Having started her career with a nonprofit, Allie Tsavdarides never expected to work in footwear. But it’s now been 16 years since she first entered the industry, and the Hoka vice president of North America marketing is still enamored with it.
“We get fresh new stories to look at all the time, particularly in a brand that has performance and lifestyle,” Tsavdarides said. “I absolutely love the ability to step into the culture and work with creatives and fashion while also looking at innovation, athletes and the communities there, too.”
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It was Toms’ founding mission to donate a pair of shoes for every one sold that brought Tsavdarides into the shoe sector in 2010. After seven years there, she hopped to New Balance and Ugg before landing at Hoka, where she was promoted to her current role in late 2024.
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Reaching the executive position aligns with the idea of success Tsavdarides had when she was younger; however, today she said her motivation is seeing what a team can accomplish together. Ensuring that the team is diverse is a major priority, as she’s seen the strengths in such a quality while working in both the U.S. and the Netherlands.
“Whether it’s culturally distinct backgrounds or people from slightly different industries or spaces, I think we start to see a much more interesting composite of work,” Tsavdarides said. “If we can do that in combination with building a safe space for direct dialogue or healthy debate, that’s where the work gets interesting.”
With five years under the Deckers Brands umbrella (at Ugg and Hoka), Tsavdarides pointed to strong female leaders across brands as examples of that diversity, and she continually keeps an eye out for talent to build benches of new leaders.
For those looking to break into the industry, her advice to stay curious also circles back to the same theme of diversity, as she sees it as another path to understanding new perspectives regardless of background.
A version of this article appeared in the June 1 print issue of FN, as part of the “Women Who Rock” special section. On June 3, FN and Two Ten Footwear Foundation will honor these women at the annual live event in New York City.