We Refuse to Stand Still

September 05, 2019

Who we are is a collection of where we've been. Memories, experiences, successes, failures – it all adds up to create your landscape. So tell us: who are you?

Strong. Unapologetic. Passionate. Authentic. These are some of the traits that make up the mosaic of our community. First, hear from our co-CEO, Donna Carpenter, on her year spent traveling abroad. From there, we check in with Burton athletes and friends. Listen to their stories, think of your own, and know that we're all on this ride together.

Donna Carpenter
Co-CEO of Burton

Donna is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Burton. She has spent the last year traveling abroad with a mission of further growing and learning about our global family.

“Jake and I are based in Europe this year, getting to better know the places and people who are a part of the global snowboarding family. This past spring, I crossed ‘shredding in Bulgaria’ off my bucket list with a diverse mix of women all connected in some way to Burton in Europe.

Everyone brought their own unique perspectives – Sofia who works at our office in Innsbruck was born in Kenya, moved to Austria and is now hooked on snowboarding. Lucie from Czech Republic fought her way to the top as one of the few female sales representatives in the industry. And Alexandra, one of Bulgaria’s best snowboarders, is a role model in Eastern Europe. We rode hard, played hard, and had an unforgettable dance party with some local Bulgarian women. The trip brought us all so much joy on and off the mountain.

Every country I visit - from Sweden and Finland to Poland and Bulgaria - I hear stories about families discovering their best times are when they’re riding together, and how snowboarding changes lives. Stories about people from all different backgrounds, nationalities and cultures finding common ground in their love of the mountains and the freedom they feel when taking turns down the slope.

We all have our own stories, but the mountain lifestyle binds us together. Thank you for letting Burton be a part of your story.”

Yuka Fujimori
Burton Team Rider

Yuka has been on the Burton Team for five years. She recently left the contest scene to pursue the next phase in her snowboarding career.

"After years of contests, I've changed my focus to filming and traveling. Now, I'm snowboarding on my own terms."

Meg Kee
Founder of @mountaingirls, Mom

Meg is a mother, an entrepreneur, and a serious rock climber. She is the founder of an online community for outdoors-women, Mountain Girls, that hosts local events and meetups.

Meg Kee rock climbing — “I love the sensation of stillness I get while climbing. You’re going with the pace of nature. You’re not really looking far ahead, or going 80 miles per hour, you’re moving slowly. It’s very intimate.”

Meg Kee — “I started @mountaingirls because there weren’t a lot of girls in the mountains. So it was me looking for more friends. Through that, I feel like I’ve found a community of women that are inspiring each other.”

“In climbing, you always get to a point where you think, 'I can’t do this,' and then you prove yourself wrong. It’s really about breaking barriers.”

Kimmy Fasani
Burton Global Team Rider

Kimmy has been on the Burton Team for nine years, and her passion is a force to be respected and reckoned with. She continues to carved her own trail by maintaining a professional snowboarding career during pregnancy and as a new mother.

“We just hope that by raising Koa in the mountains, he learns to appreciate his surroundings. Our hope is for him to develop a long-lasting relationship with the outdoors.”

“Having a little one has only made me more thankful for the life I’ve been able to live,” she says. “I am so grateful that I have been able to become a professional athlete, and extra amazed at the ability to carry a human life while remaining strong, powerful, and athletic. It's important that he sees me remain passionate—hopefully this teaches him that we'll always support him wherever his passions lie.”

Christine Egger
Burton Product Strategy Manager – Europe

Christine is a Burton employee, mother, and traveler based in Austria.

Christine Egger hiking — “My daughter has traveled more in her five years than I had in 20. Traveling helps us appreciate our home in Austria, surrounded by nature.”

Christine Egger — “I love the feeling of being really tired after spending a day outside. It’s a good tired.”

"Our work is more meaningful when we share our different perspectives."

Hannah Mason
Burton Softgoods Sales Manager – Americas

Hannah is a Burton employee, mother, and avid snowboarder. Her and her family are based in Colorado and love getting out of cell phone range as much as possible.

"It's so easy to get stuck in the grind. Now that I have two children, I appreciate the scalability of getting outdoors. Even getting away for a couple hours outdoors goes a long way."