Press Room

ACE Welcomes Nathen McEown, CPA, to its Board of Directors

Posted: Feb 10, 2026 in ACE Press Releases

San Diego, Calif., February 10, 2026 — The American Council on Exercise (ACE) is proud to announce that Nathen McEown, a respected leader in finance and public accounting, has joined its Board of Directors effective February 1, 2026. McEown’s expertise will help guide the ACE mission and strategic direction for the next three years. 

“Nathen is a tremendous addition to our Board of Directors,” said ACE chief executive officer, Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, FACSM. “His decades of experience in finance and public accounting will help strengthen our operationally efficiency and financial stewardship, helping to better position the organization to do what we do best – educate and support health and exercise professional who are on the front lines getting people moving and living healthier lifestyles.”  

McEown brings more than 20 years of experience across audit, consulting, and firm leadership. His previous roles include Audit Partner, Energy Practice Leader, Partner-in-Charge of the Houston Whitley Penn office, and Chief Growth Officer, where he helped drive the expansion of the firm’s consulting and outsourced service offerings. He has served as Chair of the ACE Audit Committee. 

“Joining the ACE Board of Directors is an honor, and I look forward to applying my financial and accounting experience to help strengthen the organizations' long-term strategy and impact,” said McEown. “Sound financial stewardship is essential to advancing the ACE mission, and I’m committed to supporting the organization’s continued growth and service to communities everywhere.” 

The ACE Board of Directors plays a critical role in shaping the organization’s future, providing strategic guidance and oversight to ensure ACE fulfills its mission with sound governance, financial responsibility, and ethical integrity.

For more information about ACE and its Board of Directors, please visit https://www.acefitness.org/about-ace/our-team/board-of-directors/. 

 

About Nathen McEown, CPA 

Nathan McEown is the Chief Executive Officer of Whitley Penn, where he has spent more than 20 years in roles spanning audit, consulting, and firm leadership. He previously served as Audit Partner, Energy Practice Leader, Partner-in-Charge of the Houston office, and Chief Growth Officer, helping expand the firm’s consulting and outsourced service offerings. Nathen is also co-founder and Learning Officer for the Bayou City Chapter of the Young Presidents’ Organization. He earned his BBA and MS in Accounting from Texas Tech University. He joined the ACE Board of Directors in 2026 and has served as Audit Committee Chair. 

 

About the American Council on Exercise (ACE)

Since 1985, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) has been the leading non-profit education and certification provider for health coaches and exercise professionals in the United States and around the world.

With more than 90,000 highly respected certified health coaches and exercise professionals, ACE Certified Professionals are on the ground daily helping people move, stay active and make lasting lifestyle behavior changes to build healthier communities.

Headquartered in San Diego, ACE collaborates with public health partners to educate people of all backgrounds about the importance of physical activity and other healthy lifestyle behaviors; advocates for public policies to increase physical activity opportunities; and supports scientific research that investigates the efficacy of behavior-change interventions and the effectiveness of exercise practices and trends. Learn more at acefitness.org.