Susan Viscon (she/her/hers) is chief new ventures and impact officer at REI, leading teams responsible for the co-op's impact work, including sustainability, government affairs, and the REI Cooperative Action Fund. Through her New Ventures role, she leads business development efforts focused on leveraging REI’s unique strengths to find values aligned partnerships. She serves executive director of REI's Path Ahead Ventures, which partners with and invests in BIPOC-owned and -led businesses to accelerate growth and create connections to resources and people. Viscon has maintained strong ties with the broader outdoor industry and vendors through her years of leading the REI Merchandising and Co-op Brands teams. Among her achievements at the co-op, Susan has sponsored and led programs like the REI Force of Nature initiative to advance leadership, empowerment and presence for women in the outdoors. She was recognized by Sporting Goods Business magazine as one of the “40 under 40” leaders of influence in the outdoor industry. She serves as a member of the Outdoor Industry Association and has served on non-profit boards in her community. She enjoys hiking, skiing and travel with her family.