ASC Returns with Surf Park Central COO Jessica Mahoney
ASC is where industry leaders and enthusiasts come together to hear about the future of youth culture and marketing.
Join us for a virtual experience featuring panels discussions, interviews, live interactive networking, and more..
Hear from today’s industry leaders, top athletes, and cultural icons
1Connecting with like-minded people
2Access to ASC digital library of current and past speaker talks
3Who's says virtual events have to be boring. ASC has a few surprises!
4CEO, NTWRK
Aaron Levant’s multi-faceted interests have taken him in myriad directions. His work has drawn the attention of savvy investors and notable partners and collaborators from all walks of the entertainment sector, from film and music, to sports, art and fashion including Pharrell Williams, Jimmy Iovine and Marc Ecko. His drive to innovate is rivaled only by his intellectual curiosity and ability to access and mine the creative community. After successfully founding, launching and partnering on several notable business ventures, Levant has partnered to establish NTWRK (which officially launched in Fall 2018); a platform that reimagines the intersection of entertainment and commerce. Levant’s extensive experience in this fast-evolving and diversified eCommerce space has attracted significant support and catalyzed an audience eager for a system both perfectly suited for the millennial generation and unlike any other. Levant’s inherent understanding of the importance of connection, both intrapersonal and on a larger community level, and unbridled passion for creation, has enabled him to help redefine the landscape. Through editorialized content, exclusive products and unique content from notable figures in pop culture, NTWRK has established itself as an aggregator of influence. Levant led NTWRK’s first foray into outside investments with eSports collective FaZe Clan, the most well-recognized organization in the wildly popular gaming lifestyle space. Both the investment and *exclusive online distribution agreement set NTWRK on a path not only to grow its audience, but also to position the platform at the center of the new media conversation. Previously, Levant founded Agenda (the highly venerated lifestyle trade show) at the age of 19 and grew the burgeoning business into a nationwide event with over 1,000 exhibitors participating. ComplexCon – a two-day event experience (launched in 2016) that brings together an expertly curated collection of live performances, the latest products, panels featuring cultural tastemakers and more – was a joint production and collective effort between Levant, Marc Ecko and Complex, and which garnered critical acclaim across industries. It continues to sell out each year, and has attracted visionaries and artists such as Takashi Murakami, Virgil Abloh and Jaden Smith. Levant lives and works in Los Angeles, where NTWRK is headquartered.
Senior Writer - ESPN
Alyssa Roenigk is a Senior Writer for ESPN whose assignments have guided her to six continents and into the minds of some of the greatest athletes and high performers in the world. A passionate storyteller and curious interviewer, Alyssa is known for her ability to connect with her subjects, whether she’s reporting cover stories for ESPN The Magazine, television features for X Games broadcasts and SportsCenter, or providing daily coverage at the Olympics, Grand Slams, Super Bowls and the Women’s World Cup. An intrepid reporter with an abundance of energy and a penchant for saying, “yes,” Alyssa’s committed countless acts of adventure in pursuit of her stories. She’s hiked through the Himalayas with the first Nepali women to summit Everest, competed in (and won!) the all-women’s Gazelle Rally in Morocco, embedded with a motocross team at the legendary Baja 1000 and snow camped in the Sierras with some of the world’s best big-mountain snowboarders. As a sports media professional, Alyssa is regularly invited to speak as a guest on panels and podcasts and to serve as a moderator, host, guest lecturer, media consultant and keynote speaker at global events. In July 2020, ESPN launched the seventh season of 30 for 30 Podcasts, a seven-part, stand-alone series titled “Heavy Medals: Inside the Karolyi Gymnastics Empire,” which Alyssa reported and hosted. Born in Pittsburgh and raised in Florida, Alyssa grew up in New York City and currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Billy, and their sausage dog, Gonzo.
Pro Surfer
Hailing from Maui, Kemper spent a childhood looking up to the greatest Hawaiians from the generations before him. With no lack of motivation, Kemper is known as a hard-working young surfer ready to charge, especially in big waves. Kemper might be best known for his paddle-in exploits in huge Jaws, where he has already logged a lifetime of massive walls. His numerous XXL entries have included 2010 “Ride of the Year,” 2013 “Wipeout of the Year,” 2014 "Ride of the Year” and 2020 “Ride of the Year.” In 2015 Kemper won the World Surf League Big Wave Tour’s first-ever Pe’Ahi Challenge on his home island. He then won the competition three more times... Billy is a world-class athlete who sustained a potentially career-ending and life-threatening injury while surfing in Morocco earlier this year. The WSL is investing in creating a six-part limited docuseries on Billy's recovery and life, which will air in January 2021. Billy lost his brother to drugs at an early age and his mother to cancer in 2018, passing away right after he won his first World Championship. Through all of the pain, loss and hardship, Billy has persevered to become the male best big wave surfer in the world. This docuseries is a tribute to his dedication and it will cover not just his road back to the water, but also key moments during his life. With big wave legend Laird Hamilton as his coach, Billy plans to be back surfing Jaws (a big wave spot in Hawaii) this winter - only 7 months after his injury.
Executive Director, SDSI
Long-time businessman in the ski, outdoor, golf, and surf world. "I started as a ski technician and lift operator while struggling through the University of Colorado. In the course of too many years to recount, or recall, I held positions as marketing director and sales manager at Nordica USA, VP of sales and marketing for Swiss-based Raichle-Molitor, GM of Merrell Footwear, president of Nike Golf, VP/assistant to Ely Callaway of Callaway Golf, CEO of Reef sandals and Sanuk Footwear, Operating Officer for Boardworks and C4waterman and most recently CEO of OTZ shoes. In the course of life I have had the pleasure of working with bigger than life founders, great retailers, and a deep group of Waterman. I have seen it all, from failure to transactions, and occasionally wonder at it all while perched on the tailgate of my Woodie, usually at the Cardiff Reef; usually over a BBQ and a cerveza. I hope to pass on the experiences I have had to younger entrepreneurs here in our amazing San Diego, in the hopes they will rise higher and make one less mistake than I did!"
CEO, USA Surfing
With over 15 years of experience in developing athlete-centric initiatives, training facilities, and real estate projects around the world, Brandon's expertise is anchored in due diligence, strategy, joint-ventures, fundraising, programming, and partnerships.
As a previous member of the US National Olympic Development Program for soccer, a competitive tennis player, avid skateboarder, surfer, and snowboarder, Brandon is passionately active in community development programs with a focus towards action sports, music, and education that lead to lifelong skillsets including financial literacy, marketing, and career-building.
Chief Commercial Officer, Thrill One Sports & Entertainment (Nitro Circus, Street League Skateboarding and Superjacket Productions)
Brett Clarke is the Chief Commercial Officer for Thrill One Sports & Entertainment, which is the leading property in the world of thrill based sports and entertainment. Thrill One comprises industry leading brands including Nitro Circus, Street League Skateboarding and Superjacket Productions, the production company founded by Rob Dyrdek and responsible for hit shows such as Ridiculousness, Fantasy Factory and the Dude Perfect Documentary. Clarke has been integral to the rapid growth of the Thrill One property having spent over 8 years at Nitro Circus prior to the establishment of Thrill One. He has been at the forefront of the development of leading brands such as the Nitro Circus Live Tour, the record-breaking Evel Live television franchise, Nitro World Games and the recent expansion into motor racing with the launch of Nitro Rallycross (NRX). He has an extensive background in the sports and entertainment industry after serving 9 years in Australia’s National Rugby League as the General Manager of Wests Tigers and prior to that the Melbourne Storm, two of Australia’s largest sporting franchises, prior to moving to Nitro Circus. In 2011, Clarke was inducted into the Ivy League’s inaugural 10 NEXT Class for global sports leaders 30 or under and was also inducted into the Leaders Under 40 Class of 2016 at the Leaders Sports Business awards event in London. Currently driving the commercial elements of the business, Clarke is overseeing the rapid growth of commercial partnerships, major events across the globe as well as heading up the global licensing, consumer products and media distribution departments of the business.
Founder / CEO, evo
Bryce studied finance, juggling school while living in Whistler BC, skiing professionally for companies including Patagonia and K2, and chasing winters around the world. In 2001 Bryce started Evolución Innovations, Inc. (www.evo.com), an action sports and outdoor lifestyle retail business, and in 2005 opened a flagship store in Seattle, Washington. Originally launching the site with one employee from his living room, evo has grown to over 400 employees, is one of the fastest growing industry retailers in the world and has retail locations in Whistler, Seattle, Portland and Denver. Bryce’s vision is to continue building a global brand via the evo Ecosystem, seamlessly blending commerce, cause, culture and community.
Executive VP Olympics & Action Sports, Wasserman
Circe Wallace self-described mother first, ceiling smasher second, is a notorious woman sports and entertainment executive.Circe got her start as a professional snowboarder in the 90’s developing some of the first women’s products in the space and breaking boundaries with top selling products and a great “self-marketer.” She then parlayed that experience into starting the first sports agency specializing in action sports that was ultimately acquired by Wasserman media group, where she has been an EVP for almost 15 years.At Wasserman she has developed iconic talent by building some of todays biggest youth brands in sport while producing hundreds of TV/Film and recently LIVE content productions with Natural Selection Tour on RBTV, M&L and signature products. She is currently leading a NFT drop with Wasserman’s top women athletes, always willing to push the boundaries of convention.She has done over 400+M in marketing deals with major blue chip and endemic brands including Red Bull, Quiksilver, Nike, Coke, Roxy, Pepsi, Gatorade, and many more. Known for her accountably and collaboration she has made a name for herself as a leading executive in the world of sports.
MTN DEW Sports Marketing Lead, Action Sports
Courtney Anderson sits on the Pepsi Sports Marketing team, helping to lead the strategy and execution of action sports plans for the MTN DEW brand. This includes Dew Tour event planning and execution, athlete content development and amplification, and the management of asset allocation nationally and divisionally. Courtney has been with PepsiCo for eight years, having held roles in sales and marketing across Frito-Lay, Quaker and Pepsi. Prior to her time at PepsiCo, her passion for sport led her to pursue a degree in Sports Marketing and Management at Indiana University. Through her time at IU, Courtney had the opportunity to complete various internships across the sports industry, including roles within the Super Bowl XLVI Host Committee and Illinois PGA.
VP & GM, Dew Tour
Courtney Gresik oversees all aspects of Dew Tour including business, brand strategy, marketing, partnerships, content strategy, and event operations. A veteran of Dew Tour since 2016, Gresik was formerly the Director of Business and Partnerships for the tour and managed all aspects of partner relations and execution. She played a central role in integrating action sports culture and lifestyle into the Dew Tour brand as well as creating opportunities to give back to local communities via partnerships with local school districts and non-profits. In her current role, Gresik led the successful relocation of the Dew Tour Winter 2020 event to Copper Mountain – a partnership that aligns with Dew Tour and Mountain Dew’s brand strategy of progression, creativity and a commitment to future generations of action sports participants. Gresik has also taken the lead on female focused initiatives including the addition of women to the signature Dew Tour Team Challenge and Streetstyle competitions in the Winter 2020 event. She also established key partnerships with female focused groups such as Nikita’s G.W.R. (Girls Who Ride) and Beyond the Boundaries. Dew Tour also featured its first 90 minute “Women of Dew Tour” premier on NBC, which highlighted the progressive riding of Dew Tour’s female snowboarders and skiers in Modified Superpipe, Slopestyle and Streetstyle competitions. Gresik started her career in actions sports in 2005 with TransWorld Media. She has worked in a variety of business, finance, operations and strategy positions at TransWorld Media, World Surf League and Adventure Sports Network Group. A graduate of San Diego State University, Gresik earned both a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance as well as a Master of Business Administration. She is a member of WISE—Women In Sports and Events.
VP of Talent, FaZe Clan
Darren currently serves as Vice President of Talent Management at FaZe Clan, the world's most prominent and influential gaming organization. He heads FaZe Clan’s talent management group overseeing signing and development strategy for content creators, streamers, and pro players. In addition, he oversees their world-class team of talent managers who foster their roster of content creators into superstars in competitive gaming and mainstream culture. Before joining FaZe, he served as an Executive at United Talent Agency, where he oversaw operations of UTA Esports, a department created out of the acquisition of Everyday Influencers Management, a talent management firm, and Press X Agency, an influencer marketing agency, both of which Darren was a partner and co-founder. Prior to that, he led all Entertainment and Social Influencer Partnerships at Maker Studios, which was acquired by The Walt Disney Company. He was responsible for creating partnerships with traditional celebrities, musicians, and social influencers to bring them into the Maker network and create bespoke digital growth strategies. Darren started his career in traditional talent representation both at boutique talent management firms and talent agencies representing TV/Film actors.
CEO, Braille Skateboarding
Devin Weber is the CEO of Braille Skateboarding. She has a background in accounting and tax preparation. In 2013 Aaron Kyro asked for her help managing the finances for his new company, Braille Skateboarding. Her role evolved to running the YouTube channel, moving up to CFO, then VP of Operations and in 2019 she was promoted to CEO to free up founder, Aaron Kyro, to focus on future projects and maintaining his skateboarding skills. In her seven year with the company she has helped build Braille Skateboarding from a scrappy start up to an expanding company with the largest skateboarding channel on YouTube and a toy line in Target and on Amazon.
Chairman of the Board, IASC
In 1984, Don left his home town of Brighton, England, and headed to the USA on a one-way plane ticket. With only his skateboard and not enough money for a return ticket home, Don quickly absorbed into the American skate scene. Winning the majority of the Amateur contests, he was eventually turned professional in 1986 and won the Freestyle world championships during skateboarding's peak in 1989. After the great skate recession in 1990, Don handed in his professional career to helping his friend launch etnies skate footwear in the USA, which eventually leads to creating and launching additional brands éS, Sheep, Emerica footwear brands, Thirtytwo Snowboarding, and Altamont apparel. In 2003, Don was voted in by the skateboard industry to be on the IASC (International Assc Skateboard Companies) board, where for the past six years, he has been Chairman of the Board. IASC is a non-profit association that helps to Promote skateboarding, Increase Participation, and Educate the industry and has created events such as Go Skateboarding Day, Skateboarding Hall of Fame Ceremony, and Skateboarding Industry summits.
CEO, World Surf League
Erik Logan is the Chief Executive Officer for the World Surf League (WSL), the global home of surfing. The WSL is dedicated to changing the world through the inspirational power of surfing by creating authentic events, experiences, and storytelling to inspire a growing, global community to live with purpose, originality, and stoke. In this role, Logan oversees the WSL’s four business units: Tours and Live Events, Studios, Digital, and WaveCo. Logan’s decades of international business and media experience continue to transform the WSL into a world-class sports media, live events, and experiences company. Since joining the organization in February 2019, Logan revamped the organization’s live broadcasts, led the development of off-platform content including its first non-scripted TV series, in partnership with ABC, Ultimate Surfer, as well as 24/7: Kelly Slater on HBO. Prior to joining the WSL, Logan served as President of the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) and Executive Vice President at Harpo Studios. Logan positioned the company as the #1 cable network in its target demographic with 5 of the top 20 shows in scripted cable programs for women ages 25-54, more than any other cable network. Before OWN, Logan was Executive Vice President, programming and broadcast operations for XM Satellite Radio, where he built the subscriber base to over nine million subscribers, negotiated partnerships, and managed day-to-day relationships with major content providers including Major League Baseball, PGA Tour, CNN, Clear Channel Communications and Fox News. Prior to joining XM, Logan also served as President of Programming for Citadel Broadcasting and served for over a decade at CBS/Infinity Broadcasting in a variety of roles, including Vice President of Programming. Logan is based in the WSL’s Santa Monica, California office in the United States. He is an avid waterman and you can catch him in the ocean most mornings in Manhattan Beach.
SVP & GM, Champs Sports / Eastbay
Guy Harkless currently serves as the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Champs Sports & Eastbay at Foot Locker, Inc. Harkless has been with the company since August 2015, when he joined as the Vice President of Corporate Strategy, leading global strategic initiatives and spearheading the repositioning of the corporate vision around purpose-driven intent. Harkless has also served as the Vice President and General Manager of Foot Locker Canada (October 2017 – July 2020), leading growth initiatives, driving consumer experience and establishing competitive advantage for the division. In 2020, Harkless was appointed to spearhead Foot Locker, Inc.’s five-year, $200 million commitment to the Black community – both internally at Foot Locker, Inc. and externally in the communities the company serves. Harkless and his team aim to provide industry leadership in Education and Economic Development for communities of color. Previously, Harkless was a founding partner of AND 1 Basketball, leading many of the brand’s initiatives in North America as well as business development of new markets in Europe and Asia-Pacific. He has held positions at Nike, Inc. (Beaverton, OR) as part of the North American category sales leadership team, PUMA (Boston, MA) in global strategy and business development, and as a General Manager in Europe for the Benelux region. Guy is a graduate of Howard University.
Photographer
J Grant Brittain started shooting photos at the Del Mar Skate Ranch in 1979 while he was working as a worker bee and eventually as the pro shop manager. He had watched the top photographers of the 1970s come through the skatepark with various pro skaters in tow and admired their work in the skate magazines months after they shot the photos. After borrowing his roommate's camera in February of 1979, he was immediately hooked on the art of photography. Grant honed his photographic skills by shooting his friends flying out of the cement bowls on their skateboards over the next few years. In 1983 he helped found Transworld Skateboarding Magazine, and over the next 20 years served as its only Photo Editor and as a Senior Photographer. His dynamic skateboarding photos shot all over the world were on 60+ covers over that time. In 2004, Grant and his friends left TWS and started The Skateboard Mag. It had a great run (2004-2016), but now Grant is working on his own artistic, commercial, and personal projects: teaching photography, doing photo exhibits all over the world, releasing new photos from his 40 year archive, and is currently finishing up his book project. Grant is a lifelong North San Diego County native and lives in Encinitas with his family and his pets.
VP Marketing, Champs Sports / Eastbay
A thought-leader, mentor and innovator in the sports and entertainment marketing space, Jason Brown currently serves as Vice President of Marketing for Champs Sports and Eastbay. Having first joined Foot Locker, Inc. in February 2018, his focus is on directing and guiding all marketing efforts for the divisions and upholding the Company’s mission to inspire and empower youth culture. He began his career over 15 years ago, during which he led in various roles at Fox Sports, NBC Sports and PepsiCo, where he earned the Charles ‘Professor X’ Xavier Collaboration award in 2017. Reflected through all of his work, he is passionate about serving and uplifting young people to help ensure future generations are on a path of least resistance forward.
VP Action Sports Events, IMG
Jennifer Lau is Vice President of Action Sports Events at IMG. Based in Los Angeles, Jennifer is an experienced leader with more than 20 years in the sports and entertainment industry. IMG is a global leader in sports, events, media and fashion and is part of the Endeavor network. Jennifer provides an experiential link between brands and consumers through iconic live events. She has launched, run and consulted on some of the most popular youth and lifestyle events, including the US Open of Surfing - the world’s largest action sports festival - as well as Street League Skateboarding, Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon, and Hurley Pro of Surfing, working closely with brands including Vans, Nike, Red Bull, Fiat, World Surf League, Billabong, Hurley and more. Each year, the events she oversees allow thousands of people to achieve their goals and provide brands with the opportunity to connect with large-scale audiences on a meaningful level. This year Jen has helped IMG’s action sports events team pivot during the Coronavirus pandemic, with initiatives such as the Great Ocean Road Virtual Running Festival and finding ways to safely execute televised events like the 2020 World’s Strongest Man Competition this November on CBS and Channel 5 in the UK.
CMO, Braille Skateboarding
Jeremy is the Chief Marketing Officer of Braille Skateboarding. He’s created a video marketing strategy for several Fortune 100 companies and famous YouTubers. His customers have billions of views and millions of subscribers on YouTube. He’s YouTube certified and speaks at Vidcon, Social Media Marketing World, Vidsummit, and writes for Social Media Examiner. He helps video creators Unlock their superpower on video so they can live the life they were born to live.
CEO/Founder, Vuori
Joe is the founder/CEO of Vuori is an active lifestyle apparel brand that draws inspiration from the aspirational coastal California lifestyle, an integration of yoga, surf, sport, art, and a strong visionary spirit. Vuori makes products that stand the test of time and hopes to inspire others to be healthy, vibrant and live their dreams.
CEO, USA Skateboarding
Josh Friedberg is a former professional skateboarder, co-founder of 411 Video Magazine, and co-creator of Innoskate in conjunction with the Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation. Since 2015, Friedberg has served as Executive Director of the International Skateboarding Federation (ISF), Skateboarding Director at World Skate, and beginning 2019, CEO of USA Skateboarding. Josh has worked with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee (TOCOG), and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) to help bring an authentic representation of skateboarding as sport, art, and culture to the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020 and beyond.
Partner, FUSE
Julie Jatlow is an Owner/ Partner at Fuse, a leading marketing agency focused on action sports and youth culture. Fuse specializes in helping Fortune 500 companies and iconic youth brands reach Gen Z through Brand Strategy, Social Media, Experiential and Creative services. During her nearly 20-year tenure at Fuse, Julie has worked with some of the biggest and most innovative brands on the planet including more than a dozen PepsiCo brands such as Mountain Dew, Gatorade, and Pepsi in addition to Amazon, Starbucks, TikTok, ZipCar, PUMA and more. Julie’s sports marketing experience spans the global sports landscape and includes marketing strategy development, athlete / talent endorsements, property development, sponsorship management and cross-channel activations.
Professional Snowboarder
Julia Marino, a Connecticut native originally started with skiing, but ended up making a switch to snowboarding when she was 12 years old. Though it was a late start in snowboarding relative to many of her peers, Marino progressed quickly enough that she captured a surprise victory at the 2016 Fenway Big Air contest when she was 18, bursting onto the scene. At just 18 years of age, Julia became the first woman to ever land a cab double underflip and a double backflip in slopestyle competition within the same run. Since then, she’s remained amazingly consistent, earning a spot on the Winter Olympic team in 2018, and claiming numerous podium wins at elite competitions including X Games and Dew Tour.
Co-founder & CEO, Kindhumans
Justin Wilkenfeld’s parents brought him up to work hard, play hard and always give back. These are core values that were imparted at an early age and have largely defined the career path and personal journey for Justin. With a degree in history and minor in social anthropology from UC San Diego, Justin has always gravitated towards supporting people wherever he can. This has come through a dedicated work ethic during his 7 years at TD Ameritrade and 10 years at GoPro as well as in volunteer work with organizations like SurfAid or the Redford Center.
When Justin joined his friends at GoPro in 2007 as just the 4th employee, he focused on developing early grassroots sports and lifestyle marketing initiatives which evolved into high-profile sponsorships and brand partnerships. With a passion for storytelling and multimedia, sports and the outdoors, Justin was able to build teams and strategic partnerships that were fundamental to the viral success of GoPro. These included ambassador and event sponsorships, media production, social media community growth and content distribution designed to amplify and grow the GoPro brand into a household name. Along the way, Justin also led two product launches, assisted with general business development, and supported company culture initiatives for the company. In his final role at GoPro as the VP of Brand Integrity, Justin was part of a team that created the GoPro for a Cause program designed to leverage the media, marketing and social media power of GoPro to elevate awareness for various non-profit organizations with a goal of inspiring donations.
After moving to a consulting role with GoPro in 2017, Justin has leveraged a diverse personal and professional background to provide strategic marketing consulting and advisory services to philanthropic enterprises with a mutual goal of furthering positive social and environmental impact. This has inspired the formation of a new business venture called Kindhumans started by Justin and his wife Suzi. The mission is to promote and elevate kindness, conscious consumption and always giving back by building a media company and marketplace focused on sustainable, eco-friendly and purpose-driven products.
Beyond a strong philanthropic desire to help people and the planet, Justin hopes to promote a positive narrative of storytelling inspired by what he calls a “world of kind humans” that are the positive role models making a positive impact every day through their individual, business or non-profit endeavors.
On the personal side, Justin loves to be in the outdoors enjoying time with his family and friends. An avid surfer, snowboarder and someone that simply enjoys spending time in nature, Justin ultimately wants to participate in creating a positive future for generations to come.
Founder, froSkate
Karlie Thornton is a multi-disciplinary artist from St. Louis, and is based in Chicago. Karlie finds passion in amplifying and supporting BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities. Through her history of event production with Party Noire, an advertising career as an art director for multicultural audiences and taking a lead in diversity and inclusion industries through ADCOLOR. She began froSkate, a Chicago based skate crew that centers both the BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ femme communities by combining her passion for space making, and D&I in underpresnted comunities.
Co-Founder GRACEDBYGRIT
In 2013, Kate co-founded GRACEDBYGRIT, a women’s athletic apparel brand based in Solana Beach, CA. Kate brought athletic coaching and deep product knowledge for athletes to GRACEDBYGRIT establishing herself as COO. GRACEDBYGRIT acquired over 25,000 customers, sold over 2.5 million in premium apparel, developed strong manufacturing partners in the United States, and grew a unique community of women through authentic storytelling and marketing. Kate received her BA in Sociology and Psychology from UMass Amherst. As an entrepreneur, she owned her own company, Absolutely Organized, that organized small businesses and homes. She launched, coached, and grew a youth and masters swim program at a private health club in Plymouth, MA. Upon moving to Southern California in 2008, Kate was a youth and masters swim coach and an executive for The Boys and Girls Club in which she planned and ran events, coordinated fundraisers, ran the day to day office operations, and launched new revenue driving community programs. In addition, she privately coached women and women’s running groups. Her experience as an athlete, coach, fundraising executive, and entrepreneur have taught her to constantly think of ways to improve efficiency and results making her an expert in understanding what women want and what women should wear in order to perform and look their best. GRACEDBYGRIT was acquired by HYLETE in June 2018. Kate was hired as the VP of Strategic Initiatives to HYLETE where she brought the female voice and narrative to the HYLETE brand focused on expanding the women’s product offering at HYLETE and elevating the emotive, reliability, and relevance to the brand voice. Kate left her day to day role in April of 2020 and now serves on the Board of Directors for HYLETE. She also serves on the board for the GRACEDBYGRIT foundation whose mission is develop the female leaders of tomorrow through events, mentorship, coaching and athletic scholarship fund.
Outside of the office, Kate is raising two teenage daughters. She lives in Cardiff, CA and loves spending quality time with her family and friends outside enjoying the Southern California sunshine and breathing the ocean air.
Director of Development, Skate Like A Girl
Kim Woozy is an entrepreneur, community leader and advocate in the skateboarding community. She has spent the last 14 years creating brands, organizations and events that inspire, connect and empower girls and women including MAHFIA.TV, Women’s Skateboarding Alliance (WSA), Quit Your Day Job Film, The Skate Exchange Tokyo and CA State Bill AB 467 (Equal Pay for Equal Play). She currently serves as the Director of Development at Skate Like a Girl, a 501c3 community-led organization whose mission is to create an inclusive community by promoting confidence, leadership and social justice through skateboarding. Challenging who and how people skateboard, Skate Like a Girl lowers barriers to entry and brings people together regardless of age, gender, race and resources. Kim also sits on the advisory board for the Center for Sports and Social Justice at CSU East Bay and is the co-host of “Squeezing the Juice” podcast.
Co-Coordinator, froSkate
Lauren Brew is a writer, editor, skateboarder and mentor living in Chicago. She was born in St. Louis, MO, began journalism and magazine design at 14, and started skating at 16. She joined froSkate a few months after it began in 2019, and now acts as CoCoordinator. Her passion revolves around bettering access to mental health services within BIPOC communities, and creating safe spaces for those who tend to go unseen. As skateboarding is oftentimes an activity many come to for solace, she aims to teach and inspire, both through this and her writing.
Pro Skateboarder
At 27 years old, five time X Games Gold Medalist and SLS Super Crown winner Leticia Bufoni continues to be one of the most dominant female skateboarders in the world. She was ranked the #1 women’s street skateboarder by World Cup Skate four years in a row (2010 to 2013) and appeared in the Guinness Book of World Records for “Most Wins in World Cup Skateboarding.” She was also named Brazil’s Female Skater of the Year twice in 2009 and 2012. 2013 was her breakout year as she became the only female athlete to win three X Games Gold Medals in the same year, nominated for an ESPY Award - 2013 Best Female Action Sports Athlete and appeared In the prestigious ESPN Magazine - The Body Issue. Recently, she won her eleventh X Games medal by winning gold in the 2019 Shanghai X Games making her the most medaled X Games female skateboarder.
Forbes named her as one of “The Most Powerful Women In International Sports for 2018” (#25) and Sports Pro Media's list for “The World’s Most Marketable Athletes for 2018”(#41). Further in 2018, she was named to the Forbes Brazil "Under 30" list.
She also appears in the first ever Women’s Nike SB video called “GIZMO” released in May 2019. Leticia is currently focused on her journey towards the 2020 Tokyo Olympics representing team Brazil and is an executive with the Olympic World Skate Organization as Athlete Ambassador. Leticia came to California from Sao Paulo, Brazil at 14 years old to compete at the X Games. As a result, she landed her first sponsor and convinced her father to let her stay in the United States. Both her and her family knew if she was to be world class she had to be in the heart of the action. They all had the courage to allow her to follow her dreams and she has been competing as a professional skateboarder ever since. She currently lives in Southern California and is fluent in Portugese, Spanish and English. Leticia remains very close to her family and spends a few months each year in Brazil.
CEO & Founder, Stoked Management Group
Lowell Taub is CEO & Founder of Stoked Management Group. After a 24-year career representing some of the biggest stars in sports, Taub returned to his entrepreneurial roots and launched Stoked in August 2020. Taub represents a roster of Olympic, Action Sports and Iconic athletes and sports personalities including the best skateboarder (Nyjah Huston), snowboarder (Chloe Kim) and surfer (John John Florence) in the world. Taub focusses on creating “off-the-field” revenue opportunities for his clients including endorsement, appearance, social media, licensing, and equity/ownership partnerships. Stoked also provides advisory services to brands on their talent/ambassador procurement.
Taub began his career at If Management in 1996, representing sports television personalities, finishing his tenure in the role of Director of Client & Business Affairs. Taub next spent seven years at SFX Sports Group, as Vice President of Talent Marketing, before starting his first athlete representation company, GFHF Marketing & Management, in 2005. GFHF was acquired by CAA Sports in 2007 and Taub finished his tenure at CAA as Head of Sports Endorsements, where he generated over $297M in athlete endorsement partnership revenue managing a client roster including Shaun White, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dwyane Wade and Novak Djokovic.
In 2014, Taub was recognized by the Sports Business Journal “Forty Under 40.”
Taub graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and is married with two children, based in New Jersey suburbs outside NYC.
Creative Director - OKAY!! OKAY!!
With a career-focused at the intersection of youth, culture, and politics, Luis has proven to be creative marketer with serious experience building campaigns that ignite conversations and shift cultural narratives. Calderin owns an operates OKAY!! OKAY!! Marketing & Creative, a right-sized studio in the heart of Burlington, VT. He has had Senior Brand Marketing positions at brands and organizations such as: XQ Institue, Rock The Vote, Bernie Sanders 2016/2020, Burton, Fox & American Eagle Outfitters. An Afro-Latino Dad, DJ, Rider, Runner, Veteran, Strategist, Activist, Curator, Friend and Dreamer of Dreams, Committed to leaving it better than he found it.
Professional Skateboarder
Mariah Duran, born and raised in Albuquerque, NM, is one of the faces of Adidas Skateboarding and MTN DEW and known amongst the sport as being a technical skater who skates big stair sets and rails with finesse and ease. Mariah is leading the charge for the next generation and is a member of the USA Skateboarding National Team. 2016 was a breakout year for her as she claimed the silver medal at X Games and released two full street parts before turning pro for Meow Skateboards. In 2017, Mariah clinched her first SLS podium at the Super Crown World Championship. With her deep bag of tricks, it's easy to see why Duran is now a back-to-back X Games gold medalist. Most recently in 2020, Mariah launched a full skate part with Adidas Skateboarding and designed her first signature colorway with the classic Adidas Superstar shoe. Mariah has been a part of many digital media campaigns including Adidas' 'Change is a Team Sport' Adidas Superstar commercial directed by Jonah Hill, as well as Mountain Dew’s Modern Lines. She is an advocate for empowering young women and looked to as a role model which has led her to be included as a guest speaker on panel discussions surrounding women in sports. She is consistently ranked as one of the top female skaters heading into skateboarding’s inaugural debut at the 2020 Olympic Games which will be held during the Summer of 2021.
Executive Director, IASC / Go Skateboarding Foundation
Mark Waters is a lifelong skateboarder who was ousted from on-board relevance by the new wave of progressive street skaters of the early nineties. Realizing that his future in skateboarding would be focused on sharing it with other skaters, he found posts at TransWorld, Thrasher, Woodward, TumYeto, Sole Technology, and USA Skateboarding, allowing him to write, shoot photos, advocate for and design public skateparks, produce videos, and create renowned events that have helped shape the current skateboarding environment. In 2018, Mark was tapped to produce the Tenth Skateboarding Hall of Fame event, which led to his current role as Executive Director at IASC and Go Skateboarding Foundation.
CEO, Hoffman Bikes
Mat "Condor" Hoffman embodies the true spirit of innovator. An icon in the sport of BMX Freestyle, Hoffman invented more than 100 revolutionary tricks and is, without question, the greatest Vert-ramp rider in the history of the sport. Hoffman’s unparalleled accomplishments as a rider are equaled by his success in
the business world. By the age of 20, Hoffman started both Hoffman Promotions (now Hoffman Sports Association) and Hoffman Bikes – two companies instrumental in building the sport of BMX Freestyle to the stature it is today. The Hoffman Sports Association (H.S.A.) is the organizing body for BMX Freestyle events worldwide, such as ESPN’s highly coveted X Games and all international X Games bicycle stunt events, and produces dynamic demos and entertainment shows for clients such as Universal Studios and Six Flags. As well, Hoffman is the founding and current President for the International BMX Freestyle Federation (IBMXFF), the global sanctioning body for BMX Freestyle. Hoffman is highly regarded as a producer and director of several television series including “Mat Hoffman’s Evel Knievel Tribute” (for MTV) and “Kids in the Way,” “HBtv,” “Mat’s World” and “Mat Hoffman’s Crazy Freakin’ Bikers Series” (for ESPN). He has also made appearances or performed in films such as all the Jackass films; “Keep Your Eyes Open,” produced by Tamra Davis and starring
Spike Jonze; the Imax film “Ultimate X” and “Triple X.” A documentary featuring Hoffman’s tenacious quest for high air, entitled “The Birth of Big Air,” directed and produced by Jeff Tremaine, Johnny Knoxville, Spike Jonze and Hoffman, himself, was released July 2010 on ESPN. In 2015, he was a contributor and producer for “Being Evel” (documentary on Evel Knievel), was nominated for a 2017 Emmy Award, and the 30 for 30 biography on Nick Piantanida entitled “Angry Sky” – both in conjunction with Jeff Tremaine and Johnny Knoxville. Hoffman is the CEO for Hoffman Bikes and continues to build the sport of BMX Freestyle with a variety of events worldwide, including the aspiration to bring the BMX Freestyle World Championships to Oklahoma City. Hoffman still enjoys riding and dreaming up new ways to test danger with favorite pastimes like skydiving, paragliding and paramotoring. Only Hoffman knows what his future holds. As he said during his speech at the Action Sports and Music Awards, accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award, “I feel like I’m just getting started. Here’s to tomorrow.”
Producer / Director, Humanity Stoked
Michael Ien Cohen is a Filmmaker, Entrepreneur, Humanitarian and Life-Long Skateboarder. He started out as a Marketing Director in the hospitality industry and began his entrepreneurial career, co-founding 911Webs Corp., a software company pioneering web-based management systems for fire departments and EMS squads. Inspired by his Grandfather, a photographer, life-long volunteer and celebrated FDNY hero with a day named after him in Brooklyn, NY., Michael became a wish-granter for the Make-A-Wish Foundation but aspired to make a larger impact on the world around him. After focusing on his business career for two decades, then sliding into a clinical depression, Michael had an epiphany about letting fear hold oneself back from living a more authentic life and turning one's dreams into a reality. Having always wanted to be a humanitarian and filmmaker, he vowed never again to let fear guide his hand and in 2017, his love of humanitarian work and creative self-expression set him on a new journey. He founded the WhatStopsYou.org Foundation, a 501(c)(3) to provide schools serving underprivileged communities with inspirational speakers to help children get past the fears and uncertainties that can hold them back. Michael also wrote, produced and directed the epic documentary film, Humanity Stoked (for release this winter). The film is an exploration into the challenges of moving humanity forward, as seen through the eyes of dozens of the world’s most iconic professional skaters, plus activists, scientists, artists, musicians, and educators, all of whom share unique experiences and perspectives shaped by their love of skateboarding. It features Tony Hawk, Bob Burnquist, Lizzie Armanto, Chad Muska, Nyjah Huston, Vanessa Torres, Sheppard Fairey, Boo Jonson, Tony Alva, Ray Barbee, Cara-Beth Burnside, Chris Cole, Steve Olson, Steve Van Doren, Amelia Brodka, Christian Hosoi and many others.
Co-Founder / CEO, Liquid Death Mountain Water
Founder & CEO of Liquid Death, the first bold hilarious water brand with the evil mission to make health and killing plastic more fun and entertaining. Prior to Liquid Death, Mike was an advertising creative director for brands like Netflix, Organic Valley, Volkswagen, DiGiorno, Activision, and Street League.
President, SIA
Nick Sargent is the President of Snowsports Industries America (SIA) the snow sports industry trade
association based in Park City, UT. Prior to taking the lead of SIA in 2016, Sargent led partnership marketing initiatives for Burton Snowboards as Vice President of Global Business Alliance for over eleven years, where he grew the brand’s globally recognized partner portfolio while expanding its global alliances. Nick also held the Strategic Alliance Manager position for Adidas-Salomon AG. Outside of Sargent’s proficiency in the industry’s business, he is deeply rooted in the snow sports community, having developed a passion for all snow sports disciplines at a young age. As the leader of SIA, Nick has been the vision behind the organization’s evolution from its sixty-year ownership of the SIA Snow Show to one that’s singularly focused on being aligned with the needs of SIA’s members; creating the strategic plan to manage the change, and providing new business, education and data leadership so that the industry thrives, while addressing the existential issues facing the snow sports industry. Sargent was the driving force behind the sale of the SIA Snow Show to Emerald Expositions in 2017, and SIA’s alliances with various outdoor industry trade groups to collaboratively address climate change and participation. In 2019, SIA announced its purchase of the Colorado and Boston Ski and Snowboard Expos from BEWI Productions, Inc. marking SIA’s entry into the B2C space, creating a direct consumer connection for the SIA members, new property is named Snowbound. Sargent is a native of Stowe, VT and currently lives in Park City, UT. He joined the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Board of Directors in 2016.
Co-founder, Rad Season
The concept for Rad Season came about when I was trekking around Latin America. I found it difficult to find cool events and festivals going on that were a bit different and had an element of adventure and general radness to them. I knew that there was always something rad worth going to somewhere in the world, but there was no single platform bringing them together for like-minded people. With over 15 years experience in international business development, spanning multiple industries including action sports, events, media, digital, ICT, travel and tourism, I decided to combine them all with Rad Season.
ASC Host
Pat Parnell has honed his story telling and producing skills through more than 3 decades of experience in the action sports, entertainment, travel and adventure production space. Following his work with MTV & ESPN he began his 11 year tenure at NBC including 5 Olympics, multiple Gravity Games, Dew Tour, Vans Triple Crown along with hosting 6 seasons the Emmy award winning World of Adventure Sports. He followed this with 7 years producing & hosting for FUEL TV’s flagship program the Daily habit. He continues to write, produce & host for Outside TV’s Outlook Icons Revealed as well as Expedition Series while currently serving as Head of Production at NEU Productions.
Photographer, '93 Till
In a photography career spanning nearly three decades, Pete worked as senior staff photographer for Transworld Skateboarding Magazine and contributing photographer for SLAP and Skateboarder Magazine. Pete has photographed many of the best skateboarders in the world, during a time in the ’90s that some call “the golden era” of skateboarding, before leaving the skate industry in 2004. After re-locating to New York City in 2008, and assisting Danish fashion photographer Anders Overgaard, Pete’s work made a pivotal shift away from the skateboarding world, exploring a more nuanced, spontaneous feeling. His current work focuses on capturing candid moments that communicate a spirit of honesty, and authenticity. Pete currently resides in Brooklyn NY.
Media Partnerships Manager, TikTok
Robbie Levin oversees media and brand publishers for TikTok's Content Partnerships team. In this role, he works to enhance the publisher ecosystem on the platform through strategic partnerships, product updates, creator collaborations, and more. Before TikTok, Robbie worked at Snapchat for 4 years. There, he served as a producer on the content programming team, helping build out Snapchat's lineup of UGC-driven "Our Stories" and made-for-mobile shows. Based in Los Angeles, Robbie is a cautiously optimistic Chicago sports fan.
former SVP Content, Red Bull Media House
Scott Bradfield has an outstanding record of creating innovative media groups and delivering award-winning, high-revenue content. As a former professional mountain biker, Scott has always been deeply integrated in action sports and youth culture. Scott was responsible for initial conception and development of the Red Bull Media House, and as Senior Vice President, Content he led an Emmy Award–Winning team that has produced the highest-grossing action sports film ever made (“The Art of Flight”), the most-watched livestream in history (“Red Bull Stratos”) and the spectrum of Red Bull Media House productions across all major U.S. platforms (HBO, ABC, NBC, FOX, ESPN, NBCSN, FSN, Nat Geo, Discovery, YouTube, etc) from sports, music and entertainment. Prior to joining Red Bull Media House, Scott worked for sports and entertainment companies including Fox Sports, where he was in charge of “Weekly Update” and helped launch “The Daily Habit”, and Fusion TV, where he produced a magazine-style sports and music program. He produced “EXTV” for Fox Sports and oversaw the U.S. web presence for Europe’s Extreme Group and built a turnkey media department for 4Leaf Entertainment.
Scott holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Cal State Monterey Bay, where he taught 3D Animation & Special Effects and Internet Fundamentals.
Executive Director, SIMA
Sean Smith oversees operational duties for the association and manages the daily activities and initiatives to help strengthen SIMA’s role in the industry. Prior to joining SIMA staff in 2001, he was the former director of marketing for the Action Sports Group of magazines, now owned by American Media, where he oversaw the marketing and public relations efforts for magazines such as Surfer, Snowboarder, Skateboarder, Bike and Powder. His prior experience also includes serving as a public relations specialist for the tourism board in central Florida and marketing manager for Golfweek, a national weekly golf publication. Sean obtained a B.A. in Journalism from University Central Florida.
Pro Skateboarder
Sky Brown is a professional skateboarder and surfer from Miyazaki, Japan. With a Japanese mother and a British father, Sky chose to compete for Team Great Britain in the 2020 (now 2021) Tokyo Olympics, making her one of the youngest athletes to compete in the Tokyo Olympic games, Great Britain's youngest Summer Olympian ever. Sky began skating and surfing at age two and quickly became a phenomenon when short videos of her gained millions of views on YouTube. In the fall of 2018, Sky became the first ever winner of ABC’s hit competition show, Dancing with the Stars: Juniors. Sky continues to be the youngest athlete a number of brands have ever endorsed, including brands such as, Nike, GoPro, Samsung, and more. Sky hopes to continue making history while inspiring young girls and women across the world to reach for their dreams and become unstoppable.
Founder / President, STOKED
Steve Larosiliere is the Founder and President of STOKED, an award-winning youth development non-profit that serves youth in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. STOKED uses a combination of action sports (snowboarding, skateboarding, and surfing), mentoring, and after-school programs to empower teens to be successful leaders in their community. Since 2005, STOKED has impacted the lives of over 6000 kids.
Through STOKED, Steve’s work has appeared in the Mens Journal, The Today Show, New Yorker Magazine, ESPN, Huffington Post, Nylon Magazine, Fuel TV, Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, and Transworld Business. STOKED is also voted to the charity of the week, a Finalist in the Non-Profit Excellence Awards, and named as one of the most innovative nonprofits. Steve was honored as Hometown Hero by Metro NY, received the Community Impact Award by Cricket Wireless, and was named Social Entrepreneur of the Year by the National Black MBA Association. Prior to founding STOKED, Steve served as a recruiter for Mentoring USA in New York City, advocated for youth in foster care, and ran a successful marketing company where he worked with clients such has Sony Music, Reader’s Digest, and Rock the Vote. Steve holds a BA in History from Stony Brook University, was a United Way Senior Fellow, and received his MPA Baruch College’s School of Public Affairs. In addition to participating in action sports, Steve is an avid runner. Steve lives in Chicago with his wife and 3 children.
VP, X Games
Tim Reed oversees the creative development and day-to-day operation of the X Games franchise globally. This includes the programming, production and distribution of X Games content – both for X Games events and year-round World of X Games programming, oversight of digital and social content and direction of X Games events. In his current role, Reed has led the development and integration of youth lifestyle elements into X Games events including music, film and art experiences created to serve the youth action sports audience. Reed also led the launch of the World of X Games show which is now entering into its 8th full year of programming on ABC and continues to develop international markets including recent events in Norway, China and Australia.
In 1997, Reed started his career at ESPN as a sports & competition intern. He worked a variety of sports, operations and content development positions. Throughout his career, Reed has been integral to the planning and execution of over 50 X Games events around the world. A graduate of Yale University, Reed earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History.
Founder, Sun Bum
A serial entrepreneur from an early age, Tom Rinks is currently the President and Creative Director of Sun Bum, a skin and hair care lifestyle brand he founded with a couple of friends in 2009. Sun Bum was acquired in the summer of 2019 by SC Johnson, but continues its mission and operations from its Moonlight Beach headquarters in Encinitas, California. Prior to Sun Bum, Tom co-created DeLeon, a high end tequila brand that was purchased In 2012 by hip hop mogul P. Diddy and spirits industry giant, Diageo. In the late 2000’s, the Los Angeles jean brand, Rock & Republic, recruited Tom to lead design of their flagship store in Beverly Hills and co-create the brands successful launch into cosmetics. Beyond founding other successful brands that range from collegiate apparel to Wall Street algorithms, Tom is also responsible for creating award-winning marketing campaigns for his companies and clients, the most famous being the “Yo Quiero Taco Bell” Chihuahua commercials in the late 90’s.
Chief Brand Officer, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
Founder, The Inertia
Zach Weisberg is the Founder of The Inertia, Inspire Courses, and EVOLVE. A former editor at SURFER Magazine, Weisberg's work has been featured in The New York Times, Esquire, Forbes, Nylon, The Surfer's Journal, O, The Oprah Magazine, Duke Magazine, and many publications. Based in Los Angeles, CA, Weisberg completed his MBA at USC Marshall School of Business and was a division one athlete at Duke University, where he wrestled for the Blue Devils. He believes in good energy and that optimistic curiosity makes the world go round.
FUSE and MTN DEW bring together professional skateboarder Mariah Duran, professional snowboarder Julia Marino, and MTN DEW Sports Marketing Lead, Courtney Anderson to celebrate and discuss the driving force behind women in sports and the positive influences they have made for the industry. Join the discussion and learn about how the recent momentum and pivotal cultural moments in sports have given these women a powerful platform in the space.
What does growth look like? Where does the money come from? When to grow and why? Get your growth questions answered directly from the mouths of the founders who have experienced growth in all forms; from acquisition to rapid e-commerce growth and everything in between. Join Joe Kudla, Founder of Vuori; Tom Rinks, Founder of Sun Bum; and Kate Nowlan, Co-founder of GRACEDBYGRIT for an interactive discussion and Q&A session facilitated by Bob Rief, Industry Veteran and Executive Director of SDSI.
Luis Calderin and Zach Weisberg discuss the challenges and significance of how you and your brand can constructively participate in the most polarizing topics of our time.
• Can social media engagement yield productive results?
• The 3 Ps of 2020: Pandemic, Protest, and Politics. How they're unavoidable.
• Increasing participation is the minimum. Creating opportunity is the way forward.
• What can you control? Focus on that.
Access to Talks & Networking, Digital Library of ASC Talks, and Lifetime Membership to Industry Resource, Authenticity & Group Y