Judi Sheppard Missett's complete bio. (PDF)

Founder and chief executive officer of Jazzercise, Inc., Judi Sheppard Missett turned her love of jazz dance into a worldwide dance exercise phenomenon. A fitness advocate and aerobic dance pioneer for 40 years, she continues to break new ground in the industry through innovative class formats, exciting customer/instructor conventions, and broad-reaching community service programs. In addition to serving as president and CEO of her international franchise business, which oversees more than 7,800 instructors and employs 225 support personnel from its Carlsbad, California headquarters, inclusive of field employees throughout the United States.

A native of Iowa, Judi attended Northwestern University earning her Bachelor’s degree in theater and radio/television in 1966. She worked as a professional dancer throughout college and after graduation. While teaching traditional jazz dance classes in Chicago, Judi turned her students away from the mirror and created a special “just for fun” class which marked the beginning of Jazzercise. In 1972, Judi and her family moved to Southern California. Five years later, she began training new instructors, which led to the rapid spread of Jazzercise around the globe.

Over the years, Jazzercise has acted upon Judi’s philosophy of “giving back to the community.” Judi and her legion of instructors have raised more than $26 million for a wide range of charities by leading special large-scale workout classes, performances at major sporting events, and local benefits. Other activities include “Kids Get Fit,” a free workout program designed to help school districts promote fitness as a way of life to children; and the “CyberStretch School Giveaway Program,” featuring free software that guides users through energizing stretch breaks to reduce tension and the risk of repetitive stress injuries.

Jazzercise has spawned several other successful businesses, including JM DigitalWorks, an award-winning full-service, video and multimedia production company and Jazzertogs, a multi-million dollar fitness apparel mail-order catalog business.

The Jazzercise philosophy states: “We believe fitness is an important aspect of well-being and enhances the overall quality of people’s lives; therefore, Jazzercise is committed to helping people understand and value the importance of health and fitness.” Judi remains focused on this philosophy, and continues to forge ahead on the industry’s cutting edge to promote fitness for all.