Evolving Sport & Performance Psychology Professionals: A Modern Framework

Join the DUC ASPP program at for our Performance Masterclass with Dr. Jesse Michel, CMPC.

This performance masterclass is approved by AASP for 2 CEUs.

As performance demands intensify across high-stakes environments, the role of sport and
performance psychology professionals (SPPs) continues to expand. Beyond traditional athletic contexts, military and business sectors increasingly recognize the value of evidence-based performance psychology expertise to enhance readiness, leadership effectiveness, resilience, and sustained execution under pressure. This session will examine how foundational principles of applied sport psychology translate into business leadership settings, drawing on applied work with professional and collegiate athletes, soldiers, and executives. Participants can expect to partake in a structured comparative analysis of performance environments, exploring shared psychological demands, hierarchical dynamics, program implementation considerations, and contextual differences that influence collaboration and intervention design.

Emphasis will be placed on adapting language, measurement strategies, and delivery models in the business domain while maintaining ethical standards and empirical grounding. The program also highlights practitioner self-reflection and professional identity development as essential competencies for cross-industry effectiveness. Through guided reflection and applied mental models, attendees will critically evaluate assumptions about performance, success, and impact. Research from sport, military, and organizational psychology will be integrated throughout to support responsible, scalable application of performance psychology principles across high-performance domains, while considering best practices for SPPs who want to consider working in business settings.

Meet Dr. Jesse Michel, CMPC:

Dr. Jesse Michel is the owner of Mindset for Excellence, LLC. He is a Certified Mental
Performance Consultant through the Association of Applied Sport Psychology, and is listed on the United States Olympic Committee Mental Performance Registry. He currently helps lead the performance psychology program at the world’s largest professional services firm, working with business executives and leaders to implement high-performance programs to elevate personal and team performance. From 2017-2021, he served as the Mental Skills Coordinator for the Houston Astros, helping the organization take home a World Series championship, two American League pennants, and from 2017-2021 tie an MLB record by reaching five straight American League Championship Series. Prior to joining the Astros, Jesse spent four years as the Lead Master Resilience Trainer – Performance Expert at the Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness (CSF2) Training Center in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Jesse completed his Ph.D. in Sport and Exercise Psychology and MA Community Counseling from West Virginia University (2013), MS in Exercise and Sport Sciences at Ithaca College (2009) and BA (2006) from the University of California, San Diego. Over the past 20 years, Dr. Michel has had the privilege of working with MLB MVPs, NBA lottery picks, Olympic athletes, Army Rangers, and CEOs. His evidence-based approach, strategies, and techniques have helped athletes, leaders and teams reach their goals, improve consistency in performance, and gain a deeper understanding about how the most powerful tool we have, our mind, can elevate our performance.