Burton announced that it has hired Jennifer Valentine as chief merchandising officer and Debbie Lee as chief marketing officer based in the company’s global headquarters in Burlington, VT.
Valentine and Lee report directly to CEO John Lacy and will collaborate with Burton Owner Donna Carpenter.
“Burton’s commitment to snowboarding is stronger than ever, balancing growth while elevating our dedication to purpose impact work,” said Lacy. “We’re making strategic moves to grow our brand and three key categories: snowboarding hardgoods, performance outerwear and Anon winter protection. Jen and Debbie are the right leaders to help guide us in Burton’s next era of balancing profit and purpose.”
Starting as Burton’s first Chief Merchandising Officer in January of 2025, Valentine has over 18 years of business experience, having worked at Adidas, where she held various roles in finance, strategy, sales and merchandising. During her nearly two decades with the brand, she led teams across multiple sports, including soccer, training and running, and in all product categories in footwear, apparel and hardgoods. Most recently, Valentine led the global merchandising and go-to-market strategies for Adidas’ soccer business. Before that, she led the soccer business for Adidas North America where she developed and executed a plan to enhance the brand’s leadership in the sport and drive business growth across the region. In this role, she led a cross-functional team responsible for brand marketing, merchandising and sports marketing.
Valentine shared, “I’ve had a deep affinity for the Burton brand and its products ever since I started snowboarding in the 1990s. Now, having the opportunity to contribute to Burton’s continued success through merchandising is truly exciting. I look forward to working with the team and accomplishing great things together.”
Debbie Lee officially joined Burton as chief marketing officer in October 2024, overseeing brand, marketing and creative focused on a go-to-market approach that speaks to a global audience. Before joining the company, Lee held senior leadership roles at 4moms, Caastle, Skip Hop, and Elizabeth Arden where she developed strategies that boosted brand awareness.
“Burton is the kind of brand every marketer dreams of—an epic story, passionate community and a spirit of innovation and progression,” said Lee. “I’m excited to work with this incredible team to drive our growth and inspire the next generation.”
Carpenter said, “I look forward to collaborating with Jen, Debbie and the entire Burton team on our long-term strategy, which places our business results and our purpose work on equal footing. As a family-owned company, we’re committed to amplifying the power of snowboarding to build toward a healthy planet where all people can thrive, and I know Jen and Debbie share this commitment.”
Images courtesy Burton
