Vanessa Garcia-Brito: VP & Chief Impact Officer Company of NIKE
Episode 600
On this episode of The Kara Goldin Show, we are joined by the inspiring Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer at NIKE, Inc. Vanessa shares her incredible journey, from leading global communications to spearheading Nike’s mission of creating a more equitable world through the power of sport. We dive into how she’s driving Nike’s social impact initiatives, breaking down barriers for youth and women in sports, and shaping the future of coaching and community leadership.
Vanessa also opens up about her personal story—how being a Latina woman in social impact has influenced her approach to building inclusive communities and why she believes in the transformative power of sport. This episode is packed with insights into social impact, diversity, leadership, and Nike’s commitment to shaping the future of youth sports. Don’t miss this insightful conversation! Now on The Kara Goldin Show.
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To learn more about Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Nike and other initiatives:
https://www.howtocoachkids.org/
https://www.nike.com/pdf/coaching-girls-guide.pdf
https://www.bodyconfidentsport.com/
https://www.nike.com/a/theres-a-coach-in-all-of-us
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-garciabrito/
https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/fy23-nike-inc-impact-report
https://x.com/Nike
https://www.linkedin.com/company/nike/posts/?feedView=all
https://www.instagram.com/nike/
https://www.youtube.com/user/NIKE
https://www.nike.com/
Transcript
Kara Goldin 0:00
I am unwilling to give up that I will start over from scratch as many times as it takes to get where I want to be. I want to be you. Just want to make sure you will get knocked down. But just make sure you don’t get knocked out, knocked out. So your only choice should be go focus on what you can control. Control. Hi everyone, and welcome to the Kara Goldin show. Join me each week for inspiring conversations with some of the world’s greatest leaders. We’ll talk with founders, entrepreneurs, CEOs and really, some of the most interesting people of our time. Can’t wait to get started. Let’s go. Let’s go. Hi everyone, and welcome back to the Kara Goldin show. Super excited to have our next guest here. Very, very inspiring leader, Vanessa Garcia-Brito is the Vice President and Chief impact officer of a little known company, just kidding, called NIKE, and Vanessa has had an extraordinary career, currently leading NIKE’s efforts to create a more equitable and inclusive world through sport. But we’ll get a lot more into what she is doing, really on the forefront of developing strategies that gets kids moving and building inclusive communities across the globe with a focus on providing quality coaching and engaging, of course, more girls in the sports, which is incredible. So Vanessa has become a driving force in social impact and diversity and inclusion. We were actually introduced through a mutual connection Susan McPherson, who is also very, very she’s been on our show as well, but also just very, very impactful in the space too, and but more than anything, I just cannot even wait to dive into Vanessa’s journey and hear a lot more about What the initiatives are that NIKE and Vanessa are working on together. So welcome Vanessa.
Vanessa Garcia-Brito 2:05
Hi, Kara. Thank you so much for having me on. I’m delighted to be on here with you, and also to be to have been connected by another wonderful woman.
Kara Goldin 2:13
Yes, definitely she’s She is absolutely terrific. So I know you’re in New York right now and doing some incredible event. But let’s kick off by talking first about NIKE’s mission when it comes to youth sport, and what’s the really exciting initiative you’re leading right now that you believe will have huge impact on getting kids much more active.
Vanessa Garcia-Brito 2:38
Sure, you know, at NIKE, we believe in the power of sport to move the world forward. So that’s what my team and I focus on every single day. We really we have this amazing privilege to bring the best of NIKE. So our passion for sport, our belief in human potential, our belief that our best days are ahead of us, and that there’s real power in coming together to bring joy of movement to all youth, wherever they may be. So we focus on really trying to close the gap between the kids who are moving and those who are not, and especially focusing on girls who, right now, are really falling out of sport at twice the rate as boys, so they really need some extra focus.
Kara Goldin 3:25
And what do you think is the reason for that? I mean, we all like to blame the pandemic for everything. I mean, is it, though, is that what’s going on with with activities, or what? What exactly is going on,
Vanessa Garcia-Brito 3:40
you know, there, there are a number of different barriers. You know, there are societal barriers, there’s access. And there’s also a an element that’s not only for girls, but is prevalent for for young women, as as as well, is body confidence, right? There’s a particular moment in life as girls are transitioning into becoming young women, where they’re really confronting the changes in their bodies. There are also the barriers in terms of how people perceive, you know, who should be doing sport? How should they be doing sport? And then really what that feels like for them. So, you know, there’s a mix of things. There’s not just one area. But the good news is that these barriers, you know, we can break them down, and we can, we can create a different future for girls and women.
Kara Goldin 4:29
So how is NIKE doing that? But how are you getting more girls moving and helping them stay in the game?
Vanessa Garcia-Brito 4:38
So the big part is that we’re bringing our approach to what we do at NIKE wishes around innovation, and really listening to the voice of the athlete into the work that we do here in the space as well. So number one, we’re listening to them. We’re bringing them in to hear directly from them around what they need to see or what they would love to be doing. What does. Support look like to them. So how to ensure that we’re designing a space that they want to be in, sports that they want to participate in, and also just, you know what, what the role of a coach can do in their life. So really critical part to any strategy that we have is the role of the coach. They are not just game changers. They can be life changers. And when it comes to girls, I mean, really, truly, all youth need to see coaches that look like them, but girls really need her to be her. It’s I know it’s been said by others. I’ll say it again, because it’s just true. So we’re also trying to bring in more representative coaches into the into the space and into the work. I
Kara Goldin 5:45
think having female coaches is is so huge. I mean, I was, I was a gymnast growing up, and I never had female coaches. And I always wondered, you know, why that was, and I really do believe, as I watched my own kids get into athletics, I really loved the effect that it had on them. Having a female coach, they seem much more energized and much more sort of really had a North Star, so to speak, as to where they wanted to go, even if they aren’t going to be coaches, but I think that it much more aspirational for them, not that you can’t learn from a male coach, but I think it’s just, it’s, it’s a good thing. So how are you doing that? How are you getting more female coaches into the game as well?
Vanessa Garcia-Brito 6:34
Well, we’re opening it up, right? We’re trying to bring more people in one to shift the perception about who can be a coach and what coaches what what a coach looks like. We believe there’s a coach in everyone, whether that’s you know, whether you want to be a professional coach or a volunteer coach, or, frankly, just a friend coach. Many people don’t realize that you might, you might already be the first coach in a young person’s life, and not even know it. When it comes to sports itself, we do want to make sure that people are getting quality coaching and that we’re working with them to to understand what does it mean to how to bring in and be inclusive and bring in that positive aspects of sport. So we should remember that it’s it’s fun. People should enjoy it. There are so many benefits to it beyond what we might think about in terms of elite sports, right? There’s camaraderie and confidence and community. And you know, Kara, I think bottom line, everybody wants to be seen and heard. And that’s true whether you’re a little girl a little boy. And it’s also true whether you’re that hardworking coach that is just, you know, has so generously found the time to spend time with these youth. Yeah,
Kara Goldin 7:49
definitely. You know, it’s interesting. I think back on my time as an athlete, and I’ve talked to so many entrepreneurs over the years who have also highlighted this, but I feel like athletics, although you may not know it, when you’re when you’re in it, when you’re a child, when you’re, you know, teenager and college athlete, but just being around people that are, you know, maybe more skilled than you are. I don’t want to say they’re better than you, but more skilled at certain things than you are, gives you a huge appreciation later in life, to actually build out teams that have unique characteristics where people are, you know, maybe more skilled at marketing, more skilled at finance, whatever it is. So I truly do believe it is a it’s a life skill that you’re learning just by being in athletics. And I think even more so for women, I think for men too, but and boys, obviously. But I think for women, it just helps them to not be, you know, discouraged by somebody later on in life who maybe is is more skilled at than they are at doing something.
Vanessa Garcia-Brito 9:03
Yeah, I couldn’t agree with you more. In fact, you know, I I represent that there’s been sport and movement has been part of my my entire life. I kind of, I think I think of myself. I’m like in my fourth chapter, right? My first chapter, my mom, you know, was kind of the first coach in my life. On Saturday mornings, she would get us together and think, Okay, what kind of week did you have? And, you know, we would dance it out. And it’s, it was the first time I think that I really understood that I could shift my feelings and my perspective with everything that I had. Movement could really help me process emotions and the week and my experiences in high school, it was a track coach that, you know, just felt potential in me, and I fell in love with cross country running. I was just I was mitten, and I learned what it means to be an individual country. Reader, but also a team player, and that they’re not exclusive, and that you can’t have a team win without everybody’s individual contributions. But how much better it is to have that when you’re on working together as a team. My dad had a very traumatic death, and following that, I channeled my grief through I picked up Taekwondo and also yoga, which continues to be the my twinning loves, with running and yoga. And then, you know, during the pandemic, I took up Ultra running and and it’s completely shifted my perspective. I can feel my brain growing just thinking about challenges has really just shifted as well, and my belief in humanity has grown even more because Kara, if you want to meet great humans, they are at those eight stations volunteering for complete strangers. I don’t know how they get there. I don’t know how you know those are hard to get to places, and they are there for hours just for you. It’s, it’s really, it’s really beautiful. And, you know, and I plan to meddle in my 80s and something so, you know, there’s a fifth chapter out there still waiting. I
Kara Goldin 11:12
love it. That’s great. So you launched the coach, the Dream Program at NIKE, which is all about inspiring a coaching revolution. What’s been the most impactful moment from that journey so far?
Vanessa Garcia-Brito 11:27
Thank you for asking about that. You know, we were founded on the relationship between a coach and his athlete, Phil Berman and Phil Knight. So it’s really deeply embedded in our heritage and so much part of our future, and there have been so many amazing moments. We’re really just off of our most recent summit in Paris. So we had a coach the dream Summit, against the backdrop of the Paralympics, which, I mean, if you want inspiration, buckets, loads, loads of it. There just incredible champions from all backgrounds, just really showing us what, what, what the athleticism and all your potential is possible. When I looked at the group of people who had gathered there to really think about coaching in a new way, or, I think the next evolution for coaching and the courage that they were, that they demonstrated in terms of, like exploring something new, and the vulnerability that they also demonstrated to just be better for youth everywhere. I mean, it’s really yeah that I think that really stands out to me also because these were this, were a group of our partners and coaches that are based out of EMEA, but we have communities like this all around the world. I think it’s what makes me so optimistic about the work that we’re doing. We’re going to get there? Yeah, we are
Kara Goldin 13:02
definitely. I just recently signed up for your newsletter, and I was so inspired by everything that you’re working on. You’ve been at NIKE now for 11 years, in this role for just over a year. But how has NIKE changed over I guess the course of your tenure with NIKE, I’m a huge Phil Knight fan. It was one of Shoe Dog was one of my favorite books. Fellow entrepreneur just could not put it down. I’ve read it probably five times now. But how has NIKE? How have you seen it evolve over the last 11 years? No,
Vanessa Garcia-Brito 13:47
we, we have one might we have many things, but one of my favorite ones is there is no finish line, and it means we don’t ever rest on our laurels. We know that better is always possible, and I think that’s been true every every year at NIKE has been better than my last. I think that we have, especially in the work that I’m directly involved with. We continue to learn, right? So we don’t just do this work and then don’t and not reflect on what’s working. What have we learned from it? What should we be bringing forward? How to pivot when we need to pivot? And I think the for me, the one of the greatest things is not necessarily how much we’ve changed, though. I think there’s, it’s an ongoing evolution. You know, we’re we believe in creating the future versus having it happen to us. But I’m most energized by what we’ve doubled down on, and that is the power of sport.
Kara Goldin 14:54
I think one of the things that’s really impressive, and I think that this is more and more being. In in, you know, incredible companies like NIKE, but I feel like there’s other companies that are starting to do this too. While your initiatives are definitely tied back into NIKE, you’re actually doing more for communities, right? And you’re doing more for, you know, humanity. I think when I look at a lot of what you’re reaching out to do, and then they’ll probably end up buying some things that are NIKE related, and in there and and there’s like a halo effect, so which is terrific for for your brand. But why do you think that that is so important for companies to really stand up and do the social impact work that you’re that you’re doing, because I think it’s, it’s terrific, and I wish more companies were doing it and getting involved and and, if not getting involved, actually doing what you’re doing and creating these events.
Vanessa Garcia-Brito 15:56
Now we want to swish to mean more, right? When people see the swish, I want, I certainly want people to feel like they’re part of this human tribe, where where they belong, and where your dreams are possible. You know, we also talk about, you know, we want to make athletes dreams real. If you have a body, you’re an athlete. So truly, it’s, you know, whatever dream you have. We want to be part of your life, and we want to bring everybody into it, right? We talk about being the brand that brings inspiration innovation to every athlete in the world. We really mean that now there is a multiplier effect like we cannot imagine a world where people are not moving we don’t even want to imagine a world where that’s not happening. We hope that people choose to move in NIKE branded products, but the higher calling is to make sure that everybody has the freedom and opportunity to move their bodies.
Kara Goldin 17:09
We have a ton of colleges that are that often listen. Colleges and universities throughout the world that often listen to our podcast. And one of the things that ends up, or some of the email and DMS that come back to me, are from people who are hearing from the people that we’re interviewing and saying, How do I get her job? I mean, she seems like she’s, you know, not only doing something that she’s really, truly passionate about, but she’s having impact and and you know, as I always say, if you don’t have passion about what you’re doing, you’ve got to figure out where to find that passion and and how to go created if you are not super interested in in what you’re doing, and that doesn’t have to be tomorrow, but you have to have that North Star to say that I want to eventually wake up and maybe do what Vanessa’s doing. What do you what kind of advice would you give to somebody who’s listening to this, saying, Wow, this seems really, really awesome.
Vanessa Garcia-Brito 18:18
Yeah. Kara first would say it really is awesome. So my, my, my, I would encourage, I encourage everybody, frankly, to make time to really reflect on what they want to do with their lives, what not, not what other people want you to do, not what you think you should do. But truly, what does success look like for your life, not for your career, but for your life, and then prioritize accordingly. I think you know it doesn’t work. Is hard, right? The journey, it’s not just a straight and you know this, you’ve overcome so much and broken down so many barriers. There is no direct it’s not linear. But if you’ve got that deep rooted desire you’ve really tapped into. It, it is it is possible. So I think you know, above all else, I encourage people to take the time to really know yourself, define what you care about and how you’ll measure your success, and be really honest with yourself in terms of, like, in terms of trade offs, because there will be trade offs. We often talk about being willing to fail and learn from that. I want people to also have the courage to win. It’s it’s possible. Don’t be afraid of winning, and also don’t miss it. Yeah, right, if you’ve got, if you’ve got to take the hits, right? There are trade offs. It’s not linear, but don’t miss the wins, because they matter too. Yeah, definitely.
Kara Goldin 19:48
So as a Latina woman in social impact, how has your cultural background really influenced your approach to building communities? Uh. I bet you couldn’t imagine that you would be doing this type of role today when you were a little girl. But how has your background really influenced your approach?
Vanessa Garcia-Brito 20:12
Yeah, you know, I’ve only, I’ve only known how to be a Latina woman. It’s, you know, it’s really a blessing to have been born one. I think it’s given me so many superpowers. Our culture is inherently diverse. You have Latinas come in all shapes and sizes and speak all different types of I have all different types of backgrounds. And so it’s like the inclusion and community piece is inherent in our in our culture. We’re also gatherers, right? We like to bring people together our we, I come from a long line of really optimistic and relentless women and a lovely family from that standpoint as well. So, you know, I think the the holding, being able to hold the hope for a better tomorrow at the same time, with being grounded in the challenges, has been really helpful in in in this work in this space. That’s
Kara Goldin 21:16
terrific. So with the launch of the game on initiative, NIKE’s made strides in creating opportunities for athletes, including those with disabilities. Can you share more about the impact of this initiative and how it’s how you’ve seen it open doors.
Vanessa Garcia-Brito 21:36
We’re so excited about game on because, you know, their athletes have so many incredible talents and skills that will transfer into the corporate space. And you know, they’re fantastic at building teams and discipline and also innovation and creativity. And you know, as they’re near their retirement, it’s just actually the beginning of a next chapter, right? There’s so much still ahead of them to do, and this program really opens up different pathways into a career. It will allow them to see and experience different types of jobs within the corporate setting and see what they might be more interested in, and, you know, will benefit from the different perspectives that that they bring, and the experiences that they that they’ve had. You know, we really are a brand that values and celebrates the athlete in their voice and their experiences. And this, I think, just really opens it up to to bring, to bring more people in,
Kara Goldin 22:42
definitely. So the coach the dream summit in Paris. What was one key takeaway that you took away from that event that made you, you know, very proud to be leading this initiative. You
Vanessa Garcia-Brito 22:59
know, one of the key themes was around inclusion, and we’ve been thinking about it very holistically, inclusion from through the lens of gender, background, capabilities, disabilities, as well as mind, body, spirit. You know, we think about trauma informed coaching, because trauma is something that really impacts people’s lives at every stage, and you know, how they process that and how they respond to that, and just seeing a room full of individuals who represent All those different communities, bringing together their talents and backgrounds experiences. It’s just so powerful. Yeah,
Kara Goldin 23:46
definitely. So the future of youth sport is rapidly changing. Where do you see beyond getting more female coaches and getting more girls back in to the sport, but particularly around accessibility, inclusiveness. I mean, you you have such a broad view into what is happening out there in many different sports. So where do you think it’s going in the next five to 10 years?
Vanessa Garcia-Brito 24:18
No, I think we’re going to see the definition of sport expand. It’s already expanding. So really, there are different ways to move the types of sports are growing. I mean, we saw new sports being introduced into the Olympics this time around. We hope that we see more about in LA, that really opens up the door also to expanding what a what an athlete, who an athlete is, or what an athlete does, or, you know, who considers themselves an athlete. So I think that that will also be some growth in that area. And Kara, you know, I often say life is sport. So I hope that it also that spreads out and. To everybody that, as you know, waking up sometimes is a sport, you know, if you’re, if you’re a commuter, gosh, that’s a that’s a sport with hurdles and obstacle courses all built all around you. So, you know, I do think that we are going, we’re headed in a plate, in a direction where it’s just more expensive, where there’s room for more. And my hope is that we see more people participating.
Kara Goldin 25:23
So you’ve partnered with some incredible athletes and organizations over your journey with NIKE, but I want to ask you, who’s your favorite because that could get you in a lot of trouble, but what’s one that really stands out? How about that?
Vanessa Garcia-Brito 25:38
I appreciate that. I always worry about this question, because, also, the list is so long, and I would hate to forget anybody. But you know someone who’s been on my mind recently, and also because, you know, we just saw her in Paris, is Itsy Gonzalez. She’s a Mexican American wheelchair basketball player, and she is in credible, uh, incredible I mean, when she is on that court, it’s fantastic to watch her in the game. And also she’s a great human, you know, just her, her poise, her how she’s thinking about her life and the future. She aspires to be an educator one day in her post athlete career time, which I think she’s got a good runway ahead of her there, and so she’s someone that’s been, that’s been on my mind, that’s
Kara Goldin 26:34
awesome. She’s She’s incredible. And I do think you know, when you see somebody who’s so passionate, and, you know, athletic as well, but, but you can really see it from the sidelines. It’s, it’s inspiring. It makes you want to go out and and do and move and and, but also it makes, it makes me want to, and I’m sure other people listening to really be involved in, you know, how can we get closer to that? Because it’s like a, there’s an energy, a drill adrenaline, that goes on when you see that. And it’s so fun to see athletes who, you know, really, really showcase that, I guess, in the way that she does. So it’s really terrific. So last question for anyone listening who wants to create impact and change the world as you are doing and really supporting some great initiatives and bringing bringing all of what you’re doing to the forefront, what’s the one piece of advice you’d give them to get started and keep going and and, you know, create impact, as you are at NIKE.
Vanessa Garcia-Brito 27:52
So one, wherever you’re at, you can start. You can start now, if there is a young person in your life, create some space to just have a conversation with them. I think, you know, community building starts at home, and you can start having that impact right away. For others who want to take that a step further, we have some great tools out there if you’re interested in quality coaching and thinking about how to become one. And you know, we can give you a couple of links if you’d like to include them with this episode. We have a how to coach girls, how to coach kids. There’s a body confidence sport resource as well. They are available. Anyone can read them. And you know, when I said earlier, like I truly believe there’s a coach in every single one of us. Don’t you know, if you really want to make a difference in anybody’s life, you’ve already got everything that you need inside of you just tap into that. I
Kara Goldin 28:46
love it. So Vanessa Garcia-Brito, VP and Chief impact Officer of NIKE. Thank you so much. We will get all those links into the show notes so everyone can access that. That would be terrific. But thank you so much, and thanks for continuing to do everything that you’re doing. Everyone definitely has to check this out, because NIKE is and Vanessa are really leading some really great initiatives. So thank you again.
Vanessa Garcia-Brito 29:15
Thank you so much, Kara. Really appreciate you.
Kara Goldin 29:18
Thanks again for listening to the Kara Goldin show. If you would please give us a review and feel free to share this podcast with others who would benefit. And of course, feel free to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode of our podcast. Just a reminder that I can be found on all platforms at Kara Goldin, I would love to hear from you too. So feel free to DM me, and if you want to hear more about my journey, I hope you will have a listen or pick up a copy of my Wall Street Journal, best selling book, undaunted, where I share more about my journey, including founding and building. Hint, we are here every. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Thanks for listening, and goodbye for now you.
