Converse

The Converse brand and my time there will always have a special place in my heart. It is where I started my career as an intern and had many of my first experiences in the industry: Asia development trips, global in-market research, trade shows, presenting to all levels of leadership and accounts, and learning the importance of collaboration with other functional areas. I gained cross-category experience and was even instrumental in starting a new category for the brand…Action Sports, with Skateboarding as the central focus. I had the opportunity to work with professional athletes, from Pro Skateboarders to NBA Basketball players. I also learned to manage change and pivot to focus on critical priorities. It was there that I learned how I wanted to approach leadership roles down the road and also how I didn’t.

A few highlights from my time with Converse were as follows:

• Touch EFX- This was my first concept as a full-time Designer. The idea was good, but the marketing and product development were even better if I am perfectly honest. This collaborative effort resulted in over $1 million pairs sold in the first year.

• Skate- Another significant milestone during my tenure at Converse was the successful launch of the Action Sports category. After fully conceptualizing an unbriefed line and demonstrating to key decision-makers the consumer's appetite for the brand, I gained the support of marketing and leadership to build a team to focus on the category. This involved hiring new team members and recruiting our pro skate team, including Kenny Anderson, creating his first pro model.

• Dennis Rodman- One of the most memorable experiences at Converse was the opportunity to work on the Dennis Rodman project. At a time when the Basketball Design team was short-staffed, I was given a chance to step in as a ‘guest Designer.’ It was a privilege to create the final signature model of Dennis Rodman’s career, the shoe he wore to claim his 7th rebounding title on the way to winning an NBA Championship with the Chicago Bulls. This project tested my design skills and taught me the value of stepping up when the team needs you most.