Title: Former Senior Vice President of Brands
Company: Wantable
Location: Woodland Hills, California, United States
Kari M. Johnson, Former Senior Vice President of Brands at Wantable, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives for dedication, achievements and leadership in Business Management.
Ms. Johnson, best known for her expertise in the apparel and lifestyle industry, has excelled at bridging creative vision with business strategy. Most recently, she served as senior vice president of brands at Wantable from 2024 to 2025. In this capacity, Ms. Johnson was responsible for running the product and marketing teams, utilizing Wantable’s back-end operations in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and building four seasons annually with 180 styles per season of new product. She oversaw the design and merchandising team, playing a pivotal role in scaling the company from inception to $35 million in revenue during her last year. As Wantable’s first hire, Ms. Johnson built the infrastructure, processes and vendor relationships from the ground up, demonstrating her capacity to rapidly launch and grow a successful venture.
Before her tenure at Wantable, Ms. Johnson served as the president of Spiritual Gangster, an apparel brand based in Los Angeles, California, specializing in active and loungewear, from 2022 to 2024. In this leadership role, she guided the brand through a period of growth and strategic development, leveraging her expertise in both creative direction and operational management to strengthen the company’s market presence.
Between 2020 and 2022, Ms. Johnson served as the vice president of product at Beyond Yoga. She is particularly proud of her contributions during this time, as she witnessed the company’s rapid expansion and successful positioning that attracted the attention of Levi Strauss & Co., ultimately leading to its acquisition by a publicly traded company. Her efforts to expand the brand and attract attention from a creative powerhouse like Levi’s underscored her unique ability to align creative output with business objectives. Ms. Johnson’s position at Beyond Yoga followed her service as the chief creative officer at La Jolla Group from 2017 to 2019, during which she was responsible for shaping the brand vision and driving innovation across multiple labels within the organization.
Ms. Johnson’s earlier career included a decade-long tenure as the general manager at O’Neill Women’s from 2007 to 2017. Taking on this role during a challenging economic period when the surfing industry faced significant headwinds, she led O’Neill Women’s with limited resources and budget. She successfully aligned her small team around a clear vision, developed effective strategies and executed them with precision. Under Ms. Johnson’s leadership, O’Neill Women’s surpassed the men’s brand in both top-line revenue and bottom-line profitability, a notable achievement that earned her significant recognition within the industry.
Ms. Johnson’s academic foundation includes a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of San Diego, completed in 1994. Her education provided her with a firm grounding in business fundamentals, which she has seamlessly integrated with her creative instincts throughout her career. This rare combination of analytical acumen and creative insight has set Ms. Johnson apart as a leader capable of understanding strategy, finance and brand vision while fostering emotional connections with consumers.
Throughout her professional journey, Ms. Johnson has credited much of her success to early influences such as Kathy Prost and Debbie Cohen, who provided foundational training in merchandising and product development during their time at Federated Department Stores and Bloomingdale’s. Their mentorship instilled best practices in retail that have informed Ms. Johnson’s approach ever since. Additionally, Daniel Nuekomm, chief executive officer at La Jolla Group during her years at O’Neill, offered crucial support that enabled her long-term success within the California lifestyle surf industry.
Beyond her professional achievements, Ms. Johnson is committed to civic engagement and animal welfare advocacy. Since 2024, she has volunteered as a foster parent for Roadogs and Rescue, Inc., reflecting her dedication to supporting animal rescue initiatives.
Ms. Johnson’s accomplishments have been recognized by industry peers through nominations for Brand of the Year and Marketing Campaign of the Year at the SIMA Surf Awards presented by Surf Industry Members Association. Looking ahead, Ms. Johnson is eager to continue excelling, developing her own business plan while remaining open to opportunities with organizations whose visions align with her values and mission.
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