Recently, I was invited to a video call to celebrate Jane Sievert’s 40th year at Patagonia. At first, the invite didn’t give away much. In fact, most of the emails seemed more focused on walking people through Microsoft Teams than explaining the event itself. I figured it’d be a quick toast and a few stories.
What I didn’t expect was one of the most moving virtual gatherings I’ve ever been part of.
In Ventura, the Patagonia crew had packed into a room—including Yvon Chouinard himself, barefoot in flip flops, looking more like a surf bum than the founder of one of the most iconic brands in the world. On screen, faces from every era of Patagonia storytelling popped in: Mikey Schaefer, Ben Moon, Andrew Burr, John Burcham, Beth Wald, Ken Etzel, Kelly Watkins, Kate Rutherford, Karen Bednorz, Kyle Berkompas—the list goes on. Even Rick Ridgeway and Kristine Tompkins, two of the company’s original visionaries, were there.
Then the stories began.
One by one, people shared how Jane had changed their lives—always in ways that were generous, unexpected, and deeply personal. (Unexpected is a great word, and fittingly, the title of one of my favorite photography books ever: “Unexpected: A Retrospective on Patagonia Photography,” which was edited by Jennifer Ridgeway and Jane Sievert. I highly recommend getting one for your coffee table.)
Mikey’s story was classic: he was in the Yosemite café with a crew of dirtbags when Jane walked in. One of his friends pointed at him and blurted, “He’s a photographer!” Mikey didn’t even own a camera. But Jane handed him her card and told him to send in some photos. So he borrowed a camera, went out and shot climbing pics, and mailed them in. Eventually, he came clean—his friend had exaggerated—but Jane saw the spark anyway. She gave him a shot. Today, Mikey is not only one of Patagonia’s most trusted photographers, he’s an amazing DP who has worked on Oscar-winning documentary films.
We heard from Rick and Yvon too. They talked about how Patagonia always saw branding differently. One day, they were out surfing when Yvon said, “I only want real photos—of real athletes doing what they love.” When they got back to the office, they shared the idea with Jennifer Ridgeway and Jane. That conversation helped set the tone for decades of iconic Patagonia imagery.
Jane also shared stories, including one that was both hilarious (and a little embarrassing) about me: she had brought me in to film an interview with Yvon. Patagonia had just bought new camcorders and audio gear, and I was tasked with using this new gear to conduct an interview. There I was, unboxing the gear minutes before Yvon sat down. No prep. No testing. A full-blown onsight attempt.
And to my great regret … I screwed up the mic.
After Yvon wrapped, I got back to Jane’s desk only to realize: we had video of Yvon but no audio, which doesn’t cut it for an interview. I was mortified. But Jane just smiled, gave me that look, and kept believing in me. It was one of those mistakes you make once and never again. She gave me the space to learn and grow—and I’ve never forgotten that.
The whole call was filled with laughter, humility, and a rare kind of shared history. Everyone had a story. Everyone had been changed by Jane.
And by the end, I realized what a deep, lasting connection I have to this brand. Not just Patagonia the company, but Patagonia the people. And Jane is a huge part of that legacy.
This was, without a doubt, the best conference call of the year. A total surprise. A powerful reminder of the kind of company Patagonia is. And a celebration of a woman who’s quietly shaped the careers and lives of so many.
Here’s to 40 years of Jane Sievert. And here’s to Patagonia—for setting the bar high, and surrounding itself with some of the best people in the industry.
