MY STORY
I am a distinguished former executive at Nike, with more than 40 years of experience revolutionizing the business of sport through strategic business planning, innovation, and building winning teams. Renowned as an influential woman executive, I fiercely advocate for dismantling biases and cultivating high-performing teams. Throughout my illustrious career, I have mentored and inspired thousands of ambitious professionals, empowering them to unlock their fullest potential.
As a passionate champion for women in leadership, I embody the mantra “Just Say Yes,” motivating individuals to seize opportunities and tackle challenges with unwavering confidence. My extensive expertise includes roles as the VP & GM of Nike Women’s, VP of North America Sales and Retail, and Executive Sponsor for the Women in Nike (WIN) program, which recruited more than 70 retired professional women athletes to Nike. My steadfast commitment to excellence and depth of experience make me a dynamic, inspirational speaker and consultant.
I am also the founding board chair of the nonprofit organization Children's Cancer Association, with a mission to deliver JoyRx. By partnering with top executives in the music industry, JoyRx Music has brought the healing power of music to more than 50 children's hospitals across the USA. Today, JoyRx helps seriously ill kids and their families through our JoyRx Music, Mentorship, and Nature experiences.
In 2021, at the prestigious Global Maxim Awards Ceremony, Nike’s co-founder and chairman emeritus, Phil Knight, honored me with the Founders Award—Nike’s highest employee accolade—celebrating the profound impact I made during my tenure with the company.
BELIEVING
Who I am is as much about what I value as it is about what I do.
I believe in an active life through sport and creative expression and all of the health and happiness it can bring to people, communities, and society.
I believe in connectedness—to family, to co-workers, and to the world, in and outside of business.
I believe in authenticity. Authentic people and stories. Authentically good ideas.
I believe in strategy, hard work, talent, relationships, creativity, and foresight.
I believe in making a difference.
this is not
a resume
A life of business, sport, family, and community.
1973 Entered University of New Hampshire on a basketball scholarship
1981 Completed the Boston Marathon
1981 Started at Nike in Exeter, NH—employee #3152
1984 Moved west to work on Nike Running product
1989 Had my daughter, Ann, and moved to Europe to head up product
1993–1998 VP/GM Nike Footwear—one of the first three women VPs
1995 Founding board chair of Children’s Cancer Association
2000 Opened Goddess Store as VP/GM Nike Women’s
2001 Took role as VP Nike Sales and Retail for North America
2007 Launched Tailwind Brand with Payless—valuable experience in value channel
2008 Joined the boards of Catlin Gabel School and Portland State Center for Women’s Leadership
2008–2013 Led the sale of 3 brands—delivered significant shareholder value
2012 Biked across the Pyrenees—70k fuel points
2013 Joined the advisory board of the Meriwether Group, mentoring entrepreneurs
2016 Completed leading the integration and scaling of Nike Flyknit
2017 Led entrepreneurial growth methodology, resulting in a startup called Cultivator
2018 Re-energized an end-to-end team to grow Nike’s #1 Air platform
2019 Became VP Innovation Integration, focused on Nike’s most important platforms and innovations
2019 Started and led Nike WIN (Women in Nike) program, hiring retired WNBA athletes
2023 Hired the 4th cohort of WIN members, adding USA Track and Field
2024 Retired from Nike after 43 years
Learn more about Clare’s speaking engagements here.