Run specialty – more so than most industries – is literally run by women. As retailers, brand execs, ambassadors and athletes, there is no shortage of influential and powerful female leaders. And importantly, the pipeline for those leaders is packed full of young women ready to take the next steps in their careers.
Compiling a list of the 26 Rising Stars in 2026 was quite the challenge for Running Insight editors and the following pages feature them and examines their roles in the upcoming year. These remarkable women – and dozens more like them who are running this business – really are the future of the run specialty business.
Erica Bash, Marketing Associate
Bash participates in nearly every marketing initiative flowing from Diadora USA, though she’s played a particularly prominent role in visible special projects such as Diadora’s High Mileage Summer pop-up in Flagstaff, AZ, and the brand’s café-inspired presence at The Running Event.
“Erica shines in executing intricate projects with amazing efficiency,” Diadora USA chief marketing officer Ryan Eckel says. “Her calm and steady presence is reassuring for the team, making challenges feel more manageable and enhancing our overall business performance.”
Bash is also an accomplished ultrarunner herself, recording a top 10 finish at The Speed Project–Solo in 2025. Her running plaudits bring credibility. Combine that with her creativity, Eckel notes, and Bash represents a new wave of industry voices poised to shape the future of running.
Hannah Le, Founder
Buckle Scrunchie
You don’t get a company or product any smaller or newer than Le and Buckle Scrunchie, but as a first-time exhibitor at The Running Event in 2025 Le made quite an impression on many she met in San Antonio with her energy and the ingenuity of her flagship product. She literally seemed to be everywhere during the three days of TRE26. With a clicking buckle, Le’s novel take on the traditional hair tie eliminates the age-old problem of pulling and tangles. Her product, found in TRE’s event gift bag, generated intrigue and cemented her decision to invest in TRE and the run specialty channel.
“People in the running community are constantly searching for new products that genuinely make them perform better, and that’s what I find so fascinating,” Le says. “They are willing to put in the work to find what it takes to improve themselves, and it’s very aligned with how I live my own life as a runner, inventor and founder.”
Kristy Morris, Chief Marketing Officer
Morris has played an instrumental role in Sneakers4Good’s penetration into the run specialty market over recent years. She has built programs that make sneaker recycling programs easier for retailers to execute and crafted partnerships with the likes of the Boston Athletic Association and the St. Jude Memphis Marathon to keep used sneakers out of landfills and money flowing to worthy causes. (And she isn’t afraid to walk around The Running Event in her sneaker costume, getting a lot of attention from often overwhelmed attendees.) As a result, Sneakers4Good is now a leader in sneaker reuse and recycling in the U.S. and boasts accelerating momentum to boot.
“We are not just building a program,” Morris says. “We’re building a reuse economy that supports retailers, protects the planet and creates opportunities for people around the world.”
Heather Borden, Digital Marketing Manager
The Borden-Benedettini duo is helping to fuel rabbit’s continued running industry ascent.
Borden was an energetic force behind the launch of rabbit’s High Country trail shoe last summer, including the campaign’s stirring “Beneath the Rim” hero video that took runners across the Grand Canyon – and back.
Meanwhile, Benedettini’s stewardship of rabbit’s social media presence has led to 100,000-plus Instagram followers and propelled discovery of the California-based brand. Benedettini also spearheaded The Chase, rabbit’s Olympic Marathon Trials-focused initiative to help athletes pursue their spot on the Trials starting line (where Benedettini herself has twice appeared) and gain credibility in road running.
Jessie Hyman, Co-Founder and CEO
Hyman combined 15-plus years of running, a past life in user research and product insights and a sincere desire for running apparel with a more feminine perspective to create Pruzan alongside Alexis Copithorne.
“Our key point of differentiation is that we approach running through a feminine lens that values strength and grace, ambition and adaptability, performance and beauty,” Hyman says.
With Pruzan’s newest collection debuting later this month, including refined updates to its popular sports bras, Hyman is excited to partner with running retailers hungry to feature “women-led brands that feel expressive, modern and emotionally resonant.”
“These are savvy buyers who know their customers’ needs, aesthetics and training lives in real detail, and that creates a much more meaningful partnership than simple distribution,” Hyman says.
Justine Popik, Northeast Territory Sales Manager
While exciting footwear styles like the Neo Vista and Neo Zen have sparked Mizuno’s performance running resurgence, relationship-minded individuals like Popik have ensured purpose and planning accompany the brand’s product renaissance. A former Run Bird Specialist of the Year who recently began her fourth year at Mizuno, Popik builds relationships with best-in-class running retailers across her seven-state territory and thrives in generating curiosity around Mizuno amongst retailers and runners alike, such as guiding Mizuno activations around the 2025 Boston Marathon.
Mizuno sales manager Casey Barrett lauds his colleague’s professional fortitude, creativity, thoughtfulness and diligence.
“Justine walks into a meeting overprepared and walks out of a meeting having given a road map for implementation,” Barrett says. “She is unafraid to speak up with better ways we can be doing business with our retailers, and her ideas drive our company forward.”
Margaret Coogan, Integrated Marketing Manager
Over the last four years, Coogan, the daughter of running elites Mark and Gwyn Coogan, has leaped from Tracksmith intern to integral cog in the Boston-based company’s rise. She manages Tracksmith’s “Go to Market” process and the planning and execution of major campaigns, which includes aligning stories and marketing projects with overall brand themes and executing the brand’s major marathon pop-ups, a particularly arduous task that requires constructing a “Tracksmithian” retail store from scratch multiple times each year.
“Early in my career, I was boots on the ground at almost all of our events – talking about running and product to real people who love to run,” Coogan says. “Being able to relate to those individuals and form genuine connections with other runners goes far in a brand that emphasizes the importance of community, connection and authentic storytelling.”
Charlotte Gray, Integrated Marketing Manager
While in college, Gray sent a cold email to Oofos asking if she could shadow someone at the brand to learn more about its business. It was an early sign of her ambition and interest in brand building.
After parlaying a volunteer opportunity with Oofos at the 2019 Boston Marathon into an internship, Gray soon after joined the brand’s customer care team. Now, as the company’s integrated marketing manager, Gray leads go-to-market strategy for the brand’s major seasonal campaigns and product launches. She has built new internal systems and processes transforming how Oofos introduces its products and campaigns to consumers and has also ensured consistent brand storytelling across regions by driving alignment between Oofos teams in the U.S. and abroad.
“Charlotte is as proactive as they come,” Oofos head of marketing Darren Brown says. “She doesn’t wait for opportunities to come to her, she creates them.”
Noelle Sanchez, Specialty Concepts Footwear Design
Trained at the Rhode Island School of Design, Sanchez has been a creative force at Brooks since her 2020 arrival. Charged to bring newness to footwear products and elevate Brooks’ footwear through materializations and custom finishes, Sanchez has contributed to special Brooks products for runDisney, limited-edition designs such as the holiday season’s Run Merry initiative and collaborations with the likes of Extra Butter and Babylon. The former Noelle Webster – recent nuptials delivered the Sanchez surname – has also played an instrumental role in custom designs for Brooks athletes, including the racing shoe for World Champion mid-distance runner Josh Kerr.
“Noelle continues to raise the bar for design ideation with every new project she works on,” says Jennifer Fuson, senior manager of specialty concepts and lifestyle footwear design at Brooks. “She has a keen eye for finding a balanced brand vision for Brooks and its partners with an exceptional ability to tell a cohesive story around our product.”
Torrie Jackson, Vice President
Since arriving at CEP in 2014 as an inside sales associate, Jackson’s stock has climbed alongside CEP’s movement in the U.S. market – from a brand largely known for compression socks into one that now leads the compression category and continues to expand into apparel and, more recently, footwear. She spearheaded activations at events like the Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon Series, traveling the country to gain hands-on experience in brand building, developing relationships with retail staff and engaging with customers. She also helped develop and lead CEP’s U.S. marketing team.
Now 33, Jackson is CEP Running’s vice president, shepherding e-commerce, customer service, marketing and operations for the U.S. business, including CEP’s recent rebrand.
“Starting my career at CEP in an entry-level role allowed me to learn the business from the ground up and having worked across multiple departments helps me anticipate challenges and make informed decisions,” Jackson says.
Ashleigh Cook, U.S. Sales Director – Wholesale
Cook has helped to accelerate Topo’s rise up the run specialty channel market share rankings. In fact, Cook, who joined Topo in April 2023, helped Topo achieve 70 percent growth in 2024 and another 50 percent growth last year. Under her leadership, Topo’s account base has doubled — and done so with Cook maintaining tight distribution that prioritizes specialty retailers who deliver a premium sit-and-fit experience.
“Ashleigh is the perfect cultural fit for Topo,” company founder and CEO Tony Post says. “She creates an excitement around the opportunity for strategic long-term growth. She’s a self-starter, a thoughtful leader and a great role model for everyone at Topo.”
Kelsey Liu, Marketing Manger
Mount to Coast has been the industry’s latest darling, a two-year-old brand earning widespread praise for a series of debut models. Liu has been present for it all, helping to craft product launch strategy, spearheading the brand’s global ambassador program and athlete management framework and laying important cornerstones for long-term brand growth that is international, professional, authentic and fundamentally runner-first.
“In a fast-growing company, her balanced and informed decision-making has proven crucial,” Mount to Coast marketing director Matthew Feng says of Liu.
Lizzy Peper, Member Services Manager
Working at Baltimore-based Charm City Run before moving onto Upper Quadrant, Peper has seen distinct aspects of the run specialty game. Now, she’s the member services manager at the Running Industry Association (RIA), ensuring the organization maintains personal connections with its members and executing value-laden initiatives for membership, such as quarterly RIA Huddles and the RIA Pulse newsletter.
“Lizzy’s most visible skill set is her highly refined ability to manage communications and member feedback and being able to relay that appropriately,” RIA executive director Terry Schalow says. “Equally impactful is her marketing ability and her skill in creating a voice for the organization.”
Kelsey Klaus, Apparel Product Line Manager and Store Manager
In less than a year, Klaus, a running retail newbie who landed at RC Outfitters last April, has left a big mark on the Peoria, IL-based running store.
Klaus’s formal education in apparel merchandising combined with experiences working with the likes of Saks Fifth Avenue immediately elevated RC Outfitters’ already robust apparel business. In fact, apparel sales now account for 40 percent of RC Outfitters’ overall revenue – a mark far outpacing the industry average – as Klaus has pushed the store’s performance and lifestyle assortment in new directions and sharpened operations around apparel management.
“Kelsey is someone who gets things intuitively, has a fashionista sense and understands how a small business needs to operate,” RC Outfitters owner Adam White says.
Grace Madigan, General Manager
After eight years in run specialty retail, including five years managing a run specialty store in New Jersey, Madigan helped Craig Segal open The Outpost in Summer 2024 and execute its ambitious plans, from footwear launch events to community partnerships to high school programming.
While Madigan oversees day-to-day store operations, customer experience and inventory flow as the GM, she also steers initiatives around operational structure and in-store processes to ensure the upstart Little Silver, NJ, running shop feels personal and welcoming.
“Grace’s presence enables the business to operate with confidence and clarity,” Segal says. “Her influence has been instrumental in shaping not just how the store runs, but how it feels to walk through the door – and that impact continues to open doors for what The Outpost can become.”
Katherine Dunne, Operating Partner
After initially joining the team at Fleet Feet Cincinnati in 2018, Dunne later found her way to Fleet Feet Columbus (OH) before returning to a managerial role in Cincy and eventually landing a spot in Fleet Feet’s Operating Partner Development Program in August 2024. In March 2025, Fleet Feet HQ tasked Dunne to lead the Fleet Feet store in Gaithersburg, MD.
Dunne immediately excelled in her new role. With intentional training, she strengthened team culture and elevated the customer experience, leading the Gaithersburg shop to a spot on the 2025 Best Running Stores in America list.
“Katherine excels at putting people first in a way that strengthens both her team and the Fleet Feet culture,” Fleet Feet district manager Marcia Palamara says. “Through her leadership, people feel motivated, invested and proud to be part of Fleet Feet, which creates lasting impact within both the business and the community.”
Chelsea Leach, Director of Retail
At Minneapolis-based Mill City Running, a former Store of the Year finalist, Leach spearheads all elements involving the shop’s customer-facing employees, from hiring to education to mentoring. Mill City co-owner Jeff Metzdorff praises Leach’s ability to “identify and nurture talent” as well as her commitment to creating a welcoming, high-touch environment at Mill City through initiatives like The Bra Shop, a store-within-a-store concept that promotes a body positive environment for bra wearers of all shapes and sizes.
“She is endlessly curious and will ask questions that push boundaries and inspire those around her to grow alongside her,” Metzdorff says of Leach, who joined the Mill City team in 2018.
Notably, Leach is also leading the new Operations Subgroup for The Run Collective, organizing member meetings for the independent retailer buying group.
Kaylee Stone, Regional Manager
Eight years after being hired as a part-time employee at Confluence Running during her freshman year of college, Running Insight cover girl Stone now has her hands in a bit of everything at New York-based Confluence – staff training, medical outreach, marketing, hiring, buying, race directing and more.
“She has been the glue holding everything together,” Confluence director of operations Jenna Gawors says of Stone.
And Stone, who is a part of the company’s long-term succession plan, also has a vision for further expanding Confluence’s already robust menu of offerings. With a master’s degree in social work focused on mental health, she is preparing to offer mental health counseling for athletes to support their well-being and performance.
Bree O’Connell, General Manager
O’Connell arrived at the Glendale, AZ-based Tortoise and Hare in 2025 after a seven-year run at Fleet Feet, including serving as the operating partner of three locations in Colorado. She wasted no time putting her flair-filled touch on the family-owned business. Tortoise and Hare co-owner Nathan Hohenstein says O’Connell’s stewardship of the sales floor, staff development and HR has propelled employee development and positioned the shop for sustainable growth.
“Her focus on maintaining and building on the level of service we’ve become known for has been huge,” Hohenstein says of O’Connell. “The consistency of our fits and the platform of the shop are way more dialed in because of her efforts.”
Now O’Connell is taking charge of the store’s community outreach and leadership development efforts to further invigorate Tortoise and Hare’s evolution.
Allie and Layney Vincent, Owners
Swag Hartel – the original “Swag” in Louisville-based Swags – saw something special in the Vincent sisters early on. At age 12, the twin girls asked Hartel, their youth running coach, if they could volunteer at his running store. Every Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., the girls were there shagging shoes and learning the business. Four years later, Hartel invited the sisters to breakfast and told them he wanted them to consider taking over Swags someday.
After graduating from college in 2018, the Vincents returned to lead Hartel’s two Louisville-based locations. When Hartel stepped aside in August 2024, the Vincents took charge of Swags and immediately pushed Swags in compelling directions. They instituted a company rebrand focused on inclusivity and recently unveiled plans for a third Swags location.
“They’re taking Swags into an exciting new era,” Hartel says.
Alyssa Davison, General Manager
Since joining Michigan-based Gazelle in 2015, Davison has risen from part-time employee to Grand Rapids store manager to, now, general manager, a role in which she oversees the operations and development of store leadership teams across seven retail locations. In particular, Davison leads Gazelle’s “One Team” culture-building strategic priority, which includes implementing clear and consistent communication practices across Gazelle locations to better align initiatives and activations.
“Alyssa has an incredibly accessible leadership presence who has built trust as a peer and now as a leader of our store managers,” Gazelle co-owner and chief marketing officer Cara Cross says. “She consistently delivers on what she commits to and leads with both grace and the respect needed to challenge individuals in their own growth.”
Melissa Gideon, Store Manager
Aardvark co-owner Sheena Wells credits Gideon for setting a lively, connected tone amongst team members at “The Vark.” From initiating staff group runs and movie nights to introducing a staff book club, Gideon has been integral to developing a positive team culture. She also holds staff accountable to the Pennsylvania store’s core values: caring, encouraging, knowledgeable and fun. To wit, Gideon recently completed an employee handbook defining key procedures, but, even more, serving as an extensive resource on products, common injuries and tools to support customers.
“She is one of the most efficient and conscientious employees with a level of genuine care that is palpable,” Wells says of Gideon, a seven-year member of the Aardvark squad. “She leads by example and has upped the game in customer experience.”
Diana Rosete, VP– Operations
Rosete, who joined ASP in 2008, oversees store operations at all ASP locations in southern California. She is also actively involved with ASP’s marketing and purchasing teams and voluntarily commandeered ASP’s Kids Track Camp, which won the Saucony Run For Good Award at the 2025 edition of The Running Event.
ASP owner Joe Lourenco calls Rosete his “right-hand person,” crediting her organizational skills and work ethic for helping him grow ASP at a rate he never thought possible.
“Her attention to detail balances out my laissez-faire management style,” Lourenco says. “She … knows where the bodies are buried, and when an emergency situation pops up, I don’t have to tell her what to do – she’s usually taken care of it already.”
Tasha Young, Manager, HR Administrator and DEI Coordinator
Young wears a few different hats at Playmakers. The Detroit native mentors a team of employees at the Okemos, MI-based running shop, facilitates weekly department meetings and helps develop agendas for staff retreats. She also leads the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which includes an annual staff DEI survey to measure progress and guide future efforts.
Despite the packed plate, little fazes Young, a calm soul who began working at Playmakers in 2021 while pursuing her degree in psychology from nearby Michigan State University.
“Tasha’s leadership and poise truly shine during challenging moments, whether on the sales floor or in the backroom,” Playmakers co-owner Lindsey Mulder says. “She is well respected and genuinely liked by her team and her belief in the power of diverse perspectives certainly has helped Playmakers grow.”
