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executive Summary & highlights

Executive strategy and operations leader with more than 20 years of experience helping organizations navigate growth, complexity, and transformation across global entertainment, elite sport, technology, education, and nonprofit sectors. Repeatedly recruited to modernize operations, strengthen organizational effectiveness, and lead enterprise initiatives that improve execution and position organizations for long-term success.

  • International speaker on leadership, organizational development, human performance, and performance science.

  • Published researcher in sports medicine, injury prevention, and performance science.

  • Trusted advisor to CEOs, Boards of Directors, executive leadership teams, NCAA athletic departments, professional sport organizations, and nonprofit organizations.

  • Experienced presenting enterprise strategy, organizational transformation initiatives, and operational recommendations to executive stakeholders and governing boards.

Work experience

The Circus Arts Conservatory | Sarasota

2024-11Present

Vice President, Program Development & Youth Performance Management

Recruited to expand executive leadership capacity and help professionalize operations, organizational planning, and cross-functional execution across one of the nation's premier youth circus organizations.

  • Provide executive leadership across seven operational divisions supporting more than 250 annual youth participants, 25+ staff, and 50+ community performances annually.

  • Redesigned the Academy operating model by unifying two independently managed programs into a single year-round development pathway, strengthening participant progression, operational efficiency, organizational culture, and long-term scalability.

  • Established executive planning rhythms, governance practices, and cross-functional operating processes that improved communication, organizational alignment, and decision-making across the youth enterprise.

  • Lead strategic initiatives spanning operating model redesign, pricing strategy, fundraising events, arena operations, and program development while balancing mission impact, operational efficiency, and financial stewardship.

Kitman Labs

2020-032024-07

Senior Performance Strategist

Progressively promoted from Director of Performance Science to Senior Performance Strategist as responsibilities expanded from performance consulting to enterprise strategy, executive partnerships, commercial growth, customer success, and product evolution.

  • Joined Kitman Labs during its early growth stage and helped scale the company from approximately 25 to more than 250 employees while supporting the organization's evolution into one of the industry's leading enterprise performance platforms.

  • Managed North America's largest strategic partnership portfolio, advising more than 55 professional and collegiate organizations on enterprise implementation, organizational adoption, strategic growth, and long-term partnership success.

  • Expanded leadership responsibilities beyond enterprise strategy to include executive renewals, commercial partnerships, and long-term account growth across North America's largest customer portfolio.

  • Directed enterprise initiatives including the professional sports league-wide implementation, large-scale client migrations following competitor acquisition, and multi-year partnership expansions across leading NCAA athletic departments and professional organizations.

  • Influenced product strategy by translating executive client priorities into platform evolution while partnering with data science teams to develop organization-specific analytics that supported executive decision-making.

California University of Pennsylvania

2008-082022-06

Instructor, Department of Health Science & Sport Studies Global Online Graduate Program

Delivered instruction within graduate-level programming supporting development of emerging sport and performance professionals.

  • Designed and delivered course content for online and hybrid learning environments
  • Guided students in applied performance science concepts
  • Facilitated engagement across diverse professional backgrounds

Key Outcomes & Impact:

  • Contributed to preparation of practitioners entering sport and health professions
  • Strengthened academic-practice integration through applied instruction

Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group

2007-082019-12

Head of Performance Science

Recruited to establish Cirque du Soleil's first dedicated strength & conditioning function, ultimately expanding it into an enterprise performance science model over 12 years as responsibility expanded from direct performer support to enterprise leadership across performance science, multidisciplinary services, research, coaching development, and strategic partnerships.

  • Established Cirque du Soleil's first enterprise performance science function, transforming performer support from a primarily medical model into an integrated multidisciplinary service encompassing strength & conditioning, nutrition, mental performance, analytics, coaching development, and research.

  • Designed and led high-performance systems supporting more than 1,800 elite performers across 20+ productions worldwide while collaborating with coaches, medical teams, executives, and operational leaders to optimize athlete development, health, and organizational performance.

  • Developed global assessment standards, multidisciplinary operating practices, and strategic research partnerships that strengthened collaboration across productions and positioned Cirque du Soleil as a recognized leader in elite human performance.

  • Advised executive leadership on organizational strategy, performer development, and future show creation while helping establish enterprise systems and services that continued expanding following departure.

Saginaw Spirit Hockey Club

2003-082007-08

Head Athletic Trainer / Strength & Conditioning Coach

Joined the organization during a period of significant transition, leading athlete health, performance, medical operations, and team logistics while building the operational resilience that became the foundation for future executive leadership.

  • Directed all sports medicine, strength & conditioning, rehabilitation, travel coordination, insurance administration, and player services within a lean, high-performance environment.

  • Maintained organizational continuity through four seasons marked by multiple Head Coach and General Manager transitions, earning the trust of players and leadership despite sustained organizational turnover.

  • Contributed to a transformational period of player development during which NHL-drafted players increased from approximately two to nearly twenty, reinforcing the organization's long-term commitment to high-performance development.

Education

California University of Pennsylvania

2004-072005-07

Masters of Science

Human Performance & Injury Prevention

Central Michigan University

1998-082002-12

Bachelors of Science

Sports Medicine

publications & presentations

Author and presenter on performance science, analytics, and organizational leadership within sport and performance environments

  • Burnstein, B., Allen-Burnstein, B. (2022). Chapter 1: NASM Sports Performance Training – Introduction to the Performance Training Profession. Publisher TBD.
  • Burnstein, B. (November 2019). Enhancing Performance with Data & Technology. Barca Innovation Hub Sports Technology Symposium. Barcelona, Spain.
  • Burnstein, B. & Richard, V. (October 2018). Innovation & Creativity: Managing Changes from Global to Local Perspectives. Leaders in Performance. London, UK
  • Donohue, B., Gavrilova, Y., Galante, M., Burnstein, B., Aubertin, P., Gavrilova, E., Funk, A., Light, A., & Benning, S. D. (2018, October 11). Empirical Development of a Screening Method for Mental, Social, and Physical Wellness in Amateur and Professional Circus Artists. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts. Advance online publication.
  • Barker, L., Mercer, J., Burnstein, B. (2018). Acceleration profile of an acrobatic act during training and shows using wearable technology. Sports Biomechanics, DOI: 10.1080/14763141.2018.1460394
  • Donohue, B., Gavrilova, Y., Galante, M. B., Burnstein, B., Aubertin, P., Gavrilova, E., Funk, A., Light, Benning, S., (2018). Wellness screening in Circus: Mental, Social, and Physical Health Factors Interfering With Performance. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts.
  • Burnstein, B. (July 2017). Creating a Culture of Data-Informed Decision Making. Innovation Enterprise – Sports Analytics Innovation Summit & Wearable Technology in Sport Summit. San Francisco, California.
  • Galante, M., Donohue, B., Gavrilova, Y., Phillips, C., Burnstein, B., Aubertin, P., & Corral, A. (2017). The relationship between problem-solving skills and factors associated with performance in the world’s elite circus artists. Journal of Performance Psychology.
  • Burnstein, B. (May 2016). Beneath the BigTop – Using Technology and Data to Support Circus Performance. The Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association Annual Conference. Kansas City, Missouri.
  • Burnstein, B. (September 2015). An Innovative Approach to Managing Circus Performance. Innovation Enterprise – Sports Analytics Innovation Summit & Wearable Technology in Sport Summit. San Francisco, California.
  • Burnstein, B., Steele, R., Shrier, I. (2011). Reliability of fitness tests using methods and time periods common in sport and occupational management. Journal of Athletic Training 2011:46(5):505–513.

Licenses & certifications

  • Oxford Executive Leadership Programme, Said Business School at University of Oxford (Certificate Completed, Feb2023)

  • CITI Research Mentor

  • National Athletic Trainers’ Association Board of Certification Certified Athletic Trainer (2003 - 2021)
  • National Strength & Conditioning Association Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (2003 - 2022)
  • National Academy of Sports Medicine:
    • Performance Enhancement Specialist
    • Fitness Nutrition Specialist
    • Corrective Exercise Specialist
  • USA Weightlifting Advanced Sports Performance Coach
  • Program of Athletic Coaches’ Education
  • eCollege Certified Online Instructor

skills

Leadership & Strategy

  • Organizational leadership, Strategic planning, Program development, Initiative execution, Operational alignment, Change facilitation

Financial & Operational Leadership

  • Budget oversight, Resource allocation, Organizational planning, Operational scaling, Cross-functional execution, Performance measurement

Project Management

  • Cross-functional project delivery, Stakeholder requirements gathering, Technology implementation, Change management, Risk
    management, Analytics adoption, Technical stakeholder communication

Athletics & Performance Environment Expertise

  • Athlete development ecosystems, Performance culture integration, Interdisciplinary sport collaboration, Wellness and readiness awareness, Competitive environment operations

Operations & Project Execution

  • Project coordination, Workflow management, Resource planning, Event/production execution, Multi-priority management, Process improvement

Stakeholder Engagement

  • Executive communication, Partnership development, Donor/community relations, Cross-functional collaboration, Conflict navigation, Relationship stewardship

Communication & Knowledge Translation

  • Public speaking, Executive writing, Education and training delivery, Technical-to-operational translation, Presentation development

Analytical & Technical

  • Data-informed decision support, Performance analytics translation, Technology adoption facilitation, Systems integration collaboration