Words of Wisdom from Nixon’s Leading Ladies

Meet 6 of the boss women behind Nixon HQ.

Nixon is full of awesome people. From the fans that rock our gear around the world to our team of professional athletes, artists and independents.

But some of the most badass people who support Nixon are the women who come to work everyday at Nixon HQ in Carlsbad.

Keep reading to meet six of the boss women who work everyday to keep things ticking.

“We say at Nixon: “Best idea wins.” To really make this work, we must make sure every voice gets heard.” — Nancy Dynan, President

Nancy Dynan - President

1. How long have you worked at Nixon? Please briefly describe your role at the start of your tenure to today.

I officially joined Nixon three and a half years ago, but I’ve been part of the Nixon community as a customer and fan for many years. I became the first female president of Nixon in 2020 and now get to work with every part of the company – from product development to retail marketing to customer service. A large part of my job is to support the team around me, making sure they have what they need to do awesome work.

2. What is your favorite thing about the Nixon brand? Favorite thing about leading the team working at Nixon?

By far, my favorite part of Nixon is the people – both the people working here and the many “friends of Nixon.” There’s so much passion for what we do and for the greater Nixon community, it just keeps you going. (Of course, having all the dogs running through the offices also makes me pretty happy too.)

While I come from a sport and outdoor background, I’m still new to action sports and the watch industry. In many ways, I think the fact that I’m still learning makes me a better leader. It forces me to listen to and engage with the experts we have at Nixon and encourage conversations between teams. We say at Nixon: “Best idea wins.” To really make this work, we must make sure every voice gets heard.

3. As the President, what advice can you give to other women currently working in, or working toward, an executive level leadership role?

Find your advocates and mentors that can help build your confidence and encourage you to take on new challenges even when it feels uncomfortable. Every time I’ve stepped into a new role or taken on a new project, my inner voice has started questioning whether I can do the job. Now, I have my go-to people that remind me what I am capable of and boost my confidence. Find your people and be there for them when they need a boost too.

4. Is there anything else you’d like to say on International Women’s Day to fans of Nixon?

While I’m excited to see the growing participation of women in skateboarding, surfing, and snowboarding, action sports and the action sports industry is still male dominated. It’s time for all of us to advocate for women in action sports and give them a louder voice. We still have a ways to go at Nixon, but I’m happy that we’ve increased the number of women in leadership roles at Nixon and are currently recruiting more women onto our athlete teams and into our marketing campaigns.

Joanne Sessler - VP of Product

1. How long have you worked at Nixon, and can you please briefly describe your role?

I’ve been at Nixon for about six months. My role is to lead the company’s product design and development while solving consumer needs.

2. What is your favorite thing about the Nixon brand? Favorite thing about working on Nixon’s current offering of watches, bags and accessories for women?

My favorite thing about the Nixon brand is the embrace of creatives and so-called misfits. In the twenty plus years the brand has existed, the consumer continues to evolve through technology, but independent thinking is timeless. It keeps things fresh and challenges us to improve how we think about women’s products.

My favorite aspect about working on women’s product is the endless possibility which lay ahead for the brand. With more women participating in board sports, there are so many ways for us to connect and serve their needs.

3. Looking to the future, what can women expect to see from new Nixon products?

More fun. More color. More performance.

As we continue to emerge from the past two years of the pandemic, there will be an increased demand for joy and amusement in our purchases. Getting into the water or out on the slopes is fun and your accessories should be fun too.

4. Is there anything else you’d like to say on International Women’s Day to fans of Nixon?

Diversity of gender, race and age will always strengthen a community, a business, and a brand such as Nixon.

Carol Rodriguez - Sr. Director of Customer Success and Operations

1. How long have you worked at Nixon? Please briefly describe your role at the start of your tenure to today.

I joined Nixon in 2008 as a Customer Service Manager; thirteen years have flown by since then. My role and responsibilities have evolved and broadened over time, offering me continuous opportunities to solve new problems and improve the customer experience. I am fortunate to have worked with many talented people during periods of growth, stability, and difficulty throughout my time here. These experiences have made me strong in my current role as Sr. Director of Customer Success and Operations.

2. What is your favorite thing about the Nixon brand? Favorite thing about leading a customer service team at Nixon?

One favorite thing at Nixon? That's tough. Mostly, I enjoy the casual yet high-performance attitude. I love to see totally brilliant people coming to work in flannels and flip-flops and executing strategic business decisions. This same youthful spirit about the company generates a creative vibe and promotes a learning environment.

Leading customer success and operations at Nixon has been a solid mix of hard work and fun. I especially enjoy building and encouraging teams of brand enthusiasts to deliver great customer experiences. It all pays back when our customers are stoked, share their Nixon fandom, and are as playful as the staff is with them.

3. Since working at Nixon, how would you describe the gender balance inside the HQ?

I love to see the diverse talent and strength of the women joining Nixon. And even happier to see more women taking on leadership roles. It is the first time in Nixon's history that a woman has led the company, and Nancy is definitely "making next now".

4. Is there anything else you’d like to say on International Women’s Day to fans of Nixon?

I am grateful for the opportunity to be here, making a difference. I have taken two personal characteristics (I am Mexican-American and female) that at one time were considered setbacks and turned them into superpowers. Do the same. Sit at the table and support each other.

Saschi Klee - Director of eCommerce

1. How long have you worked at Nixon, and can you briefly describe your role?

I have worked at Nixon just under 4 months. I manage our DTC eCommerce experience.

2. What is your favorite thing about the Nixon brand? Favorite thing about working at Nixon?

I really appreciate how giving everyone is with their time and knowledge. Being new to the company, I have really leaned on all different partners to help bring me up to speed on the goals and vision for the brand. I have learned so much in such a short amount of time.

3. When first joining the crew, did the recognition of women in leadership roles impact your impression of the company culture?

YES! When I interviewed here, meeting with Nancy and understanding her perspective on women in leadership absolutely played a part in my decision to take the job at Nixon. I feel very lucky to be part of an organization that actively looks to put women into influential positions throughout the company.

4. Is there anything else you’d like to say on International Women’s Day to fans of Nixon?

I am stoked to celebrate rad women today and every day!

Grace Benguerel - Digital Marketing Manager

1. How long have you worked at Nixon, and can you please briefly describe your role?

I’ve been here for over a year now, starting in Q4 of 2020.

I’m the Global Digital Marketing Manager which means I’m responsible for select channels of our marketing ecosystem. Specifically, I’m responsible for our efforts in email and Meta (aka Facebook & Instagram). In other words, I work super cross functionally with both our in-house creative team and ecommerce team to bring our global marketing campaigns to life.

2. What is your favorite thing about the Nixon brand?

In all aspects, we are constantly thinking about how we can better meet the needs of our people. Whether that’s designing for a specific athletic need or tweaking our work until the last minute to make the best email we can, we are constantly striving for excellence.

3. What special considerations need to be taken into account when speaking with women through marketing channels like email and social?

There are just as many considerations to be taken into account as there are women, so it's an incredibly hard question to answer. I think remembering that not all women are the same is important - which sounds weird but is true. Just because 'Message A' or 'Product A' doesn't work for all women doesn't mean it's a loss. Especially as a brand that has been so focused on the male audience, it's tough to spend money to figure out what works for women. Either way, it is always going to be a learning experience whether it's a total hit or it crashes and burns.

4. Is there anything else you’d like to say on International Women’s Day to fans of Nixon?

Happy International Women’s Day!!! Celebrate the women that make your life full and fun!

Lindsey Joell - Digital Designer

1. How long have you worked at Nixon, and can you please briefly describe your role?

I’m still very new to Nixon, I started last November as a digital designer! To put it simply, I get to make things look cool on any digital medium. I’m responsible for emails, social media, website assets, motion graphics and all the fun stuff that shows who we are as a brand. I’m really passionate about my work and it’s been extremely rewarding to be able to do what I love for Nixon.

2. What is your favorite thing about the Nixon brand? Favorite thing about designing creative at Nixon?

To be honest, I love Nixon’s action sports history which made me a fan way back in high school. That’s what got me into the brand, but the the sleek watches are what got me hooked for life. As a brand it really feels like it represents me as my style is very fluid and there’s always a piece of Nixon gear that fits my mood for the day.

Designing creative at Nixon is definitely the coolest job here. I’m obviously biased but for real, I get to work with all the rad content. I’m able to work with images of athletes at the top of their game and pair that with sleek product photography while thinking about what speaks to other people like me. I get to design content I personally like and consume, and not everyone gets that luxury in their career.

3. What kinds of considerations do you make when designing creative elements targeting women vs men?

There are quite a few things we take into account while designing for different demographics. With our most recent launch of the Thalia we really leaned in to powerful, bold women making a statement and living authentically. Making sure we added a touch of femininity without going over the top. And to be honest, with our current content, if we see an opportunity to be gender neutral we use it. I myself own a couple of ‘men’s watches’ that I love. At the end of the day we want the vibe to be right and not get stuck in any established norms.

4. Is there anything else you’d like to say on International Women’s Day to fans of Nixon?

It’s pretty inspiring to work for a brand that has so many women in leadership roles! I’m honored to even be included in this blog with these women. I’m proud to work here and I know that everyone is committed to an inclusive workspace. I hope that energy comes across in our creative because the brand really is made up of all of us together ?.