Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) appointed Adam Pugh as senior director of advocacy & government affairs, and Lindsay Hogan as senior director of marketing & communications. The organization also noted that Andy Fletcher recently transitioned from contractor to full-time chief operating officer.

OIA said the hirings build on key leadership hires and promotions over the last year, including the the promotion of Keelin Christensen to senior manager of sustainability in August; and new hire of Robert Kyte ias marketing specialist in September. The organization said as a collective, the team has senior experience at outdoor companies including Patagonia, Backcountry.com, VF Corp., Vail Resorts, and Alpenglow Expeditions, alongside expertise in federal policy and sustainability-focused business strategy.

“As the issues facing our industry grow more complex, from federal policy to sustainable business practices to the evolving needs of our members, the strength of our organization depends on the strength of our team,” said Kent Ebersole, president of OIA. “These hires and promotions represent a significant investment in the expertise, leadership and continuity our members count on. Each of these individuals brings deep experience and a genuine commitment to this industry, and together they position OIA to deliver even greater value to our members and to advance the work of the outdoor economy.”

Adam Pugh, Sr. Director of Advocacy & Government Affairs
Adam Pugh joined OIA as senior director of advocacy & government affairs on August 24 and will be based in Washington, DC. In this role, Pugh leads OIA’s federal government affairs strategy, advising OIA’s leadership and its members on legislative and regulatory developments affecting trade, recreation, permitting, and environmental policy, and representing OIA’s interests before Congress and federal agencies.

Pugh brings a decade of federal government affairs experience to OIA. He most recently served as director of government affairs for the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, where he led federal advocacy strategy on agriculture, energy, environmental permitting, and tax and trade policies for the aggregates and construction materials industry. His work included drafting legislative language for major federal permitting reform proposals and leading direct engagement with congressional offices and federal agencies on policy initiatives affecting industry timelines and regulatory certainty. He previously held policy and advocacy roles at the National Association of Home Builders, the National Association of Counties, and the National Association of Conservation Districts, where he advanced advocacy on environmental regulation, land-use policy, and infrastructure funding affecting member companies and local governments nationwide, and began his career in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Lindsay Hogan, Sr. Director of Marketing & Communications
Lindsay Hogan joined OIA as senior director of marketing & communications on July 13. In this role, Hogan is responsible for executing the strategic direction for OIA’s marketing, branding, and communications work. She is central to the execution of OIA’s signature events, including Switchback and Rendezvous. She’s focused on building a broader channel strategy and thought leadership platform for the organization, designed to amplify and give voice to OIA’s voice in the outdoor industry, including its government affairs and advocacy work. Her role will continue to support the development of member-facing programs, services, and products.

Hogan brings more than two decades of marketing and communications leadership in outdoor, travel, and member-based organizations. She most recently served as senior director of communications at Vail Resorts, where she led enterprise-wide integrated marketing and communications strategy across 42 destination resorts in four countries — overseeing digital and social strategy, brand positioning, media relations, community engagement, and crisis communications. She previously spent 13 years at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, where she served as senior director of marketing communications, leading promotions and publicity for Team USA at multiple Olympic Games, collaborating with broadcast partner NBC Universal on promotional campaigns and events, and delivering measurable value for corporate partners.

Andy Fletcher, Chief Operating Officer
Andy Fletcher transitioned from contractor to full-time chief operating officer, effective December 2025, formalizing the strategic and operational leadership role he has held since joining as interim-COO in June 2025. In this role, Fletcher oversees OIA’s finances, internal operations, and organizational infrastructure, ensuring the association has the systems, resources, and cross-functional alignment needed to execute its strategic priorities and deliver consistent value to members.

Fletcher brings more than two decades of strategy and operations leadership across the outdoor, retail, and consumer products industries. Most recently he served as chief operating officer at Ellavate Wagon, an electric stroller wagon startup, where he oversaw finance and operations. Fletcher also served as head of strategic planning at Patagonia, where he led the company’s strategic planning function and guided cross-functional transformation initiatives. He previously served as head of owned brands at Backcountry.com, with multi-million-dollar P&L responsibility for the Backcountry, Basin + Range, and Stoic apparel brands, and held strategy and business development leadership roles at VF Corporation and Nordstrom.

Keelin Christensen 
Keelin Christensen has been promoted to senior manager of sustainability, effective August 1, continuing to lead OIA’s sustainable business work since joining the organization as Manager of Sustainability in March 2023. Over the past three years, she has led sustainability compliance for members, enhanced member collaboration opportunities related to sustainability, and supported member education and engagement on climate action.

Robert Kyte
In other OIA personnel news, Robert Kyte will join the trade association as marketing specialist on September 8, bringing cross-channel marketing experience from Alpenglow Expeditions and prior work as Lead Storyteller for The Global Climbing Initiative.

Images courtesy of LinkedIn profiles of those pictured