25+ women leaders in the outdoor industry, nonprofit, endurance sports & more
Looking across the outdoor industry, there is an amazing group of talented and influential women leading some of our favorite brands. These women leaders bring years of experience and skills to their organizations and provide some great examples for others to follow. Here we’ve compiled a list of a few of the women Verde works with who are working to change the outdoor industry from the inside out.
Contact us to profile the generation of trailblazers who are moving the industry to be more inclusive, representative, and equal.
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women leaders in endurance sports & running
Jenny Vierling - Co-Founder - Tailwind Nutrition
Together with her co-founder Jeff, Jenny set out to help athletes reach their goals with simple, proven nutrition coupled with education, encouragement, and delightful customer service. Tailwind manufactures and distributes nutrition products that are easy on the gut for athletes in all 50 states and 28 countries from their headquarters in Durango, CO. Jenny has been a driving force behind the brand since its inception. Recognition for Tailwind includes the Durango Chamber 2019 Entrepreneur of the Year, Governor’s Award for Excellence in Exporting, Wright Award Finalist, Colorado Company to Watch, and recipient of a Colorado Advanced Industries grant.
Maggie Guterl - Athletes and Events Manager - Tailwind Nutrition
Maggie Guterl came to Tailwind Nutrition over 4 years ago as the Events and Athletes Manager and was one of their best customers before becoming an employee. She is a runner who has competed in numerous ultra-marathons over the span of 12 years which include helping Team USA win gold at the 2015 IAU 24 Hour World Championships and was awarded the 2020 Outstanding Achievement in Ultra-Running from Sportswomen of Colorado. She uses her background in running and marketing to curate and grow the athletes and events program at Tailwind Nutrition.
Adriana Nelson - Co-Founder - ROLL Recovery
Adriana is an accomplished elite distance runner, with a 2nd place finish at the 2007 Chicago Marathon, USA Half Marathon champion in 2013, and three times Olympic trials qualifier. She was named the female athlete of the year at The University of Texas at El Paso, UTEP, TX, where she also earned a B.Sc. degree in Kinesiology and minor in Psychology. Adriana is one of two CO-Founders of ROLL Recovery alongside her husband Jeremy Nelson.
Carli Powers - Associate Director of Event Partner Activations - Life Time
Carli Powers is a versatile professional with nearly 6 years of experience at Life Time, where she currently serves as the Associate Director of Event Partner Activation. In this role, Carli and her team work to give life to sponsorship dreams, while positively impacting participants’ experiences at Life Time’s athletic events. Her activation team excels at creating meaningful and strategic brand activations that surpass client expectations. Carli's leadership and passion have made her a valuable leader in the endurance industry.
women leaders at outdoor brands
Soraya Smith - President - American Outdoor Products / Backpacker’s Pantry
With over a decade of product and recipe development for Backpacker’s Pantry, Soraya Smith is a passionate advocate for the outdoors and food. Luckily, she gets to marry these two interests in her work. Soraya is President of the company’s Board of Directors, she is licensed through the Colorado Bar Association, and is an accredited culinary professional. Her expertise in food innovation and passion for our planet’s sustainability, are guiding her work in addressing sustainable supply chain, food insecurity and outdoors access as personal goals.
Julia Granhed - Head of Marketing - RECCO
Julia Granhed is RECCO’s head of marketing. She holds a degree from Stockholm University and currently lives in the Swedish capital when she’s not traveling. Granhed and her team oversee RECCO’s marketing efforts worldwide together with brand partners, rescue organizations and events such as Freeride World Tour.
Joanne Steinbauer - Senior Director of Product - Royal Robbins
Joanne Steinbauer is the Senior Director of Product at Royal Robbins where she has worked since 2016. Joanne has more than 20 years of experience in performance and fashion apparel. Prior to Royal Robbins, Joanne served as design director at Athleta. Outside of the office, Joanne is an Ironman triathlete and loves spending time outdoors with her twin teenage daughters. When she’s not swimming for a Masters team and riding her mountain bike on the awesome trails in the Bay Area, she’s busy as a softball and soccer mum. Originally from England, Joanne loves living in Northern California in a climate where she's able to be outside (nearly) all year long.
Kelly Knauf - Marketing Lead & Account Manager - Outdoor Prolink
Kelly has worked at Outdoor Prolink for over three years and leads the Marketing Team. At OPL, Kelly manages the content program, social channels, brand relationships, and overall marketing strategy. She started her career in tech and decided to move into the outdoor industry to better align with her passions. She is a mountain lover, snowboarder, backpacker, and star-gazer.
Melissa Hess - Business Development Manager - Outdoor Prolink
5 years ago, I decided it was time to take a leap. I moved from the PNW to Montana to pursue my hobbies and adventures in the outdoors. The outdoors has always been my passion and greatest teacher, and more often than not you can find me snowboarding, hunting, foraging somewhere in the mountains of Montana, or getting lost on a trail with my two furry friends. When not outside, I work for Outdoor Prolink as their Business Development Manager with a focus on expanding our current and new member segments, categories, and key partnerships.
Jill Nazeer - Marketing Director. - Alta Cycling Group
Jill Nazeer is the Marketing Director at Alta Cycling, the parent company of Diamondback, Redline, and IZIP. Jill's extensive experience in the outdoor industry includes positions at K2 and The North Face, as well as non-profits such as the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training where she managed their Triathlon and Cycle teams. Jill has spearheaded a number of impressive projects at Alta Cycling, most recently, the launch of Diamondback's ebike collection and the associated campaign - Get Amped. Get Amped brought together local Washington creatives and showcased the new bikes while paying homage to Seattle's rock and roll history. Jill is an avid cyclist herself and loves spending time outside in and around Seattle - whether it be on a bike or on skis. Jill brings her passion for the outdoors to everything she does and continually supports cycling nonprofits and the broader cycling community through her marketing efforts whenever she can. Next up: supporting Diamondback's newest athlete Devin Cowens and her Atlanta chapter of Radical Adventure Riders. This will include a brand new co-op working space, a gear library, and educational clinics!
Marie Major - Director of Consumer Experience - Yakima
Marie Major is the Director of Consumer Experience at Yakima Products, where she puts to use her size 6.5 shoe and nearly two decades’ worth of experience in brand management, marketing, digital/eComm, creative, and customer service to deliver an unmatched experience for shoppers on their path to exploring the outdoors. A lifelong athlete, Major has raced competitively in various bike disciplines for the past 13 years and is a 2x Women’s Cyclocross Series winner and 1x Women’s Cat 2 Short Track Mountain Bike Series winner. When not enjoying the outdoors, Major spends a good portion of her time focusing on philanthropic endeavors, which includes serving as Co-Chair and Acting Chair for Friends of the House Board in 2022 for SW Oregon’s Ronald McDonald House, all amidst two mission trips to Naples, Italy, countless spent supporting local food banks, halfway houses such as Share House, Meals on Wheels, The Salvation Army, and Habitat for Humanity.
Kate Saunders - President - Krimson Klover
With over two decades of global expertise in Ski, Active, and Outdoor apparel, Kate joined Krimson Klover 2 years ago with the mission of driving brand strategy and growth. Kate leads Krimson Klover’s strategic initiatives to expand product and brand awareness, merchandising/product planning, revenue, as well as sales and marketing.
Rhonda Swenson - Founder, CEO and Design Director - Krimson Klover
Rhonda founded Krimson Klover in 2009, and ever since she has been leading the company's product design. Bringing to market sustainable fashion with a sassy, fun, and energetic flair. Being a lifelong avid skier, cyclist, and travel enthusiast, Rhonda’s inspiration is to make apparel that every woman can feel comfortable and confident in; all while choosing sustainable materials, elevating women, and supporting the quality of slow fashion.
Lindsay Malone - Marketing Director - Gregory Packs
Lindsay has a true passion for storytelling - sharing a brand's history, inspiring passion, and connecting with people. Which is exactly what she's been doing at Gregory Mountain Products since 2017. Over the last five years at Gregory, Lindsay has grown into the Senior Marketing Manager and helped build a stronger brand and community through storytelling, strategic marketing, communications, and partnerships. From the plains of the Midwest to the deserts of Southern Utah and the peaks of the Rocky Mountains, Lindsay is always down for new adventures and loves trying new things, whether it’s learning Arabic, finding the best hot springs, or trying out new dishes over the campfire.
Liz Wilson - Senior Vice President, Global Product Creation - Outdoor Research
Liz Wilson is a dynamic product leader with over 20 years of global expertise in the Active and Outdoor apparel space and a passion for building brands. Liz understands what drives consumer brand loyalty and has a track record of creating product-led disruptions in both large and mid-sized global brands. She exemplifies a love for products and is driven to provide an outstanding consumer brand experience while achieving strong financial results. Aside from the product, Liz’s passions include mentorship and stewardship. As a Wilderness Land Trust board member since 2012, Liz has helped secure more than 50,000 acres to bring them into wilderness preservation. As a 5-year veteran mentor with the Camber Executive Mentorship program, Liz has guided five young leaders through a year-long program that boosts leadership skills and leads to career acceleration. She is also one of the major forces behind OR's push into extended and plus-size technical apparel.
Melanie Hood - Marketing & Communications Director - SCARPA North America
Melanie was one of the architects of SCARPA DEI program, the SCARPA Athlete MentorShip Initiative, through which they paired 30 of their athletes with up-and-coming athletes from historically marginalized communities. This program has been one of the most significant DEI efforts by a company outdoor that Verde has seen.
Kerry Summers - Global Marketing Leader, Consumer Fabrics - W. L. Gore & Associates
Kerry Summers is the Global Marketing Leader, Consumer Fabrics for W. L. Gore & Associates, where she leads a team of international marketers who drive commercial growth and brand affinity for the GORE-TEX brand. In addition to being an accomplished leader, achieving growth objectives through strategic decision-making and business intelligence, Kerry is a passionate and committed supporter of social equality, physical activity, and environmental causes. Prior to Gore, Kerry served as the head of marketing at Reebok, driving the brand's marketing across Europe. Currently based in Germany, Kerry loves #vanlife and all the outdoor activities that come with camping.
Maria McNulty - Chief Operating Officer - SIA
Prior to SIA, Maria was the president of M3 Events and Entertainment, a global consulting firm that specializes in youth marketing, partnership marketing, content generation, rights management, and event production, serving clients such as Burton Snowboards, Street League Skateboarding, Heilongjiang Sports Bureau, and more. Maria has been actively involved with the winter sports/outdoor lifestyle industry for more than three decades, and in her former snowboard life (though still an active shredder) produced snowboard events at two Winter Olympic Games and dozens of other elite international competitions, produced and distributed hundreds of hours of global television and live webcast programming, and was a judge on the FIS and ISF world tours.
Jessica Bryant - Brand Marketer, Strategist & Storyteller
Jessica is a detailed, six-armed professional who helps lead brands through times of growth and change. She has a passion for building strong teams and actionable strategies for purpose-led companies. Her approach is Consumer Obsessed; where an engaged community and team are central to a winning business strategy. With 12 years of experience in corporate, agency and contract roles, Jessica has supported a wide variety of clients and companies from scrappy startups to those on the Fortune 100. She demonstrates a versatility that adds value from the front lines of field productions and creative reviews to mainstage presentations and meetings with the C-Suite. While her career started in communications, Jessica has developed into a seasoned brand comms marketer and business generalist. In her free time, Jessica stays busy adventuring outdoors, cooking and volunteering. She hopes to always surround herself with an industry and peers that are equally dedicated to exploring and protecting wild places. Don’t ask Jessica where she’s from—she can’t keep track anymore. She currently resides in Bozeman, Montana, where you can find her in the backcountry trying to perfect her fly cast.
women leaders in spirits
Kate Mead - Co-Founder - Wyoming Whiskey
As if working full-time as an attorney and hands-on cattle rancher, Kate had more drive in her to take on a completely new adventure. She is the co-founder and one of the main visionaries behind Wyoming Whiskey. After doing some research on how to distill bourbon, Kate realized her family could locally source all of the grains required to create bourbon right on their property— Mead Ranch in Kirby, WY. The rest was history! Wyoming Whiskey just celebrated its 10th anniversary in December.
Nancy Fraley - Master Blender - Wyoming Whiskey
The Nose. If there’s a list of the world’s best jobs, Nancy Fraley’s gig is surely on it. Her business card reads ‘Nosing Services,’ and she’s in high demand across the Craft Distilling world. Nancy consults with Wyoming Whiskey working to find the perfect mix of barrels for their award-winning bourbons. With the barrels and batches determined, the bottling and shipping process begins. It’s the end of the line for the Production Team, but just the start of the journey for Wyoming Whiskey. Most recently, in honor of Wyoming Whiskey's 10-year anniversary, Nancy barrel selected and batched a rich and balanced 10-year-old rye bourbon worthy of the milestone. This masterpiece whiskey, Wyoming Whiskey 10-Year Anniversary Edition, reflects 20 of the rarest casks at the Wyoming Whiskey distillery that were filled in November and December of 2011 and is the oldest product ever released by Wyoming Whiskey.
women in nonprofits
Laurie Ward - CEO - Washington's Nation Park Fund
Laurie has been leading Washington’s National Park Fund (WNPF) since June 2011. During her time, Washington’s National Park Fund has contributed more than $5.5 million to the national parks. She provides strategic leadership, oversees operations, and ensures the organization remains fiscally responsible and transparent to all key stakeholders. In her leadership role, she works closely with the board of directors, park superintendents, corporate leadership, and loyal donors to support the organization’s vision that Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic National Parks stay strong and vibrant, youthful, and everlasting.
Tania Lown-Hecht - Vice President of Communications and Strategy - Outdoor Alliance
Tania leads communications at Outdoor Alliance, where she translates public land policy from D.C. so that everyone who cares about the outdoors can be civically engaged and protect the places that matter to them. In her time at Outdoor Alliance, Tania built a national campaign that defined "public lands" for the 21st century and co-founded the Recreate Responsibly campaign. She also has a Ph.D. in English. Tania lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and two children and is passionate about the slowest-speed outdoor activities, including hiking, camping, backpacking, and cross-country skiing.
Tiffany Smith- Chief Executive Officer - Camber Outdoors
Tiffany is a results-driven and transformational leader with more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit development, generating revenue, and effective marketing strategies for organizations. As CEO, Tiffany leads the non-profit organization's mission of supporting workplace inclusion, equity, and diversity for Outdoor-Recreation focused organizations. Tiffany is passionate about igniting systemic change in diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Outdoor Recreation sector. She is motivated to help companies create lasting change. Prior to Camber, Tiffany has planned, developed, and showcased major initiatives for smaller nonprofits and national brands, like Girls Scouts, Planned Parenthood, and the Urban League.
Lia Colabello - Managing Principal - Planet + Purpose Solutions
Planet+Purpose Solutions is a women-led, Certified B Corp consulting practice that provides strategic guidance to help organizations launch sustainability initiatives. As Managing Principal of Planet+Purpose Solutions, Lia Colabello builds brand awareness by connecting her clients to their purpose and their purpose to their consumers. She has developed and managed award-winning sustainability initiatives for organizations, with a focus on reducing single-use plastic and carbon emissions, pursuing Climate Neutral and B Corporation certifications, addressing retailer sustainability criteria, implementing circular economy strategies, and engaging entire brand ecosystems in these efforts. Lia has worked with brands in the outdoor, sports, beauty, pet, and natural products industries; including Costa Sunglasses, Nuun, AFTCO, Innersense Organic Beauty, EarthShare, Pet Sustainability Coalition, Shedd Aquarium, and others. A change leader in her space, Lia brings more than passion and professionalism to her work, she brings a strong commitment to do what is best for her clients, their communities, and the planet.
women leaders at Verde
Kristin Carpenter - Founder, President
Kristin Carpenter founded Verde Brand Communications after a decade-long journalism career, working on staff for major consumer lifestyle magazines, business and trade titles. Verde turns 22 years old in 2023 and Kristin leads the agency as CEO, directing strategy and content for Verde and its clients. Verde has grown to a team of 20+ employees and is a leading integrated communications agency serving the outdoor, endurance, bike, and active lifestyle markets. Kristin also founded Verde’s podcast, Channel Mastery, which is a trusted resource created for specialty brand and retail business leaders. Kristin maintains a relentless commitment to her clients and the industries in which she has served for more than two decades. Plus, she is a complete badass in everything she puts her mind to, including cycling, one of her great passions. On International Women's Day, it's fitting to honor Kristin not only for her unrelenting creativity, vision, and leadership, but also for her humility, fairness, and encouragement of others.
Julie Evans - Partner and CEO
Julie Evans, a Verde partner, is a guiding force at Verde and has been for 19 of the 22 years the company has been in existence. Much of Verde's stellar reputation for client strategy and results as well as the agency's highly proactive and creative (fun!) media support, can be traced back to Julie Evans. She is excellent at what she does and in fact elevates the art of public relations and brand communications in every outreach effort, every conversation, and every opportunity to mentor her Verde team. Interestingly, 18 years ago Julie was reluctant to give up her high heels when first attending industry trade shows. But slowly and surely, the sharp wardrobe from her days as a D.C.-based cosmetics business reporter morphed into Danskos and denim. Simply put, Verde would not be anything close to what it is today without Julie. We honor her during this special time!
We’re continuously inspired by these great leaders both at Verde and at the brands and organizations that we work with. Each woman on this list has their own journey and story to share. If you’re interested in connecting with anyone profiled here, please don’t hesitate to reach out.