Our Team
We share the vision of connecting human genetics and exercise physiology to transform athletics forever.
James Kovach, M.D., J.D. 
Co-Founder, CEO & President
Dr. James Kovach brings a rare combination of athletic experience and scientific knowledge to Athleticode. Following a seven-year career as an NFL linebacker (1979-1985), he has been immersed in the fields of law, technology and genetics.
Prior to Athleticode, Dr. Kovach was president and COO of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. There, he proposed and established the first genome-wide association study involving professional football players. The insights gained during the project inspired him to co-found Athleticode in 2009.
Dr. Kovach also has served as COO of Athersys, a publicly traded biotechnology company, and director of the Office of Technology Management at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He holds a medical degree from the University of Kentucky and law degree from Stanford University.
Huntington Willard, PhD. 
Co-Founder, Director & Senior Scientific Advisor
Dr. Huntington Willard, who has nearly 30 years of genetic research experience, is a vocal proponent for improving athlete safety through genetic testing and innovative research. The director of the Duke University Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy, he also is the Nanaline H. Duke Professor of Genome Sciences, with appointments in the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and the Department of Biology.
Dr. Willard serves on review boards for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the March of Dimes Foundation, as well as on scientific advisory boards for several biotechnology companies and independent research institutes. He also is co-author of Genetics in Medicine, a widely used textbook in its seventh edition, and has authored or co-authored over 300 scientific publications.
Carrie Sisk 
Fitness & Training Development
Carrie is a National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)-certified personal and group fitness trainer. In 1998 she founded Ultimate Fitness Outdoors, a Bay Area business that has helped countless individuals achieve their fitness goals through personalized training and group exercise.
Specializing in functional training, Carrie trains the body for the activities performed in sport and daily life to improve muscular balance, increase joint stability and decrease injury. Her passion for health and fitness extends into her personal life as she is a sponsored ultra-marathoner, running 50k-100miler races, and regularly trains on the trails of Marin County, California. The Indiana native holds a BS in exercise physiology from Indiana University, where she played varsity tennis and rode in the Little 500.
Hoby Brenner 
Director
Hoby, a tight end with the New Orleans Saints from 1981 to 1993, was an NFL Pro Bowler in 1987 and is a member of the Saints Hall of Fame. At the University of Southern California, he played on the 1978 national championship team and was a first-team All-Pac 10 selection in 1980.
During and after his professional playing career, Hoby gained insight into the business side of the NFL through various activities. He served as an NFL Players Association union representative (1983-1992), on the NFLPA Finance Committee (1984-1996) and on the NFLPA Executive Management Committee (1992-1996). Today, he is co-owner of Cutting Edge Supply, a California-based manufacturer and reseller of ground engagement tools for the construction and mining industry.