Deborah Donaldson
New York,NY
Summary
Senior Executive, successful at stepping into diverse positions and making immediate positive contributions. Focused on optimizing operations, delivering high growth targets and motivating employees while establishing market dominance. Strategic professional with expertise driving business growth to exceed expectations. Expert in Digital and talented coach and mentor.
à Digital-led Transformation & Growth: Accelerated and operationalized Nike’s Marketplace sales growth and Go-to-Market plans for North American digital commerce, DTC retail expansion, 3rd-party wholesale, and new revenue channels.
à Elevated Customer & Brand Experiences: Rebranded, relaunched, and scaled The North Face’s loyalty program by revising benefits and promotions and enhancing digital content across all channels for improved conversion, retention and NPS.
à Digital-led Innovation: Co-led development of Nike’s board-approved enterprise-wide end-to-end digital capabilities acceleration initiative, driving significant innovation and growth of direct-to-consumer channels and a connected ecosystem.
à Commercial Management (Budget & P&L): Grew digital commerce and new revenue channels (paid membership and partnerships) by double to triple digits for IPIC Entertainment, generating millions in revenue from new and existing customers.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Independent Executive Consultant and Coach
WEST ELM
01.2024 - Current
- Lead go-to market plans and growth initiatives for select clients while completing a short-term non-compete from the prior role.
- Influenced key decision-makers by presenting persuasive arguments backed by data-driven insights, ultimately leading to the adoption of best practices for business growth.
Senior Vice President, Digital
WEST ELM
09.2023 - 12.2023
- Joined the executive team to transform and scale digital commerce, driving digital growth for the brand, innovating in customer experiences across all digital touchpoints and delivering new ways to digitally engage with new and existing consumers.
- Championed innovation by encouraging cross-functional teams to pursue creative solutions to complex challenges.
Global Head of Digital
THE NORTH FACE
01.2023 - 09.2023
- Brought in by Brand President to transform and scale digital experience and commerce
- Defined and executed digital strategy, roadmap, and commercial plans, scaling capabilities, and overseeing digital operations, P&L forecasting & budget management
- Redefined consumer journey across digital channels to increase digital sales from 30% to 50% through improving seamless connected experiences, fostering authentic brand loyalty, and amplifying traffic and sales
- Launched inaugural digital tech brand portfolio, aligning resources, optimizing internal tools, and enhancing consumer experiences
- Crafted strategic tiered investment framework, prioritization, and forward-looking digital initiatives
- Redesigned website with leading creative agency, crafting and delivering a president-approved strategy for industry-leading customer experience across all channels, resolving friction points to enhance engagement, loyalty, and sales.
North America Head of Marketplace Strategic Initiatives
NIKE, INC.
01.2020 - 01.2023
- Promoted to lead strategic transformation of Nike’s North American marketplace, navigating significant shifts in marketing, distribution, and customer experience, and increasing DTC initiatives to accelerate growth of Nike’s largest geography
- Built multi-year strategic and financial plans, digital capabilities roadmaps, and pilot programs to scale NA revenue by double digits and achieve more than 50% sales in digital and 60% sales for all direct-to-consumer channels
- Created and launched go-to-market plans for Nike’s consumer and sports priorities including brand, product distribution, and service plan, collaborating cross-functionally with Finance, Technology, Merchandising and Marketing
- Special Projects: Delivered board-approved plans to test new store concepts and add 500+ stores to Nike’s global retail fleet in 5 years
- Shaped Nike’s Web3 strategy, resulting in RTFK acquisition and creation of Nike Virtual Studios business.
Global Head of Merchandising Strategic Initiatives
NIKE, INC.
01.2019 - 01.2020
- Headed strategic evolution of Nike's Global Merchandising initiatives for global line planning and assortment management
- Optimized Nike's product line, leading SKU rationalization initiative that reduced line by 33%, largest reduction in Nike history, focusing on consumer-driven, high-impact products with high productivity and ROI
- Led successful global newness pilot launch in Europe, achieving double-digit sales lift of 15% during launch season and leveraging key learnings for scalable enhancements to merchandising, technology, and go-to-market processes
- Collaborated with membership and marketing teams to establish member-led merchandising playbook and enhanced global site member experience to increase revenue lift on member-exclusive assortment.
Vice President, Marketing & Digital
IPIC ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
01.2017 - 01.2019
- Brought in by the CEO to revitalize the brand by building an in-house marketing function, rebranding the company, launching a new marketing strategy for digital, onsite, onscreen, OOH, experiential and membership and overseeing the partnership division
- Elevated digital performance: 140% audience growth, 10% revenue increase, and 15% reduction in acquisition costs through enhanced content, innovative brand programs, and improved CX with a new website and app launch
- Rebranded and scaled loyalty program by revising benefits with new strategic promotions; achieved 74% new paid membership growth and added 400K new members for over 2M total members
- Drove 200% growth in partnership revenue and advertising sales, securing key partnerships with leading brands like LVMH, Estee Lauder, William Sonoma, Warner Bros, Netflix, Google, Super League Gaming, Lexus, and more.
Chief Executive Officer
AWE INSPIRED, INC.
01.2016 - 01.2018
- Enlisted by founder to launch D2C jewelry brand, spearheading brand building, digital e-commerce store, and foundational team
- Developed and deployed go-to-market plan for assortment, pricing, marketing, and retail channel distribution
- Launched custom site aweinspired.com with unique customer personalization and above-average conversion
- Recruited and retained a team of 10 for Marketing, Operations, Website Dev, Customer Experience & Product.
Senior Strategy & Operations Lead, E-commerce Marketplace
WALMART, INC.
01.2015 - 01.2016
- Recruited after my MBA program to incubate the services marketplace division, developing business and financial cases for marketplace services, leveraging customer analysis, journey maps & pilot programs to build and grow the business
- Leading strategic planning, product testing, product roadmaps and partnership development for emerging categories.
Manager, International Strategy
WALMART, INC.
01.2011 - 01.2013
- Created long-range strategic plans and Board of Directors presentations for th CEO and CFO of Walmart International (~$130B division)
- Delivered board-approved growth plans for EMEA, LATAM, Asia and Africa, market expansion strategy and cost-to-serve analysis that significantly shifted long-term investments in international M&A, Real Estate and E-commerce.
Education
Master of Business Administration - Consumer, Technology, Entrepreneurship, Design Thinking, Coaching and Development
Stanford Graduate School of Business
2015
Bachelor of Business Administration - Finance and International Economics
Florida Atlantic University
2008
Websites
Certification
- Nike’s Milestone Award for significant performance and achievement
- Walmart’s Striving for Excellence Award for exhibiting above & beyond performance
- Certified Leadership Coach: Coaches Training Institute (CTI) & International Coaching Federation (IFC)
- Certified Tea Specialist with The Tea Association of the United States
Timeline
Independent Executive Consultant and Coach
WEST ELM
01.2024 - Current
Senior Vice President, Digital
WEST ELM
09.2023 - 12.2023
Global Head of Digital
THE NORTH FACE
01.2023 - 09.2023
North America Head of Marketplace Strategic Initiatives
NIKE, INC.
01.2020 - 01.2023
Global Head of Merchandising Strategic Initiatives
NIKE, INC.
01.2019 - 01.2020
Vice President, Marketing & Digital
IPIC ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
01.2017 - 01.2019
Chief Executive Officer
AWE INSPIRED, INC.
01.2016 - 01.2018
Senior Strategy & Operations Lead, E-commerce Marketplace
WALMART, INC.
01.2015 - 01.2016
Manager, International Strategy
WALMART, INC.
01.2011 - 01.2013
Master of Business Administration - Consumer, Technology, Entrepreneurship, Design Thinking, Coaching and Development
Stanford Graduate School of Business
Bachelor of Business Administration - Finance and International Economics
Florida Atlantic University
- Nike’s Milestone Award for significant performance and achievement
- Walmart’s Striving for Excellence Award for exhibiting above & beyond performance
- Certified Leadership Coach: Coaches Training Institute (CTI) & International Coaching Federation (IFC)
- Certified Tea Specialist with The Tea Association of the United States