Mark Kovacs,
Senior Contributor

Dr. Mark Kovacs is a globally recognized expert in human performance, sports/executive science, and a leader in the health and wellness sector. Dr. Kovacs sits at the cutting edge of longevity, technology, and innovation. A former professional athlete and NCAA champion tennis player turned performance physiologist, he brings a rare combination of elite athletic experience, academic rigor, and executive leadership to his work helping individuals and organizations achieve sustainable high performance.

With a PhD in Human Performance (Exercise Physiology) and more than two decades of applied research and field experience, Dr. Kovacs has worked with world-class athletes—including Grand Slam tennis champions, NBA All-Stars, 200 million dollar athletes and Olympic medalists—as well as C-suite leaders, Fortune 100 companies, and national sports federations. His approach combines scientific precision with real-world application, using data-driven protocols and cutting-edge technologies to optimize performance, durability, and healthspan.

Dr. Kovacs previously served in senior executive roles at Pepsico, Gatorade, the Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA), and as the VP of Health & Performance for the largest wellness resort healthcare company in the United States. He played a key role in developing longevity programs, next-generation solutions in biometric monitoring, predictive recovery, sweat and blood testing protocols, and corporate wellness strategies—bridging the gap between health optimization and business performance.

In addition to his leadership roles, Dr. Kovacs is an active advisor and investor in several pioneering health tech, sports science, and longevity-focused companies (Seed, Series A & B). His portfolio includes companies innovating in areas such as wearable diagnostics, personalized biomarker testing, neurotechnology, nutrition, wellness, and digital therapeutics. He is regularly called upon by founders, VCs, and institutional investors to assess market viability, scalability, and the scientific validity of new technologies at the intersection of health and human performance.

Dr. Kovacs is the founder of the Kovacs Institute and has published more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers, abstracts, and book chapters. Dr. Kovacs is a sought-after keynote speaker and thought leader known for translating complex science into practical strategies for executives, teams, and high performers across disciplines.

His mission is clear: to help people live stronger, healthier, happier, longer— and become the most durable version of themselves.

Mark's unique skillset combines backgrounds as a performance physiologist, wellness/longevity/health expert, researcher, professor, author, speaker, and coach with extensive background training and research on the best at what they do. He also serves as the Executive Director of the International Tennis Performance Association (iTPA) and has been on the Medical Advisory Group for the US Open Tennis Championships.

Dr. Kovacs is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). He was an All-American and NCAA doubles champion in tennis at Auburn University and earned his PhD from the University of Alabama. He is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Certified Tennis Performance Specialist (CTPS), and Master Tennis Performance Specialist (MTPS) through the iTPA, and in 2012, he was the youngest ever recipient of the International Tennis Hall of Fame Educational Merit Award. He now travels the world working with the world's best, speaking at conferences and to corporations, and has educated more than one million people in over 30 countries and five continents.