Why the CEO of Burton Is Funding her Female Employees’ Way to the Women’s March

Donna Carpenter getting out for a day of shredding with the Burton women. 

Today is Donald Trump's inauguration. It's also the day before the much-anticipated Women's March on Washington—a massive, and controversial, protest by women who oppose Mr. Trump. Their mission is to "stand together for the protection of their rights, safety, health, and families."

Donna Carpenter, the CEO and co-owner of Burton Snowboards told Cosmopolitan yesterday that she plans to participate. She also said she has offered funding—including airfare and hotels—for all Burton's female employees who wanted to march with her. Twenty five women have taken her up on the offer.

For anyone who has followed Carpenter over the years, this shouldn't come as a surprise. She has been a leader for women since she started at the famed snowboard company and has worked to get more women in leadership roles.

When Cosmo asked why this issue is so important to her, Carpenter said that she has been working on the issue of gender equality at Burton for 13 years now. She explained that 13 years, ago less than 10 percent of the company's leaders were women and now it's over 40. She says her senior team is fifty-fifty, and the company is better for it, and that offering help to her employees felt like a natural extension of her philosophy. 

Read the entire Q&A on Cosmo here. 

Over 200,000 women (and probably some men) are expected to march tomorrow. If this resonated with you, get involved here. 

About The Author

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stash member Leslie Hittmeier

Leslie is a freelance writer and photographer. Storytelling is her focus and she spends her time following badass skiers and climbers around in their natural habitats. As an obsessed skier and climber herself, she plays and trains in the Tetons.