptualized and managed all aspects of elite performance for Red Bull athlete and sports programs—including Felix Baumgartner’s supersonic free fall jump from the edge of space. He currently leads The Liminal Collective as Partner and Co-Founder in its efforts to democratize elite learning to humanity in the areas of elite sport, national security, space flight, and deep-sea exploration.

Arthur L. Weltman, Ph.D.

Dr. Weltman serves as Professor and Founding Chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Director of the Exercise Physiology Core Laboratory at the University of Virginia. He has authored or co-authored more than 200 research papers on exercise physiology, more than 20 of which directly address blood lactate-based training. Dr. Weltman has helped create the body of science upon which VALR’s training principles are based, and now expresses his excitement for our mission to make lactate-based training widely available.

John Kelly, Ph.D.

An expert in machine learning, John serves as Cyber Risk Architect at Envelop Risk Analytics and Technical Advisor at quantum computing company QxBranch. An elite ultra-endurance runner, John made history in 2017 as the 15th person to ever complete the Barkley Marathons since its 1986 inception. This 100-mile, 60-hour, invitation-only event is known as the toughest endurance challenge due to its unforgiving terrain and dense forest. Holds a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University in Electrical Engineering and Machine Learning.

William C. Meyers, M.D.

Will specializes in sports medicine, particularly the treatment of core injuries. Widely regarded as the top sports physician for this practice, he has surgically treated well-known, marquee athletes including Adrian Peterson, Justin Verlander, and David Lee. Will has evaluated more than 15,000 patients, including professional athletes from the NFL, NHL, NBA, Major League Baseball, Olympic Track & Field, collegiate and recreational athletes.

Dean Thompson

A successful serial entrepreneur and accomplished software technologist, Dean served as co-founder and CTO of mSpoke, which became the first company acquired by LinkedIn, where he subsequently served as Principal Architect. Dean currently serves as CTO of NoWait (acquired by Yelp) and graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a dual focus in Applied Math and Computer Science.

The Team

Paul Guthrie

CO-FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN

Paul is an entrepreneur, former technology consultant for NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense, and multiple global aerospace firms as well as a former elite athlete and Olympic Development Coach. Paul co-founded the quantum computing firm and AI firm QxBranch, which was acquired by Rigetti Quantum Computing in 2019. He is a founding executive and MD for Envelop Risk, one of the largest and fastest growing Insuretech companies in the world. Paul has 10 years of experience in elite athletics, including competing with the USRowing team at the Pan American Games. Paul holds an MA in Applied Economics from Johns Hopkins University; and an MA in International Science and Technology Policy, George Washington University.

Paul Guthrie

CO-FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN
Paul is an entrepreneur, former technology consultant for NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense, and multiple global aerospace firms as well as a former elite athlete and Olympic Development Coach. Paul co-founded the quantum computing firm and AI firm QxBranch, which was acquired by Rigetti Quantum Computing in 2019. He is a founding executive and MD for Envelop Risk, one of the largest and fastest growing Insuretech companies in the world. Paul has 10 years of experience in elite athletics, including competing with the USRowing team at the Pan American Games. Paul holds an MA in Applied Economics from Johns Hopkins University; and an MA in International Science and Technology Policy, George Washington University.

Ken Gordon

CO-FOUNDER AND CEO

Ken’s leadership experience includes oversight of $75M of P&L and 300 direct employees as COO at engineering services company CSSI, Inc. He previously directed strategy for $700M of P&L at Raytheon, has served in government as Professional Staff at the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Space conducting Congressional oversight of NASA, and joined the Senior Executive Service at the U.S. Department of Defense by Presidential appointment. Ken holds an Engineering Master’s Degree from the University of Southern California and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Ken’s personal connection to VALR amplified after beta-testing its early software as an out-of-shape non-athlete, after which he developed into a nationally ranked amateur road race cyclist.

Ken Gordon

CO-FOUNDER AND CEO
Ken’s leadership experience includes oversight of $75M of P&L and 300 direct employees as COO at engineering services company CSSI, Inc. He previously directed strategy for $700M of P&L at Raytheon, has served in government as Professional Staff at the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Space conducting Congressional oversight of NASA, and joined the Senior Executive Service at the U.S. Department of Defense by Presidential appointment. Ken holds an Engineering Master’s Degree from the University of Southern California and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Ken’s personal connection to VALR amplified after beta-testing its early software as an out-of-shape non-athlete, after which he developed into a nationally ranked amateur road race cyclist.

Randy Deering

CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER

Randy has more than 30 years of hands-on experience leading large and small technology development teams addressing a wide range of hardware and software applications. He specializes in embedded software development and has more than 11 years of iOS/Obj C/Swift mobile development experience with Apple platform solutions.  He is also experienced with an array of full stack frameworks, languages and API technologies.  An aerospace engineering graduate of Virginia Tech, Randy proudly served 8 years as an assault helicopter pilot in the Marine Corps.

Randy Deering

CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
Randy has more than 30 years of hands-on experience leading large and small technology development teams addressing a wide range of hardware and software applications. He specializes in embedded software development and has more than 11 years of iOS/Obj C/Swift mobile development experience with Apple platform solutions.  He is also experienced with an array of full stack frameworks, languages and API technologies.  An aerospace engineering graduate of Virginia Tech, Randy proudly served 8 years as an assault helicopter pilot in the Marine Corps.

Pamela Southerling

VICE PRESIDENT, PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Pamela has developed fitness and specialized training programs for men and women of all ages and abilities since 1996. Her passion for coaching stems from her own experience as a nationally ranked IRONMAN triathlete, six-time swimming All American, and Team USA member at the 2002 Long Distance World Triathlon Championship. She holds an MS from American University in Health and Fitness Management, focusing on health promotion.

Pamela Southerling

VICE PRESIDENT, PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Pamela has developed fitness and specialized training programs for men and women of all ages and abilities since 1996. Her passion for coaching stems from her own experience as a nationally ranked IRONMAN triathlete, six-time swimming All American, and Team USA member at the 2002 Long Distance World Triathlon Championship. She holds an MS from American University in Health and Fitness Management, focusing on health promotion.

Sharon Wright

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

Sharon previously led the go-to-market (GTM) function for global women’s business at Nike and Adidas, each of which she grew to a number 1 market position from their previous positions at numbers 3 and 4 respectively. A highly-sought marketing consultant for the past four years, Sharon has worked with numerous startups to develop and implement their marketing and GTM strategies, resulting in successful promotion campaigns and quality growth.

Sharon Wright

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER
Sharon previously led the go-to-market (GTM) function for global women’s business at Nike and Adidas, each of which she grew to a number 1 market position from their previous positions at numbers 3 and 4 respectively. A highly-sought marketing consultant for the past four years, Sharon has worked with numerous startups to develop and implement their marketing and GTM strategies, resulting in successful promotion campaigns and quality growth.