About Venture Footwear Labs

Deep Experience. Proven Leadership. Real Results

We are footwear operators, innovators, and brand builders with 120+ years combined experience across design, development, innovation, sourcing and commercialization.

Our leadership team has held senior roles as some of the worlds most respected footwear brands and has launched products and initiatives that have shaped the industry.

Leadership Team

Doug Clark

Innovation & Brand Strategy

A 40-year footwear visionary and prolific inventor with 50+ utility patents, renowned for tripling sales at Timberland, pioneering automated U.S. manufacturing, and engineering elite, injury- preventative performance footwear for the NBA.

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Peter Dillon

R&D & Materials Science

A 40-year footwear innovator and materials expert who developed Pebax Foam and NASA- grade technologies, pioneering iconic designs like the Nike Aqua Sock to drive elite performance across the global sports spectrum.

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Jody Linehan

Operations & Scalability

A 20-year outdoor industry veteran and former President of American Made Footwear with a proven track record of scaling businesses from multimillion dollar startups to global entities like Timberland and Jabil.

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Kim Clark

Chief Organizer & Project Manager

40-year business leader and educator bringing clarity, structure, and real-world strategy. Keeps teams aligned, communication clear, and ideas moving smoothly from vision to execution.

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Our Design Network

Chris Pawlus

Pawlus Design | Design

Visionary design executive with 20+ years leading innovation across global footwear brands. Unites material craftsmanship and cultural storytelling to create iconic, purpose-driven products. Proven track record revitalizing heritage brands and pioneering sustainable initiatives that drive both cultural impact and commercial growth.

Dawn Mozina

ZenRiot Studio | Trend/Color & Design

A 30-year veteran footwear designer. Creative and technically skilled offering end-to-end expertise from creative direction, concept sketching to market- ready product creation. Expertise in Trend forecasting, color direction, and consumer insights driving market relevancy and brand strength.