From Halfpipes to Life Hacks: How Christine Sperber Shreds Aging Like a Pro

POH – Frank : Can you share a pivotal experience or challenge that first awakened your passion for personal growth and community-building?

Christine: I’ve always been drawn to movement—both physically and in the sense of pushing forward, creating, and building something new. As a World Cup snowboarder, my life was defined by risk and resilience. You fall, you get up, you try again. That cycle became ingrained in me, and it shaped the way I approached everything that came after my competitive career.

The real turning point, though, came when I transitioned from being an athlete to working behind the scenes in snowboarding. I had ideas, but I had to convince an industry—especially the “crusty old ski coots” in charge of resorts—that those ideas were worth listening to. So, I did what I had to: I told people I was 33 when I was actually in my early 20s. Credibility came faster that way. That experience taught me something critical: If you want to create real change, you can’t wait for permission. You have to step into the arena, take the risk, and back yourself. That belief—that growth requires stepping into the unknown—has fueled my passion for personal transformation and community-building ever since.

POH – Frank :Before co-founding the Modern Elder Academy (MEA), what aspects of your personal or professional journey, mentors, or experiences shaped your philosophy on midlife transformation and understanding of healing and wisdom?

Christine: I’ve spent my life challenging what’s possible, whether it was introducing the first machine-groomed halfpipes on glacial snow, launching world-class snowboard camps, or pioneering hospitality concepts that put meaning over mass production. And every time I took on something new, I was reminded that risk isn’t just for the young—it’s the fuel for reinvention at any age. One of my biggest influences was my time working with professional athletes. I saw firsthand what happens when someone’s identity is wrapped entirely in what they do—when their sense of self is tied to a single role. It’s exhilarating until it isn’t. And if you don’t have the tools to evolve, you get stuck.

That’s why MEA exists. We’re not meant to stay static. Aging isn’t about slowing down—it’s about shifting gears and finding new ways to push boundaries. Healing, to me, is about integration: taking everything we’ve been, everything we’ve learned, and using it to shape what comes next.

And I’ve had some amazing teachers along the way; a few notable ones are Jim Kercher in the ski industry, Paula Stanton in real estate, and Patricia Larsen on how to live an authentic life of creativity and trust.

POH-Frank: How did your perspective on aging evolve throughout your life and career? Did you always view it as an opportunity for growth?

Christine: Aging has never been something I feared. Maybe that’s because I spent so long pretending to be older than I was! But what has changed is my understanding of what growth actually looks like. When we’re younger, we tend to think growth means climbing a ladder—more success, more achievement. But as we age, it becomes more about expansion. It’s about depth, about trying things that stretch us in new ways.

The biggest mistake people make is thinking that risk belongs to the young. If anything, the stakes are higher—and more meaningful—as we get older. The risks we take now aren’t just about proving something; they’re about purpose, about making an impact, about continuing to evolve instead of settling into routines that no longer challenge us.

POH-Frank: Tell us a little bit about MEA—how did it start?

Christine: So, we are three co-founders—Chip Conley, Jeff Hamaoui, and myself—and Jeff has really done a deep dive into friendship as a wellness practice. His research found that friendship is the most important wellness practice in midlife. One of the most interesting things he discovered is that the way we approach people influences the way they receive us. If we approach others expecting them to like us, they usually do.

POH-Frank: I also believe that if we heal ourselves, we help heal the world. People often focus on changing external things, but real transformation starts within, with ourselves and our immediate circle.

Christine: Yes! That ties back to what we do at the Modern Elder Academy. We focus on community, personal growth, and creating safe spaces where people can communicate from what we call the “Third Vault.” The first vault is facts—our name, age, background. The second vault consists of our stories—the narratives we tell about ourselves. The third vault is where real, raw conversations happen, where people share what’s truly going on for them. We create an environment where people feel comfortable communicating from that place, and that leads to deep, meaningful connections.

POH-Frank: Do you think it’s harder for older generations to open up about emotions and fears compared to younger generations? It seems like younger people—maybe especially in places like L.A.—are more open about sharing, whereas older generations have spent a lifetime guarding themselves.

Christine:  I think culture has shifted, and corporate culture has as well. Many of us were taught that showing emotion at work is like bleeding in a pool of sharks—it just wasn’t done. Now, there’s a shift happening where people want to bring their whole selves into work and life, and that’s really powerful.

POH-Frank: So, when people come to the Modern Elder Academy, are they mainly seeking friendship and community, or is it more about purpose? Do people come because they feel lonely?

Christine: A lot of people come because they feel stuck. The most common question we get is, “What am I supposed to do with my life?” They want answers, but what they don’t always realize is that the real transformation happens through the conversations and the community they find here. That’s where the real breakthroughs occur.

POH-Frank: Another thing I’m curious about—when it comes to purpose, do you also guide people in thinking about philanthropy or how they want to use their wealth at this stage of life?

Christine: We definitely talk about money mindset—how people relate to money and whether that relationship needs to change. We don’t do financial planning, but we do explore purpose-driven wealth.

And, just to clarify, not everyone who comes to the Modern Elder Academy is wealthy. We have a nonprofit called AGE (Association for Growth in Education) that provides financial aid and scholarships because we’ve found that the more diverse the room, the richer the conversation. Our goal is to make this experience accessible to a wide range of people.

POH-Frank: Because sometimes places like yours—could  feel exclusive, like a “Country club for spirituality”. But it sounds like you’re actively working to make it more inclusive.

Christine: Exactly. It’s not interesting if you only have people from the same background in the room. When we can put a CEO, a social worker, a teacher, and a nurse in the same circle, that’s when the conversations get really rich and deep.

POH-Frank: And that’s where creativity happens! Everyone brings their own puzzle piece, shaped by their experiences, and when those perspectives come together, something new and meaningful emerges.

Christine: Yes! And that’s exactly what happens in our workshops. There’s this shared language that develops among participants. They leave with a deep sense of connection, and that’s really powerful.