Shop Eat Surf Outdoor solicited your nominations earlier this month for dynamic young leaders to watch in the surf, outdoor, and active lifestyle industries.
And wow, did you ever deliver! Our inbox was flooded with your picks of team members who are 40 years old or younger who are making a major impact on your businesses with stellar leadership, fresh ideas, and strong execution – in very challenging times at that.
Below you’ll find SESO’s curated list of young leaders to watch in 2025. From digital marketing mavens to talented creative directors to founders and CEOs who help out in every aspect of their businesses, these individuals demonstrate that the next generation of leaders is bright, innovative, and knows how to hustle.
Dayna Cottee, 34
Senior Marketing Manager, Roark
Dayna Cottee’s path through Roark reflects the kind of growth that doesn’t happen by accident – it’s earned through instinct, discipline, and a deep understanding of what the brand stands for.
She started with Roark in 2019 as its Del Mar, Calif., store manager, progressed to retail marketing manager, and then senior marketing manager where she took on a huge job: launching a women’s line for the previously all-male Roark brand.
“Dayna built the foundation for the brand’s identity and marketing strategy, aligning it with the Roark spirit without diluting it,” the Roark leadership team said about Cottee. The result: a women’s business that grew by triple digits in its first three years.
“More importantly, she helped give that part of the brand a soul, providing an authentic voice to women in the outdoors,” the Roark team said.
In addition, Cottee implemented a comprehensive go-to-market plan for Roark Women’s with a focus on seasonal window displays, point-of-purchase storytelling, and grassroots events that reinforced Roark’s connection to its retail partners.
“She’s brand-first in everything she does – but she never loses sight of what moves the business forward. Dayna has grown into a true leader – not just in terms of job title, but in actions as well. Her ability to navigate complex cross-functional work with sales, design, and planning teams is a testament to her evolution.”
Emily Corley, 37
VP of Marketing, Darn Tough Vermont (Cabot Hosiery Mills)
Emily Corley is one of three women on senior leadership at sock brand Darn Tough Vermont. She was promoted to the VP of marketing role in May and is the first person to hold the title at the company.
“She has taken the senior leadership team to a new level of business strategy planning and execution,” said Communications and Community Manager Courtney Laggner.
Since joining the marketing team in 2019, Corley has restructured the entire marketing department at Cabot Hosiery Mills, which has allowed the department to take more of a leadership role as the company evolves. Corley implemented scorecards for multiple teams to track measurable goals, and she launched the first-ever brand campaign for Darn Tough Vermont, which was nominated for a Shorty Award in the brand awareness category.
Joe Edukas, 36
General Manager, Co-Owner of Surfside Sports
Joe Edukas is the son of Duke Edukas and the nephew of Paul Burnett, both of whom founded Surfside Sports, which is a high-volume, single door retailer in Costa Mesa, California.
The store, which generates $6 million to $7 million in annual revenue, is a year-round player in surf and one of the largest and most respected snowboard dealers in Southern California.
Joe oversees the women’s, surf hardgoods, footwear, and other buyers, and is responsible for directly buying all apparel in the store and all snow goods, including outerwear, boards, boots, gloves, and accessories. He develops open-to-buy plans for the whole store with Duke and Paul and is also the main manager of the store every Sunday. A jack-of-all-trades, he’s Surfside’s go-to electrician and well as its monthly sales analytics expert.
“He’s basically in charge of everything but accounting,” Duke said, noting Paul is the master there.
Joe grew up working in the store and logged nearly 40 hours a week on the floor while earning a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Fullerton.
“He learned by osmosis and gradually took on more and more as we saw how good he was at it,” Duke said. “He’s as good as me at nearly everything, except when it comes to the really deep relationships with brands, but that is developing, too.”
While Duke also still works six days a week, having Joe run so much of the store “gives me a sense of retirement,” Duke said. “I still have huge duties like lease negotiations and more gnarly discussions with vendors. But other than that, it’s all Joe.”
Annalee Loomer, 37
Marketing Manager at Rab
Since joining U.K.-based Rab’s U.S. team in 2018, Annalee Loomer has prioritized women’s initiatives and inclusivity while also strengthening the brand’s strategic partnerships across the outdoor industry.
Loomer’s colleagues said she played a key role in securing Rab’s title sponsorship of American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education’s (AIARE) Women’s Mentorship Program, which supports both current and aspiring avalanche educators.
“Through partnering with the mentorship program, we hope to create space for women to learn and grow in a supportive and non-threatening environment,” Loomer said. “Can women hang with the guys? Yes, but we shouldn’t have to fight to be taken seriously or compete for space.”
Loomer has also been actively involved with the Ladies Weekend Out Scholarships, which provide full and partial financial assistance to encourage women and underrepresented individuals to pursue outdoor adventures. In addition to offering high-quality demo gear to make outdoor experiences more accessible, Rab is now expanding its support by funding full and partial scholarships, helping even more people get involved.
Marc Roca, 37
CEO Lakai, Interim CEO Tactics
Marc Roca is arguably trying to do one of the most difficult things in action sports – revive a skate shoe brand as an outsider in the uber-insular skateboard industry.
In 2024, Roca, who has a background in private equity, business turnarounds, and e-commerce, acquired Torrance, Calif.-based Lakai, which has a long history but has fallen on hard times as large brands such as Vans, Nike, Adidas and New Balance have dominated the market.
His co-workers point to several notable moves Roca has made, including that he:
- Brought on Luis Mora, an influential skateboarder and creator, to lead and energize Lakai’s new skate team, and just added Chris Joslin as well.
- Recommitted the brand to the core skateboarding community, investing in team riders, supporting street video projects, and pushing to lower the price of Lakai skate shoes.
- Personally funded new R&D initiatives, developing new skate footwear set to debut by the end of 2025.
- Laid the foundation for a new Lakai apparel line launching later this year.
- Delivered logistical improvements that are already reducing production costs and enabling more accessible price points for skate footwear.
- And the biggest move of all – recently acquired Tactics, a five-door skate and snowboard retail player with a large ecommerce presence.
A skate industry insider has noticed what Roca is doing, and is intrigued, especially with Roca’s background in ecommerce.
Given the tough conditions in the skate industry, however, Roca has many obstacles ahead. But if he can find a way to build consumer demand that leads to kids asking for Lakai at skate shops, his new approach could shake up parts of the skateboard industry.
Harry Fricker, 33
Creative Director at Arvin Goods & Marketing Director North America at Finisterre
Harry Fricker works with two brands that are both striving to produce products in a more sustainable way: Seattle-based contemporary basics brand Arvin Goods, which he co-founded, and U.K.-based surf brand Finisterre.
Fricker has a direct impact on the image and consumer perception of these companies, which helps create value beyond the sale, said Dustin Winegardner, managing director at Arvin Goods.
“Harry helped Arvin Goods rebrand and re-source the product to Portugal and created a visual story that makes this small brand appear much bigger than it is,” Winegardner said. “He leads with his talent, and both colleagues and clients love what he produces and what he is about.”
Katie Pruitt, 40
Vice President/General Manager, Sanuk
Katie Pruitt has seen a lot of changes during her tenure at Sanuk. She started as a senior product developer at the surf and outdoor footwear brand in 2012, when it was independently owned. She stayed with Manhattan Beach, Calif.-based Sanuk when Deckers Brands acquired it in 2011, progressively moving up the ranks to brand director.
A former colleague at Deckers sang Pruitt’s praises in her nomination for Pruitt.
“Katie is an amazing leader, mom, and friend,” said Taylor Zanelotti, director of Americas for emerging brands at Deckers. “I was privileged to work with her. She is an eternal optimist and brand and industry steward as she builds Sanuk’s next chapter. She deserves to be recognized.”
Lolë Brands acquired Sanuk in 2024, and Pruitt remained with the brand and is now the head honcho, and her leadership style has also impressed her new colleagues at Lolë.
“Katie’s leadership has been instrumental in Sanuk’s successful transition under Lolë Brands,” President and CEO Todd Steele told SESO. “Between her history with the brand and overall experience in the footwear industry, her appointment as general manager was pivotal to our acquisition.
“Since joining our team, her deep understanding of the brand’s ethos and her strategic vision have been crucial in evolving Sanuk’s brand and product strategy enabling us to drive innovation and growth. Sales reps, manufacturing partners, and customers all appreciate her leadership as we move the business forward. She is certainly an indispensable asset in this new chapter for Sanuk.”
Nathan Baller, 38
Founder, Owner, President of Abode Outside
Nathan Baller founded Minnesota-based active knitwear brand Abode Outside in March 2020, just as the pandemic was unfolding.
“We had to be creative and aggressive from the beginning,” Baller told SESO. “As a result of my Wilderness First Responder training, I put a great deal of emphasis on research and preparation in order to minimize challenges and issues down the road.”
Baller describes his management style as “Zen,” where he stays focused on the company’s mission, which is to make the apparel industry more environmentally responsible while encouraging people to connect with nature. That mission has led to the development of the brand’s unique EcoSizing, which ditches gendered sizing to produce less waste, and EcoSmooth yarn, which is made from wood pulp and recycled polyester.
Baller, who attended the London College of Fashion, said that he’s fueled by love and care for people and the planet, and that he aims to lead with kindness and respect.
“I am not really a businessperson,” Baller said. “I am an outdoorsperson.”
Johnny Marcon, 35
Vice President of Operations and Media, Surfline\Wavetrak, Inc.
An 11-year veteran of Surfline, Johnny Marcon started at the wave forecasting company as a senior product manager.
He now leads Huntington Beach, Calif.-based Surfline’s global camera operations team, which focuses on optimization of its network, expansion to new locations, and navigation of local discussions and relationships with camera partners. His leadership of this division has helped drive Surfline’s subscription growth over the last five years.
In addition, Marcon also leads Surfline’s content and advertising division, and his colleagues say he has done a great job reigniting growth with advertisers and sponsors. That has resulted in some big content wins like the Maps to Nowhere series.
While Marcon’s Surfline colleagues describe his work as outstanding, what really makes Marcon unique is his character, CEO Ross Garrett said.
“Great leaders are only great leaders because people are willing to follow them,” Garrett said. “Character is an essential aspect of leadership, and people can sniff out low character or inauthenticity from a mile away. No character, no followers. No followers, no leadership.
“There are a lot of smart, creative people in the world and Johnny is certainly one of them. But there are fewer smart people with character to put the wellbeing of others and the mission above themselves,” Garrett continued. “Time and again Johnny reinforces his natural skill as a leader with demonstrated character that compels others to come along. I could write a lot of words about the things Johnny’s done or accomplished at Surfline, but his character rises above all of these accomplishments and to me that’s what makes him a great leader.”
Matt Sklar, 31
Digital Marketing Director at Verde Brand Communications
Since joining Verde – which represents a long list of active and outdoor brands – in 2021, Matt Sklar has made an impact by helping the company evolve from a more “traditional” PR firm into a dynamic, agile, and digitally integrated communications entity.
“With Matt’s expertise and guidance, offering his insight and immersing himself into every single client account, Matt continues to educate our clients and staff and helps elevate our public relations services through a digital lens,” said Lauren Haber, director at Colorado-based Verde Brand Communications. “Through his understated but steadfast leadership, Matt has positively pushed everyone in his professional sphere to not only adapt, but to be a step ahead of the times.”
That includes leading an SEO-driven approach to PR, affiliate management, paid campaigns, responsible utilization and education on AI, social media management, and website development and optimization.
“Working together, these services support great PR and earned media coverage, helping to drive more coverage, more visibility on that coverage, more brand awareness, and more direct sales for our clients,” Haber said.
Colleen Quigley, 40
Category Marketing Director, Patagonia
A former professional snowboarder, Quigley has worn many hats during her career, and her colleagues describe her as “an epic human.”
“Her biggest impact is how she creates and fosters sport culture for brands, supports communities and uplifts athletes,” said Corey Simpson, Patagonia’s communications manager – product and sport community. “I’ve worked with many marketers over the years, but Colleen truly stands out as a person who personifies what it means to be leader, mentor, and fan of the people and sports communities she works with.
“As a former pro athlete herself, she remains deeply committed to fostering the success of others while pushing brands to do the same,” he said. “She has created award-winning films, developed award-winning product lines with athletes, and much more.”
Reid Stoppe, 24
Marketing coordinator, Minus33 Merino Wool
Since joining merino wool brand Minus33 a year ago, Reid Stoppe has already won a “Top 40 Under 40” award at the Outdoor Media Summit in Missoula, Montana last fall.
The recognition is well-earned, however, according to Pale Morning’s Chris Hrenko, who got to know Stoppe at Outdoor Market Alliance this year.
“Reid brings fresh ideas and strong execution to the Minus33 marketing team, where he helped refine the company’s storytelling and digital strategy while supporting meaningful community and industry partnerships,” Hrenko said.
Reid has improved New Hampshire-based Minus33’s email marketing program with more efficient automation flows, stronger brand consistency, and content that truly resonates with outdoor customers. Those efforts have boosted email marketing revenue by 150%, making it one of the brand’s most successful digital channels.
The Plymouth State University grad is also deeply involved in Minus33’s mission-driven programs, such as its Search and Rescue (SAR) program, which provides free head-to-toe Merino wool “Warming Kits” made from gently worn returns and minor-defect garments. Reid also helps coordinate Minus33’s charitable sock fundraising programs, such as its partnership with the Mount Washington Observatory, where custom Merino socks are designed, knitted, and donated to the organization. Sales of those custom socks help fund critical regional and higher summits weather forecasting, and operations on the mountain, which is “home to the world’s worst weather.”
Reid has also been volunteering for over five years with an adaptive waterski program on Little Squam Lake in New Hampshire, helping make outdoor recreation more accessible. Fun fact: he also enjoys ice bathing – even in New England winters.
Honorable Mention: Adam Garry, 43
President, Outdoor Gear
Adam Garry, the president of Kansas-based Outdoor Gear, which is the small but mighty family-owned company behind apparel brand Boulder Gear, just misses the age cutoff for our young leaders list at age 43. But the Boulder Gear team that nominated him had so many wonderful things to say about him that we had to include him.
“Adam would 100% hate that we’re nominating him for this,” said OGI’s internal sales and customer service team Neil Jones, Chris Miller, Alie Wolken, and Cristina Kauffman. “Which is exactly why we’re doing it. He’s been quietly (and not-so-quietly) steering the brand through some serious headwinds, including the latest round of tariff chaos.”
Even though Boulder Gear already had diversified production, Garry personally led the charge when the latest round of China tariffs hit in 2025. He mapped out how to optimize shipments, worked with the company’s legal and sourcing teams to get ahead of duty exposures, and spent countless hours figuring out which containers needed to move asap. Meanwhile, he still found time to respond to every rep, factory, and freight forwarder in a 12-hour window, they said.
Garry also prioritizes relationships with every retailer, no matter how big or small their orders are.
“From buyers at Dick’s Sporting Goods and Scheels to the owner of Sitzmark Sports in Kansas City – he doesn’t care if they order 50 jackets or 5,000. If they’re partners, they’re treated equally.”
Garry has also helped implement more agile inventory programs, updated the company’s B2B tools, and rolled out pack/fill options that have made life easier for retailers of all sizes. He’s also been known to physically ship samples himself when it really comes down to the wire.
“He’s got a sharp mind for strategy, a serious handle on compliance (ask him anything about PFAS, CPSIA, and TASCA reporting at your own risk), and somehow still makes time to be a good dad and coach when he’s not knee-deep in seasonal deadlines,” said the team.
SESO can be reached at editorial@shop-eat-surf-outdoor.com.
