Jana spent nearly 30 years at Nike in many different roles across the company between 1990 and 2019 - including Travel, Events, Global Communications, Equipment, Brand Marketing Admin, and Consumer Insights.

As a native Oregonian, preserving our natural environment and habitats is a high priority. Jana's last role prior to retiring from Nike in 2019 was Senior Creative Producer for global sustainability where she led creative efforts aligned with brand directives and led foundational consumer research to inform strategic planning and bring the athlete voice into sustainability storytelling.

When Jana left Nike, she saw an opportunity to unite her Nike alumni community with the mission to honor the past and create the future together. By partnering with her cofounder, Stephanie Vardavas, and other alumni teammates who carry the same passion for the brand, 6453 ALUMNI was formed.

Favorite Nike product: Air Rift, Flyknit Racer, too many to mention!

Stephanie Vardavas came to Nike in 1997 as a sports marketing attorney after ten years at Major League Baseball in New York City and eight years at the pioneering sports agency ProServ in Arlington, Virginia.

During her 14 years in the Nike Legal Department, her practice included sports marketing, product safety/regulatory compliance, and trademarks.

Stephanie now has her own law practice and specializes in those same three areas. She also writes Austenesque fiction and published her first novel in 2021.

Favorite Nike product: For pure aesthetics - the original Air Max Plus released in 1998 in Hyper Blue. She walked the Portland Marathon in 2001 wearing a different colorway of that style.

Michael McBreen has over 25 years of global business and consulting leadership experience in multiple industries and business models. Michael first worked with Nike in 1997 for PricewaterhouseCoopers, joining Nike as an employee in 2000. During his 10 years at Nike, his roles spanned across Supply Chain, Apparel and Corporate Responsibility.

Having worked in business leadership and strategic consulting roles in North America; Asia; Europe and Africa with leading global companies, Michael combines broad-based experience and proven leadership with a global perspective. As Chief Operating Officer of global consumer products companies, he was responsible for all product development, sourcing, procurement, manufacturing, distribution/logistics and consumer direct retail operations. Prior to that, he provided strategic leadership for global supply chain, finance, distribution/logistics, information technology, and direct-to-consumer retail organizations in consumer-packaged goods; food and beverage; industrials; and technology.

Today, Michael is actively engaged in the development of sustainable social enterprises and serves on several industry and company boards.

Favorite Nike product: Air Force 1

Chris’s comprehensive and intricate understanding of owned and partnered retail is a result of over 40 years of experience in global and regional direct retail, wholesale, marketing, operations, merchandising and visual presentation.

Chris is a results-oriented and multi-functional executive, leading by example and respecting varied and diverse perspectives. His industry experience includes over 18 years at Nike, Inc. in a variety of senior leadership roles within Direct to Consumer as GM Americas Region, Global Store Operations and with Nike’s Commercial Organizations including US Retail Brand Marketing, Global Marketplace Development and Global Sales Operations Strategy. Prior to Nike, Chris spent 25 years in Visual Merchandising and In-Store Marketing & Store Design at Macy’s, Inc. and The May Department Stores Company.

Chris is a creative strategist and holds a Commercial Art Degree from The University of the Arts.

Favorite Nike product: Nike Air Max 97 OG Silver Bullet

David Shaw is a hands-on Creative Leader with experience in multiple Communication and Design roles. He joins 6453 Alumni to help with Marketing and Communications to enhance our digital presence and increase our storytelling capability.

David’s interest lies in human communication problems where he likes to provoke and inspire individuals/teams to think differently. Sometimes solutions to problems need different approaches to make sense of complexity. He’s both a left-brain AND right-brain thinker and has experience coaching at all leadership levels, as well as mentoring junior team members. Over his career, he’s worked across multiple business functions including R&D, Product, IT, and HR. An artist since childhood, he has a strong belief in serious play.

Favorite Nike product: Presto and the Tag Campaign

Dr. Rachel Ingel-Champion was at Nike from 2018 to 2023 and held roles as global head of Organizational Effectiveness as well as global head of Talent Practices. She is a seasoned leader, coach, and consultant. With over 15 years of experience in Organization & Talent Strategy, Development, and Transformation, she is known for delivering exceptional results that accelerate both human and business performance. She applies an approach that is human-centered, simple & focused.

As a consultant, Rachel drives performance through inclusive, future-forward solutions rooted in the science of human behavior and change. She partners with leaders and organizations to understand strategy, unique needs, challenges, and aspirations to ensure both people and organizations are equipped to thrive today and through an ever-changing future.

Favorite Nike product: Too many to mention!

Gene Lee is a strategist, coach, and connector who spent 12 years at Nike, where he helped expand the company’s digital commerce and international operations. He played a pivotal role in launching and scaling the Nike.com / Nike App, Nike Run Club, and Nike Training Club across global markets, leading cross-functional teams and shaping consumer experiences that fueled Nike’s digital growth. Through this work, he saw firsthand how sport and the Nike brand transcend language, culture, and politics.

Today, Gene leads No, Really, his leadership coaching and strategy consultancy. His passion lies in weaving purpose and operational excellence together - helping leaders, teams, and communities thrive through clarity, alignment, and authenticity. Gene is excited to be part of building a resilient alumni organization. He is committed to ensuring 6453 is both a thriving community and a marketplace of ideas, opportunities, and collaboration for members worldwide.

A native Texan (with Korean roots) now calling Oregon home, Gene spends his free time adventuring in nature and exploring Portland’s food scene & maker markets with his partner and two kids.

Favorite Nike Products: AJ1 highs, NSW Cheyenne 2000 Eugene Backpack, Nike Vapor Fly golf irons

Paul spent more than 20 years at Nike in technology leadership and software engineering roles supporting go-to-market, digital commerce, and product creation. He helped build and scale Nike.net, Nike.com, and NikeID (NikeByYou), and led the company’s first retail omnichannel store integration. For 13 years he partnered with merchandising, product-creation, and design teams, gaining deep experience in how Nike products move from inspiration to market.

Paul now brings that expertise to the Nike Alumni Board, where he’s focused on strengthening the alumni community’s ability to connect, share, learn, and grow through the 6453 web platform and data-driven initiatives.

Based in Portland, Paul and his wife support their many pets and their daughters’ passions for volleyball and horse show jumping.

Favorite Nike Products: Air Max 90's