University of North Texas 
Distinguished Speaker Series
Brittany Gringon Hays
Founder and CEO of SESSION Pilates
Fireside Chat and Q&A
Join us for the next installment of the Distinguished Speaker Series, featuring Brittany Grignon Hays, founder and CEO of SESSION Pilates. This UNT Alumna transformed her passion for reformer Pilates into one of the region’s fastest-growing wellness brands. Brittany launched SESSION Pilates in 2016 and has grown the company from a single Dallas studio to seven locations across Texas and Tennessee, serving more than 23,000 clients annually.
Beyond her entrepreneurial success, she is dedicated to empowering future leaders through the SESSION Foundation, a nonprofit she launched in 2026 to mentor and support the next generation of North Texas female founders. Students interested in entrepreneurship, leadership, innovation, brand building, and social impact will gain valuable insights from Brittany’s journey.
Register Now
Date: November 4, 2026
Date: November 4, 2026
Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Location: Senate Chambers - University Union (Room 332)
The event is FREE for all students and the general public. Please register so that we can get an accurate headcount, but you are still able to attend if you do not pre-register!
Ryan College of Business swag will be given to the first 100 students through the door.
Ask your professors if you can earn extra credit for attending this event!
Brittany Grignon Hays, founder and creator of SESSION Pilates, has worked as a fitness
professional for more than 15 years. Name any fitness concept and she's probably taught
it, but it was Pilates, specifically reformer Pilates, that stole her heart and eventually
led to the creation of SESSION Pilates in 2016. The studio founder and mom of two
opened her first location on the corner of Fitzhugh and Cole in Dallas' Uptown neighborhood
and has since grown the brand to seven studios across Dallas, Plano, Frisco and Nashville
— studios that now run at 90%+ average utilization and have collectively served more
than 23,000 clients in the past year alone. In 2026 Grignon Hays launched the SESSION
Foundation, the brand's nonprofit arm, to offer mentorship and support to the next
generation of North Texas female founders — a mission already in motion through initiatives
like the annual Sound SESSION concert event, which awarded an $80K grant to its inaugural
recipient, matching the same investment that Grignon Hays started SESSION Pilates
with. With community at the forefront of all that SESSION does—both in and outside
of the studio—Grignon Hays' Pilates empire is just beginning!
About the Distinguished Speaker Series
The G. Brint Ryan College of Business Distinguished Speaker Series provides students and faculty with an opportunity to learn from prominent executives and leaders in the business community.
Each semester, a different speaker is brought to campus to offer new perspectives and first-hand information about the complexities of the business world. Past topics have included successful management styles, possible career paths, critical industry-related issues, and qualities conducive to successful business leadership.
These lectures enhance the educational experience of students in the G. Brint Ryan College of Business, while inspiring them to seek new ways to meet the challenges of tomorrow.