Joe provides an unparalleled level of internal customer service to a variety of functional areas globally. His knowledge of our CRM database & connected marketing touch points has proven to be a critical resource year over year. I think I can speak for everyone in saying that his expertise is an invaluable resource. It’s been exciting to see the progress of our email platform in recent years with Joe Karlin at the helm.
Wesley Eugene (NA Retail)
Wes recently stepped into a stretch assignment, overseeing our North America West Coast retail stores. In this role, he rose to every challenge. When our stores in California had drastically reduced capacity, Wes used creative solutions to serve our customers both inside and outside our stores—effectively turning a setback into an advantage. And, during our busiest time of the year, he also helped pilot programs including new RFID enhancements. In addition to his business and operational savvy, Wes is a true champion of Deckers culture. As a partner in DEI discussions, Wes helped facilitate critical conversations with our retail and corporate teams to drive a culture of inclusion at Deckers.
And, of course, no praise of Wes would be complete without mentioning his positive attitude and infectious optimism. We’re all so grateful that Wes is part of our Deckers family!
Jackie Kirk (Goleta)
As project manager for our 5th Ave Flagship Location, Jackie worked tirelessly to ensure the successful opening of our first ever global flagship store and pinnacle expression of the UGG brand. In addition to managing this project and new store design remotely without being able to be on site she also—simultaneously—project managed the opening of 11 pop-up store openings and coordinated the repair of stores looted during moments of civil unrest. During Q3 Jackie rose to every occasion and showed true leadership and courage while creatively navigating challenges.
Rich Wallach (Goleta)
Rich is constantly pushing for new ways for us to access information on how the business is performing. He’s a one-man wrecking ball who is critical for helping the organization learn, measure, and track data, and he always conducts himself with humility and patience. Rich never makes you feel like he is leagues smarter than you, even though he is. He does a lot of heavy lifting on projects that support our data which is in turn very beneficial to the whole organization.
Adriana Alcarez (Goleta)
Adriana is behind the scenes for many of our most complex and critical corporate transactions– from managing our over 30 corporate subsidiaries across the globe to ensuring the technical requirements to on-board new directors. She navigates board, executive and cross-functional teams effortlessly – and puts everyone at ease knowing that she has these tasks well in hand. She always looks for opportunities to learn and her amazing work makes everyone around her want to do better.
My thoughts on black history month have been confused, not well informed, and almost understood as mis-identity.
To understand this, we must go back to my roots here in the United States. Black Migrations in the 1970’s and 1980’s brought my family to North America, from the West Indies. This was also a significant event that emphasized the movement of people of African descent to new destinations and, subsequently, to new social realities. While inclusive of earlier centuries… this theme focuses especially on the twentieth century through today.
Born into an immigrant family, there was a significant emphasis of creating equity ANYWAY possible. This was often through learning English without accents, re-naming children to “Proper” English names, education/trade, and consistent determination to your end goal. Again, the goal was equity with white Americans. Black History in the 20th Century was meant for our people to push forward, not only to supplement history, but to show the resiliency of the black diaspora. Cumulatively, the Caribbean diaspora in the United States is comprised of over 8 million individuals (about half the population of New York) who have identity, but when the color of our skin dictates our cultural assignment, I have found myself studying American Black history most of my life, understanding where we have started and navigating where we need to go from here.
Although we are now more than 50 years beyond the civil rights movement, change has been excruciatingly slow. The treatment and inclusion of black participation in American culture, is still on full display, portrayed by media generalizations, racism, and a lack of awareness. Our black history is being written daily and we will move forward as such. My responsibility and how I hope to impact this, is to educate the people that I am surrounded by about who we are and offer significant contributions building forward. I am proud of my identity, our culture, and our people.
To Me, Black history month is a month for gratitude. I celebrate and honor black people, whether famous or not who fought for me and so many other black people to have opportunity. I celebrate those who died fighting for generations to come to have more. And I spend time holding space for the work that still needs to be done.
Looking forward to the future, what change would you like see happen regarding Black History?
There is an opportunity to share more accurate depictions of Black history. Everything from dates and times to people’s willingness to listen to and believe black people’s stories. Allowing Black people to own the narrative of their history as the experts through lived experiences is a change I would love to see.
Does Black History Month resonate differently for you this year following the social justice movement and events of 2020?
The short answer is No, I have been black my whole life and I never waited for black history month to honor my heritage. As I have gotten older the core meaning of the month has always remained the same for me but my experiences give me greater perspective around, how the work that was done by the black people of generations past grants me access to the opportunity I have today. The events of last year opened up to the world something that as a black person was always crystal clear.
Who is one of your heroes or personal inspirations from the Black community?
Michelle Obama – To me she is such a REAL depiction of black excellence. She does not shrink herself or try to assimilate, but rather she exudes her love for being a Black woman regardless of all that is stacked against her. She never loses sight of where she came from regardless of how far she has come. I find that this model is rare which is why I am forever inspired by her.
Black history month is a time for me to investigate things that never were a part of my life. As a black male who was raised by my white single mother, I see things differently.
This is a month for us to look at things that are often avoided, and even things that were purposely omitted.
I am a firm believer that those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it. I truly believe that there is a lot to learn from black history and there are many cautionary tales to follow.
Looking forward to the future, what change would you like see happen regarding Black History?
I would love to see a time where I no longer need to worry about history being repeated, cried about, talked about, forgotten, then ultimately relived.
I would love to see a time where we are one people. I am not naïve enough to believe that there will be 100% equality but, I believe we can meet a much more neutral ground.
I would love the history to be taught in schools in a way that is able to show both the good and the bad without the worry of people being upset about it.
Does Black History Month resonate differently for you this year following the social justice movement and events of 2020?
I think black history means more to me this year for many reasons.
With the recent death of my father there is only black history for me.
I have found so much about my family’s history in recent months that it really makes me more hopeful to be able to dig deeper into where I came from.
Who is one of your heroes or personal inspirations from the Black community?
My Grandfather Elmer Jackson.
He was a Mental health practitioner In St. Louis.
He came to denver to get his degree at CU Denver
When he returned to his hometown, he was working in hospitals cleaning bed pans because of the color of his skin and the time/location
By the time he died they named a building after him at the hospital he worked at
He was the most honest kind person I have ever met without any hate or bitterness in his heart and I can only hope to be half the man he was
Do you have a favorite Black creative that you tell us more about it?
Christopher Brian Bridges (Ludacris) is probably one of the only creatives that comes to mind
His fame is well earned, and he has done so much with his influence for others
He is a class act and works to bring true light to the current issues and the race problem in this country
He has a new movie coming out that is highlighting the relationship between a black man adopting a white kid who was raised as a racist
He is a rare example for kids that is a continuing success and changing with the times
Q: What has your career path looked like at Deckers?
A: My career has grown a lot at Deckers. I started at Deckers in 2015 as a temporary employee in the Benefits department, given my background in public health/healthcare. I had amazing managers who helped mentor me and eventually hired me on full time. After a couple of years on the Benefits team, I started to show an interest in analytics and began to pick up some projects in Compensation. Soon after, I transferred fully to the Compensation team. I left Deckers originally in 2019, but soon got the opportunity to come back to the Deckers Compensation team, where I eventually became Manager. I’m so grateful to this team and company, and so proud to have grown my career here.
Q: What’s your favorite part about working on the Compensation and more broadly the PX team at Deckers?
A: My favorite part about working on the Compensation team and PX team is that there’s always something new or different happening. It keeps me engaged and constantly learning new concepts and practices. I also love the people I work with. We all work so hard, but also always find time to be there for each other. My coworkers are my second family!
Q: What is your proudest moment in your career so far?
A: I think my proudest moment in my career was returning to Deckers and seeing the amazing growth this company has made in the past year alone. The year 2020 was difficult for all, but to see this company forge ahead, not only continuing to deliver to our customers, but also stepping up to lead incredible equality and inclusion initiatives within our company and our communities. I’m so proud to be a part of a company that truly cares about our people and communities just as much as we care about our products.
Q: What advice would you give to job seekers interested in working in Compensation or more broadly PX at Deckers?
A: My best advice would be to be yourself and do everything you can to continuously better yourself. Deckers truly values who you are individually, as does the Compensation and PX team. You’ll be a great fit if you are always willing to improve both yourself and our plans and programs for our employees.
Q: What are your goals for the Deckers Compensation team in 2021?
A: We have many goals for 2021! Overall, we are looking to update and enhance a lot of our plans and practices.
Q: What is your favorite part about working on campus at the corporate headquarters in Santa Barbara, CA?
A: I love our office in Santa Barbara; it’s hard to pick a favorite! However, I’d say the overall environment is great and conducive for a high-productive but low-stress work environment. We have an open floor plan, making it easy to collaborate and feel part of the team. When you need to break away, you can take a nice walk outside on the walking path in beautiful sunny SoCal weather!
Q: What is your favorite Deckers product and why?
A: Hands down, my UGG robe! It’s incredibly cozy and I find myself wearing it often, especially when it’s chilly!
Q: What has your career path looked like at Deckers?
A: I started in 2012 and was initially hired as a “product developer” to work on technical weather product for UGG (all genders). However, I was given the opportunity to expand my role and work on other categories that I was interested in (such as sneakers and sandals). After a couple of seasons, I was promoted to senior product developer… and as the brand continued to evolve, I shifted focus to the men’s product range. I was then promoted to Product Development manager and was put in charge of UGG men’s product development. This was a great opportunity as company was looking to invest in and grow the men’s product range. I am now a Senior Product Development manager and continue to be in charge of UGG men’s product development. However, I am also working on collaborations and women’s projects produced outside of Asia. It’s an exciting time to be at the brand as it continues to grow/evolve.
Q: What’s your favorite part about working on the Product Development team at Deckers?
A: I love the wide range of product that we work on and the premium materials. Most people think of UGG as sheepskin boots. However, we make everything from sandals to waterproof boots (with Gore-Tex membranes) to slippers to sneakers to high fashion products. Therefore, I am continuously learning and am able to explore new construction techniques and materials.
Q: What is your proudest moment in your career?
A: The first time I saw a random person on the street wearing a shoe that I had developed. It gave me a sense of pride… as I was part of a team that helped bring it to life.
Q: What advice would you give to job seekers interested in working in Product Development at Deckers?
A: In addition to having a passion about product, it is important to enjoy working in a dynamic work environment that continues to evolve. As a product developer, you are working with people from different backgrounds and cultures on a daily basis. We work closely with designers, product line managers, costing, marketing, sales, planning departments, factory developers in Asia, commercialization teams, quality control, and several other departments. Therefore, it is important to recognize and appreciate the different perspectives/ideas.
Q: What are your goals for the Deckers Product Development team in 2021?
A: There are many goals… but below are a few key items: • Promote a culture of continuous learning. We should always be looking for ways to improve our products (new and carryovers). • Support the company wide sustainability initiatives. As a product developer, we have direct impact on this goal… so it’s rewarding to see how little changes that we make can have a big impact. • Continue to invest in current and future growth drivers. This is the fun part where we get to trial new/innovative concepts each season.
Q: What is your favorite Deckers product and why?
A: My favorite product has not been released… so I cannot talk about it online yet. However, if you look at the products currently available on the website, I really enjoyed the recent collaboration that we did with Stampd (https://www.ugg.com/stampd/). Chris is a great person to work with… and I love the style and functionality of each product. For me, it’s not enough to make a shoe that just “looks good”. It needs to have a purpose and a functionality… and these kind of checked all of the boxes (look good, comfortable, waterproof features, insulating, used sustainable materials, durable, etc..). Another product that I am proud of is the Emmett Duck Boot. For this style, we were challenged to provide all of the features/benefits of a $200+ snow boot… but at a more accessible price for the consumer. We definitely achieved this.
Can you tell us more about the Dongzhi Festival and why it is such an important holiday for families throughout the region?
冬至 , Dongzhi Festival or Winter Solstice Festival is a festival celebrating the day with shortest daylight in the year. It is one of the 24 climate and seasonal natural phenomena in the lunar calendar. It is also the middle of winter season and normally the coldest day in the year, too.
What are some traditions you and your family celebrate each year to honor the holiday?
In Hong Kong, many families would treat Winter Solstice Festival as big as the Chinese New Year Day and all family members would go home for the family reunion dinner. Though it is not a public holiday here in Hong Kong, many companies in Hong Kong would allow the employees to leave a little earlier so that they can help out to prepare the family reunion dinner.
What’s your favorite hearty family meal to make for Dongzhi festival?
For my family, we like to have the “hearty” 3-generation family hot pot or steamboat dinner at home. The kids would also like to exchange and receive their pre-Christmas gifts after the dinner.
Do you have any other favorite recipes you like to make around this time?
We’d like to have “everything” (meaning prosperity) in the recipes for hot pot not limiting to fish, chicken, pork and beef but also vegetables and noodles. We’ll put a full stop to the meal with our favourite dessert glutinous rice dumplings with red bean or sesame paste in sweet soup which has a special meaning of “reunion”.
Anything else you would like us to know about the holiday?
Being the day with longest night and cool weather in the year, it is always a wonderful day to wear our warm UGG sheepskin boots and outfits to celebrate the festival. 🙂
Chinese people are in touch with the rhythm of the season. The rhythm is solar term, a symbol of phenological change. And the spring, summer, autumn and winter are marked by Vernal Equinox, Summer Solstice, Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice respectively. Winter Solstice, also known as December Solstice or Winter Solstice Festival, is the shortest day of the year and marks the official arrival of winter. In long years, unique customs in every solar term are developed gradually in different regions in China.
‘My mother will tell me go home early and not to wander around as according to the Yin and Yang theory in traditional Chinese culture, the night belongs to Yin. Winter Solstice has the shortest day time within the whole year, so this day represents the extreme of Yin.’ Said by Isaiah, ‘Thus, my family and I will visit family graves and sweep the tombs to honor my grandparents on Winter Solstice, this day is also a day of family reunion and mourning ancestors.’
Chinese people living along the Yellow and Yangtze rivers conform to the thousand-year traditions of their ancestors. They worship their ancestors on Winter Solstice to honor their ancestors and hometown, which are likened to the “root” of the people in Chinese culture. Chinese believe that people know where they should go only when they know where they come from. Chinese culinary culture enjoys a long history so a sumptuous feast of reunion is also a tradition when people go back home and spend time with family on this day.
People in China reward themselves with a simple way –a nice meal– to store calories for the coming winter. People from north and south China have the same folk custom: eat mutton and drink mutton soup. Tender meat and steaming soup not only satisfy the taste buds and stomach, but also give people courage and strength to brave the cold and overcome difficulties. In northern China, people eat dumplings on Winter Solstice. This wheaten food with a thin wrapper and rich stuffing can greatly provide people happiness and satisfaction. While in the south, people prefer wonton and tangyuan, which has a similar pronunciation with “tuanyuan”, meaning reunion in Chinese.
‘It is a custom in China for people to eat dumplings on Winter Solstice. As an old saying goes, Winter Solstice arrives, so let’s eat dumplings. On this day, my family will sit together to make dumplings and I will be so pleased to eat delicious dumplings made by my own.’ Alber is from Shenyang, north of China. Dumplings are almost the most popular traditional food in Shenyang.
Meanwhile, Xiaomeng, from Shanxi Province also shares about her Winter Solstice memory in her hometown, ‘Shanxi is a northern province in the Central Plains of China. Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and marks the official beginning of winter. It is said that Winter Solstice is the coldest day in the year and the custom in my hometown is eating dumplings. Elders often say that your ears will be frozen off if you don’t eat dumplings on this day. In other words, eating dumplings can keep your ears warm. This is because the dumplings are shaped like ears. So I am sure you can guess how many dumplings we should eat on Winter Solstice. My hometown is known for mature vinegar. I prefer dumplings which have just been cooked and dumplings taste better if dipped in vinegar. Now I am studying in Shanghai and what I most miss is the flavor of hometown in my memory. My parents will remind me to eat dumplings on this day. So as for me, this special and interesting custom on Winter Solstice not only expresses people’s hopes and wishes in my hometown, but also shows parent’s love and caring.’
Chinese Dietary Culture is extensive, profound, long standing, and well-established. In the fact, this culture is beyond its characteristics of food itself in China. In the southern area, people celebrate Winter Solstice in their own unique way. Huan shared with us about the way her family way celebrate this traditional holiday. ‘My hometown, a land of rice and fish, is located in the middle-lower reaches of Yangtze river and is one of the main grain areas in China from the Song dynasty. People often brew wine from glutinous rice so this wine is called as Dongyang Wine. The most famous wine is Suzhou’s osmanthus wine. The smoothness of the glutinous rice and fragrance of the sweet-scented Osmanthus coordinate perfectly, leaving a unique and refreshing sensation in the mouth. This flavor captures people’s love. Since the most authentic Dongyang Wine is only available on Winter Solstice with rare production, people wait in line for the shop to open from the wee hours. Some will be happy to get the wine, while others will have to wait another year. Whether or not you are a lucky one to get Dongyang Wine, becomes an expectation and joy in life.’
Julie, who joined the UGG team recently, also shares her special joy and wishes for Winter Solstice this winter, ‘Without delicious hot dumplings or soft sweet tangyuan, Winter Solstice in my childhood means the happiness of family reunion, respect to my ancestors, delicacy of a wonderful dinner and expectations for new year. This is a moment of peace and joy and traditional custom on this day shows a good wish. Winter Solstice in this year will arrive with temperatures of 7 degrees, however, as for me, this winter has brought a special temperature as I joined our warm UGG family. I couldn’t believe that a person who used to love warm temperature like me will be so eager to see the temperature fall, because the colder it gets, the crazier we sold! I wish a happy Winter Solstice and all my best wishes to UGG!’ Although the pace of modern life is faster than ever today, Chinese traditional customs in solar term still remains in people’s heart. People interpret the life’s romanticism and inherits Chinese civilization by the long-lasting of custom. Ancient custom serves as an emotional bond of the Chinese nation and becomes a symbol of a sense of national identity in countless Chinese descendants from all corners of the world, bearing the same common culture. These customs will continue for generations, and the special meaning of Winter Solstice will remain forever in people’s heart.
Q: What has your career path looked like at Deckers?
A: I’ve really enjoyed my time at Deckers throughout my 5 years here. Through Deckers, I’ve had the opportunity to learn so much across the Finance & Accounting team. I started on the Credit team working with wholesale customers where I evaluated their financials to assess the credit risk of the customers. It was great to be able to connect with our customer and hear their passion for our brands. Shortly after, I moved to the Corporate Accounting team where I had exposure to Fixed Assets, Capital Projects, Payroll, and other task and projects. Just recently, I moved to the Wholesale Inventory Accounting team where I am learning a whole new area of accounting. Through my experience at Deckers, I would say that there is a lot of opportunity to learn and grow. I believe if you are a person of passion, you will thrive.
Q: What’s your favorite part about working on the accounting team at Deckers?
A: The people! I really enjoy all my teammates. It is a great feeling to come to work and connect with so many interesting people with different passions. There is never a dull moment because you can learn so much through all the experience that is in one room. My team has become like my family, we celebrate each other and help each other grow.
Q: What is your proudest moment in your career?
A: I’ve had several proud moments at Deckers. But I would have to say the proudest moments has been seeing the impact that Deckers continues to make across the world through community involvement and philanthropy. It’s been amazing to see how serious Deckers takes our Corporate Responsibilities. Whether the cause is sustainability, nature conservation, gender equality, promotion of diversity, human rights, or local community involvement; there is a lot that Deckers is doing to not only promote but make a difference in these areas. I love how Deckers promotes and support the employees to really get out to volunteer or donate to the causes we believe in via events such as GivingTuesday and Deckers Art of Kindness.
Q: What advice would you give to job seekers interested in working in accounting at Deckers?
A: I would say if you like a challenge, the accounting team at Deckers would be great a fit for you. Deckers is still growing and because of that; the accounting team is consistently looking for ways to improve our current processes to support our business. Your ideas, skills, and suggestions are valuable to the accounting team. I really feel like this is one team that you can truly make an impact on because we are activity pursuing ways to make our workflow more efficient and accurate. Also, if you like to learn about the business, there is so much opportunity to learn in accounting. I truly believe that on this team you will get what you put in. So, if you are looking for opportunities to grow and learn, the Deckers accounting team will be a great fit.
Q: What are your goals for the Deckers accounting team in 2021?
A: 2020 has been an interesting year, but ultimately, it’s been great to see how the accounting team has collaborated and continued to work efficiently. I feel like the accounting team didn’t miss a beat although many are balancing more roles working from home. In 2021, I hope to see the collaboration continue as we take steps to improve our process to eventually achieve our team goal.
Q: What is your favorite Deckers product and why?
A: I am a huge fan on the Hoka Clifton 7! I really like the design of the shoe and that Hoka introduced the “almond milk” color to the line. The Clifton 7 feels good on my feet. I love that they are lightweight but still has cushion and support.
Diwali is one of my favorite times of the year – from the abundance of lights to the all-round positive energy to the most memorable moments spent with loved ones, it truly is a fun filled celebration of joy, laughter, love and most importantly unity which represents the depth and richness of our Indian culture.
• For someone who is just learning about the festival, what’s the most important thing to know?
The festival represents a ray of new beginnings, light over darkness and good over evil. Our homes are lit up with candles, oil lamps and lanterns to really ‘light’ up the mood of the festivities over the course of 5 days. It brings not only hope and positivity within our culture but reminds us to express gratitude for all things fortunate such as life, family, health, success and aspirations. It is our time and opportunity to recognize, reflect, reconnect and rebuild for the future.
• How do you and your family celebrate Diwali?
Diwali always feels like an early Christmas in our household, we would always host the most amazing parties for close family and friends, my mum would make a banquet of food from savory to sweet dishes and treats, of course there was always leftovers for the following days to feast on but the downside was packing on all those extra calories. We decorate the house with lots of candles and lanterns, colorful decorations oh and not to forget the amazing artwork we call ‘Rangoli’ to get in touch with our creative side. One tradition is for the house to be cleaned, so really an excuse for a ‘spring clean’ and my favorite tradition is that we must wear new clothes, who would say no to a pre-shopping spree right – I never did! We would start the evening with prayers and blessings to welcome Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, fortune and prosperity into our homes and then followed by family and friends who bring us even more food and gifts. We celebrate, laugh a lot, eat a lot more, exchange gifts and then the best part would be the firework display to finish of the wonderful night, of course one firework would always seem to head a different direction other than the sky – whoops. Overall, it has been some of the best moments and memories of my life, and it is such a shame that this year will be somewhat a different experience due to the Covid-19 restrictions. Thank god for the virtual options right!
• Do you have a favorite recipe, tradition or playlist that you like to incorporate during this time?
I have a sweet tooth so here are some of my favourite Diwali sweets, if you’re interested, Pinterest has some great recipes available for these! Enjoy.
Chocolate Barfi
Jalebi
Galub Jamun
Diwali for me most importantly is about making memories and spending time with family and for that I am grateful every year. Therefore, I wish you and your families around the globe a very special, Covid-friendly and fabulous Diwali – Its ‘Time to Celebrate.’
Deckers Careers 