Steven Sashen and Lena Phoenix
Co-Founders
Steven and Lena are husband and wife (I’m assuming you can guess which is which) and life-long entrepreneurs.
Steven is the visionary and marketer for Xero Shoes. He is a Masters All-American sprinter (one of the fastest men over the age of 50 in the US) and former All-American gymnast. He was also a professional stand-up comic, and cognitive psychology researcher, and taught Tai Chi and Zen Archery. Steven is also the creator of Scriptware, the industry-standard word processor for film and TV writers.
Lena is an avid hiker. In her previous life, she created and sold a home mortgage company, and has managed the back end of numerous companies. She’s the glue that keeps Xero Shoes from busting at the proverbial seams as it grows, taking care of all things logistical and numeric.
If you want a good laugh and some insight into Steven and Lena’s relationship, read the story of how Xero Shoes began.
Michael Pao
Chief Product Officer
Michael leads the product team, who expands and innovates Xero Shoes’ “foot first” designs into new categories based on his extensive knowledge and experience in casual and performance footwear. He has worked in footwear marketing and management for global brands including Hummel, Adidas, PUMA, Crocs, Clarks, and most recently, Timberland. Prior to his career in product, Pao played soccer professionally across Asia.
John Wadley
VP of Footwear Development
John leads Xero Shoes’ product development staff, liaising with Product Design, Product Management and Operational counterparts to continue innovating the brand’s growing line of barefoot-inspired footwear. He brings extensive knowledge and experience in performance running, trail running, and hiking shoe construction. Prior to Xero Shoes, Wadley played an instrumental role in fueling VF Corp brand, Altra’s, growth over the past 10 years.
Stephan Ostrander
vP of Operations and IT
Stephan Ostrander serves as Vice President of Operations and IT at Xero Shoes, leading strategic technology and operational initiatives. With over a decade of transformative leadership experience, he drives technological innovation and operational efficiency in high-growth environments.
Katie Luk
vp of global supply chain
Katie Luk serves as the Vice President of Global Supply Chain at Xero Shoes. Her extensive experience in supply chain management plays a key role in shaping the company’s strategic procurement strategy, focusing on collaboration with our suppliers and optimizing business operations while remaining resilient to the ever-changing supply chain disruptions. Katie is a Hong Kong native and is fluent in both Mandarin and Cantonese.
Dan Dougherty
EU Managing Director
Dan spearheads Xero Shoes’ European and UK entities, as well as the global wholesale strategy. Headquartered in Prague, Dan works with sales reps and distributors worldwide to bring Xero Shoes to more countries.
The Xero Shoes Team!
EU Managing Director
Okay, we’ll get individual pics up here soon of our Customer Happiness Team, Sales Team, Warehouse Team, Product Team, and everyone else.
But until then, here’s the group shot of the bipeds that are here to help you LIVE LIFE FEET FIRST!
Corporate Group Parent:
Feel the World, Inc./Xero Shoes
320 Interlocken Parkway, Suite 100
Broomfield, CO 80021, USA
https://xeroshoes.com
Controlled Entities:
Feel The World EU B.V.
De Boelelaan 30
1083 HJ Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Xero Shoes EU s.r.o.
Vinohradska 35/25
12000 Prague Czech Republic
Czech Republic
Phone: +420 774 304 454
https://xeroshoes.eu/
