OIWC Welcomes New Members to Board of Directors

The Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition (OIWC) is pleased to welcome Jennifer Wittman and Megan Tompkins to its Board of Directors.

Jen Wittman, the current Manager of Events and Partnerships with Outside Magazine, brings her commitment to the Outdoor Industry to work every day. In her own words, Jen recognizes “…Not many people work for an industry that changed their life.” She does. Apparently, the industry feels similarly. In August 2005, Jen was the first recipient ever to receive the OIWC First Ascent Award, an award recognizing up-and-coming women leaders in the Outdoor Industry.

Before her tenure with Outside, Jen graduated from the University of Kansas, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts for Advertising. After college, she immersed herself in the world outside and used every free moment to indulge her passions for skiing and climbing. She took a job at Outward Bound USA in Denver that ultimately brought her back to, ironically, the urban jungle of Chicago. As she continues her career Jen intends to find opportunities to support her other passions; preservation of wilderness areas, the future of our natural environment and the growth, and development & implementation of experiential education for young adults. On the OIWC Board, Jen is working with the Branding and Marketing Committee to create strategic marketing initiatives that accurately represent OIWC’s brand and the mission.

Megan Tompkins is the Editor of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, the trade magazine for the bicycle industry. She ensures that the magazine is relevant, enlightening and informative to a global audience of bicycle retailers, distributors and manufacturers.
She previously served as the marketing and communications manager for the Surf Industry Manufacturer’s Association. Prior to moving to California, she lived in New York City, where she wrote for travel trade magazines. She has a bachelor’s degree in English from Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.

Megan lives in Irvine, California, with her husband, Andy, and their Jack Russell Terrier, Jake. She enjoys cycling, running, hiking and golfing. She tries to get in a few days a year snowboarding or skiing. Megan is chairing the Bike Committee, serving as the liaison to the bike industry, and helping to bring more bike companies and individuals into the organization.


OIWC is a non-profit corporation focused on the mission of equipping women to achieve their success. OIWC is sponsored at the Gold Plus level by Fox River, REI, and WL Gore. At the Gold level, sponsors are Jansport, Mountain Hardwear, and The North Face. Silver sponsors are Thule, Hi-Tec, Black Diamond, Burton, Camelbak, Hooked on the Outdoors, The Forest Group, K2 Sports, Marmot, Outdoor Retailer, Timberland, and Tubbs. Bronze sponsors are Leisure Trends Group, Backpacker Magazine, GoLite, Leki USA, Moving Comfort, Outdoor Industry Association, OutdoorMind, SIA, Sierra Magazine, Kelty, and Cascade Designs.


#