Ann Hebert returns to alma mater to share her journey from OHIO to Nike executive
Ann Hebert, BBA ’92, shares her journey from Ohio University undergraduate to vice president of global sales for Nike during a keynote address Jan. 31 in the Baker University Center Ballroom. Photo by Eli Burris, BSJ ’16
As an Ohio University student, Ann Hebert, BBA ’92, excelled in her studies and in sports, lettering all four years on the women’s basketball team. Today, she oversees global sales for one of the most recognized and successful sports brands in the world.
The vice president of global sales for Nike, Hebert recently returned to Athens for the first time in 17 years, sharing with campus and community her nearly 30-year journey from OHIO to globe-trotting executive.
Hebert served as the keynote speaker for the Athens Arts, Parks and Recreation department’s second annual Breakfast of Champions, held Feb. 1 in celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day. She spent the day before the event on the Athens Campus, reconnecting with her OHIO roots by visiting some of her old stomping grounds, including Boyd Hall and the Convocation Center, and engaging with students following in her footsteps.
Ann Hebert, BBA ’92, is seen with students in the College of Business’ Association of Women in Finance following a roundtable discussion in Ohio University’s 1804 Lounge. Photo by Eli Burris, BSJ ’16
In addition to speaking with student-athletes on a tour of the Perry and Sandy Sook Academic Center and participating in a roundtable discussion with students from the Association of Women in Finance, Hebert took to the stage in the Baker Center University Ballroom to talk about her career and offer advice.
In a keynote address titled, “Just Do It,” Hebert urged Ohio University students to surround themselves with people who uplift them and challenged those in attendance to see the world through someone else’s eyes.
Hebert admitted that she was slow to join the job hunt. She said she was lying on her parents’ couch a few months after graduation when her father threw her the classifieds section of the newspaper and told her she needed to start looking for a job.
Hebert landed a job selling shoes at Finish Line where she discovered her passion for footwear and for helping people. Before long, she was in charge of ordering shoes in bulk for the store – a role, she said, where the doors to her future began to open. Hebert met regularly with representatives from major shoe companies and formed a bond with one from Nike. In 1995, only three years removed from graduation, she was hired as a regional representative for the sports apparel giant.
Ann Hebert, BBA ’92, takes a walk down her Bobcat memory lane, touring the OHIO Women’s Basketball locker room she spent a significant amount of time in when she was a student at the University and a four-year member of the team. Photo by Mack Wagner, BSVC ’21
Since 2006, Hebert has worked on Nike’s campus in Beaverton, Oregon. In 2018, she was named the company’s vice president of global sales, overseeing its global sales team. Hebert credited her coworkers for keeping her committed to the company and its vision.
“The reason I’ve been at Nike for 24 years isn’t the work that I’m doing,” she said. “It’s the people I get to work with.”
Hebert talked about the evolution of the Nike brand and key moments in the company’s history, providing students insight into the success of the global company.
One student asked about a recent moment in the company’s history: how the Nike sales team adjusted its strategy in the wake of the Colin Kaepernick controversy. The now former NFL quarterback made headlines in 2016 when he took a knee during the singing of the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality. In 2018, Nike featured Kaepernick in one of its ad campaigns, and this past December, it released a shoe featuring him.
“We believe that everyone has a voice and we want to celebrate those voices,” Hebert said of the risk the company took in spotlighting the controversial athlete. “Companies can’t be vanilla anymore. When we think things aren’t right, we aren’t afraid to take a stand.”
Hebert also touched on her OHIO experience, noting that she didn’t pick her major, finance, until her junior year but still managed to graduate on time. She credited the College of Business for its flexibility and willingness to help students who take their time deciding where their passion is.
Many of the students at the keynote were from the College of Business, and Hebert’s devotion to her team and her profession struck a chord with them.
Ann Hebert, BBA ’92, is pictured at center court of the Convocation Center with (from left) Men’s Basketball Coach and fellow OHIO graduate Jeff Boals, BS ’95; her mother, Nancy Vandenberge; her daughter, Grace; and her father, John Vandenberge. Photo by Mack Wagner, BSVC ’21
“I was inspired by how much credit she gave her coworkers,” said Nataliya Petriv, a senior majoring in international business and marketing. “You could tell she genuinely cared about the people she works with.”
Hebert frequently stressed the importance of professional networking and encouraged students to learn firsthand how to sell products to consumers. When a student asked Hebert what advice she had for someone hoping to work for Nike, she challenged them to turn her advice into action.
“Get some on-the-ground experience at a retail store,” she said. “Nike likes to hire from within, so that’s how to get your foot in the door.”
After more than two decades as a leading voice at one of the world’s foremost sports apparel companies, Hebert has picked up more than a few leadership strategies. A willingness to see the world from a different perspective, she said, is crucial to effectively leading large, diverse teams.
“Every voice matters. Period,” Hebert said. “You have to take time to put yourself in someone else’s shoes because you don’t know what they’ve been through and what they bring to the table.”