Rachel Stewart started her career as a graphic designer with a love of books, and along the way found a path to product design through her intuitive understanding of color and love for shoes. With twenty years of footwear and design experience, she has honed her knowledge of cultural color and took a deep dive into material and finishes—when all three are applied with power, they bring a product to life and spark an emotion that is remembered.
As a Design Director at Nike Inc., Rachel has built and managed teams by setting a foundation of strong teamwork through trust. She enjoys translating trend and consumer insights through a brand lens to create inspiring seasonal design direction and she focuses on breaking down process barriers so teams can stay focused on what matters—craft and creativity. Rachel sits on a product leadership team that manages a billion dollar portfolio, while also mentoring and managing a team of designers. Her true love is curating workshops that unlock product potential and innovation and watching designers have those "awe-ha" moments. Her leadership style is based on clarity and kindness, and she advocates for sustainable practices.
Rachel lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, Grant, and their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Stewart. When not with family or friends (or in a pilates class), she can be found in her studio making and writing.