Cotopaxi Launches into Growth Trajectory with Hires

Outdoor brand and B Corp, Cotopaxi, added seven staff members to its leadership, signaling the start of a strategic growth direction for the benchmark-setting impact-driven brand.

New to the team as of late 2021, in sequential hiring order, are Eric Turner, Director of Growth Marketing; Julie Bartlett, Chief Legal Officer; Jeffrey Steadman, Community Engagement Director; Matt O’Connor, Senior Director of National Sales; Liz Peixoto, Vice President of Product Design; Stephanie Fraser, Senior Director of Product Sourcing & Sustainability; and Stacey Howe, Vice President of eCommerce.

Peixoto, brings 20 years’ experience working in the outdoor, active and lifestyle apparel industries, with a background in creative direction, global design strategy, product conceptualization, and successful team leadership. Prior to joining Cotopaxi, she worked in senior creative roles at Adidas and Merrell, and most recently as the owner of her own creative design studio. She will be responsible for the global product team with continuing to develop the successful Cotopaxi products and innovation.

Howe has more than 15 years in the digital brand and ecommerce space and has held leadership roles in business strategy, digital brand marketing, ecommerce business development and customer experience optimization at some of the U.S.s’ leading footwear and apparel brands. In her current role as Vice President of eCommerce at Cotopaxi, she will be focused on accelerating the company’s eCommerce business – a key priority for the company.

Bartlett, is an experienced legal professional with more than two decades practicing law, and joins Cotopaxi from PillPack, an American online pharmacy which is a subsidiary of Amazon.com, where she served as associate general counsel. Bartlett practiced law in several law firms during her career, including Goulston & Storrs and Ropes & Gray. She was assistant general counsel for the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the winter Olympic games of 2002.

Fraser brings more than 15 years of sourcing apparel and textiles experience in Asia and Europe for JCREW, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Carters. She will be working with the design and product teams to ensure that Cotopaxi’s overseas partners meet the brand’s rigorous product quality and sustainability requirements.

O’Connor, Senior Director of National Sales, comes to the Cotopaxi team with more than 25 years in the outdoor industry, working predominantly in the wholesale channel creating systems and strategies to support strong dealer results. Prior to Cotopaxi, he was was with Patagonia for 14 years, as a sales rep in the Rockies and a sales manager in the Western and Central United States.

Steadman, has worked in community management for over a decade, most recently with Yelp where he built communities across Utah, and managed new communities in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest. He will lead the Cotopaxi community team as they expand across cities and college campuses nationwide.

Turner joins Cotopaxi after seven years within the Omnicom Corporation, most recently as the Head of Search and Director of Digital Activation for PHD Media. In his time at Omnicom, Turner contributed to performance media strategy for several clients like SC Johnson, Carnival Corporation, Diageo, Volkswagen and Red Bull. Turner also served on Omnicom’s Digital Center of Excellence as a project manager and search lead.

Davis Smith, founder and CEO of Cotopaxi said, “These new additions to our already invested and stellar team are a true indication of the commitment to our growth, and our company mission of creating best in class products while improving the human condition through our impact work.”

Cotopaxi also recently announced its search for the role of President, who would report to Smith as CEO. The brand is searching for an authentic leader who is passionate about positively impacting people, the planet, and communities. This leader must have previously demonstrated success growing a brand as a President, CEO, COO, or equivalent of an omni-channel brand that has experienced hyper-growth, but also be service-minded and be able to mentor and train a best-in-class team.

For information, visit Cotopaxi.com.