LEIGH CAPOZZI

Strong business-oriented professional with over twenty years of experience building opinion-leading brands, including two successful Kickstarter programs launching North Drinkware and The Mt. Hood Blanket. My experiences and skill set ranges from marketing strategy, all functions of public relations and communications (social media, pr strategy and pitching to events), digital marketing optimization and execution, product development, publishing and account and program management. An avid snowboarder and runner I’m passionate about living a healthy and active lifestyle filled with seeking adventures with my family.

email

brand & Marketing Director

mt. bachelor - bend, OR - 2019 to presenT

Responsible for the leadership, strategy, and execution of all Integrated Marketing and Communications for Mt. Bachelor and Sun Country Tours. As an active Director, I strive to Direct, Manage and Do every day and set a positive culture, strong work ethic, and excellence standard for my eight full-time and twelve additional seasonal marketing team members. Year-round integrated Marketing and Communications responsibility includes ongoing brand platform work, internal and external communications, crisis management, media, public relations (local/regional), advertising, season pass sales, online product pre-sales, photo/film content, events, partner activation, CRM, web, app, social media, team athletes, design, and setting business unit specific strategy and executing on Play Forever key priorities - Mt. Bachelor and POWDR's shared sustainability initiative focused on Protecting the Environment and Enabling Participation.

An active member of the Resort Leadership Team and I report directly to the president and general manager of Mt. Bachelor, the 6th largest ski resort in North America. My favorite things about working at Mt. Bachelor are my inspiring colleagues, the endless experiential storytelling opportunities through various mediums, and taking a pow lap, hiking the cone, or going on a Nordic ski each workday.

co-founder

north drinkware - Portland + bend, OR - 2014 to 2019

Launching North Drinkware via Kickstarter in February 2014 - raising $531K in 31 days - was a blistering professional experience with my two partners. We did it again in November 2019, launching North Drinkware home goods via Kickstarter, raising $102K in 31 days. Launching a brand and creating two successful product stories via Kickstarter, social, CRM, and proactive PR - garnering coverage from the New York Times to Outside to OregonLive, among others - propelled North from a "side project" to a sustainable Made in America premium brand in less than one month. Fast forward to North Drinkware today, which sells dozens of hand-blown products, custom art, paper goods, and home goods - all Made in America.

My previous North role was leading marketing, communications, wholesale partnerships, inventory management, forecasting, and accounting. My current role as a co-founder is high level business strategy & support.

capozzi consulting

bend - or - 2007 to present

Over the last 11+ years, I've held senior roles at sport, lifestyle and tourism brands such as VisitBend, Ski Oregon, Nau, and marketing and pr agency Missy Farren andAssociates (MFA). While acting as a dedicated internal resource, my services are contracted on an annual or short term project basis.

marketing + PR director

nau clothing - Portland, OR - 2011 to 2013

  • Responsible for strategic planning and execution of Nau marketing efforts including PR, advertising, strategic partnerships and promotions.

  • Responsible for all aspects Nau brand marketing, both strategy and execution, including PR, advertising, social media, strategic partnerships, influencers and wholesale support.

  • Develop and implement annual marketing plan for Nau, focusing on key defined seasonal initiatives.

  • Create seasonal communications plan and work in partnership with NYC based PR agency. Plan and execute seasonal NYC based product showrooms and press tours elevating brand storytelling to a broader mainstream audience.

  • Concept, plan and launch partner and product collaborations with Stratton Mountain, Mt. Hood Meadows, Snow Peak and Bio Mega bikes.

  • Attend and present Nau marketing plan and results at seasonal sales meetings.

  • Facilitate weekly Integrated Marketing Meetings (IMM) with cross functional digital, sales, creative and marketing teams to ensure collaboration and alignment on brand priorities.

  • Participate in Nau leadership meetings, including seasonal kick-offs and quarterly business strategy meetings. 

senior consultant

mfa ltd. - portland, OR - 2008 to 2011

  • Support strategic planning for MFA lifestyle clients. Editing and finalizing client public relations plans.

  • Day-to-day management of public relations and communications for Horny Toad family of brands – Horny Toad, Nau and Lizard Lounge.

  • Create and execute PR plans for Nau and Horny Toad. Facilitate internal and external media related communication between brands, concept NYC based media events and high level pitching for Nau and family of brand storytelling. Participate in weekly Nau marketing meetings.

  • Participate and in creative brainstorms for lifestyle clients, such as Target, Burton Snowboards, Colorado Ski Country, among others.
    -Develop and finalize proposals for MFA new business requests. 

 

sr. program manager

ziba design - portland, or - 2007 to 2008 

  • Day-to-day management of key digital lifestyle programs. Programs ranged from product development, design language and visioning to branded experiences. Key clients included Nike, Dell, Microsoft and Logitech.

  • Manage project guidelines, including creation of bids, proposals, project workplans and budgets.

  • Create integrated design teams based on programs needs utilizing Ziba design resources of Graphic Designers, Industrial Designers, Trend Analysts and Interaction Designers.

 

FROM account executive to associate publisher

snowboarder magazine - dana point, CA - 2004 to 2006

  • Responsible for all aspects of Snowboarder Magazine’s advertising revenue targets and P&L, which includes global sales, marketing, editorial, production budgets, and new business initiatives.

  • Manage three full-time employees within sales and marketing, and indirectly manage 11 editorial full-time writers, photographers and designers.

  • Establish brand business and growth initiatives, which drive marketing, editorial and digital strategy and planning.

  • Day-to-day account management of key accounts, Bonfire, Salomon, Quiksilver, Billabong, K2 Sports, Burton Snowboards, among others.

  • Transitioned Snowboarder Magazine to print on 85% recycled paper, making Snowboarder the first global snow title to print on recycled paper. 

 

public relations manager

burton snowboards - Burlington VT - 2001 to 2004 

  • Responsible for Burton Snowboards North American media relations and editorial coverage with industry magazines, mainstream media, broadcast and web media.

  • Creation and execution of PR and Crisis plans for the US Snowboarding Championships, Burton Snowboards Global Team Tour, Global Team Riders and Global Product launches.

  • Identified, developed and created a formal partnership with Nickelodeon Games and Sports. Hosted Nick GAS at key snowboarding events to act as conceptual filter and liaison with riders.

  • Manage NYC editorial tours and showrooms. Tours and showrooms designed to promote Burton products, Burton professional snowboarders and maximize product launches in major media markets.

  • Coordinate all global PR projects and collateral with design agencies, including press kits, pro snowboarder bio cards and team posters, from project brief to execution and delivery.

  • Manage the PR budget for PR related events, projects and travel.