#Hashtag | Sep. 2024
#HASHTAG: ALICIA WATERS
By Redding Worth
ILLUSTRATION BY TOM BACHTELL
Winnetka’s ALICIA WATERS is a curious and compassionate leader—a global citizen with an impressive career. She has held various leadership positions at Mars Global Confections, Kraft Foods (now Mondelez International), Gap Inc, CB2, and Crate & Barrel. Currently, she serves as the President of Crate & Barrel and Crate & Kids. Since joining Crate & Barrel, Waters has been a driving force behind record-setting growth across the brands. She holds a Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science from Miami University. She is a member of the Founders’ Board of Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and the Google Retail Advisory Council. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends and traveling. Here is how this corporate leader stays current in an ever-changing world.
#ON MY NIGHTSTAND
At this moment I’m halfway through two books. First, Breath by science writer James Nestor, which lays out fascinating and compelling physiology around the breath and its evolution, how it is an underutilized tool for improving health, and simple techniques we can layer into our day to improve our health. On the other end of the spectrum, I’m reading Happy Place (Emily Henry)—a heartwarming rom-com. I’m loving both!
#ON MY MOBILE
I can’t get enough design content and am following two designers that I’m very inspired by at the moment—Brigette Romanek and Ashley Avignone. To that end, I follow a ton of architects, designers, travel, and food influencers who spark ideas for work, home, and what to wear. Accounts like @yung_pueblo are also a part of my daily feed—balance, reflection, and perspective are critical for me, and they help with that.
#IN MY EARBUDS
My favorite podcast is SmartLess hosted by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett. It’s the perfect pick-me-up after a long day and I love a good laugh. These days I’m also tuning into a French Duolingo serial about Josephine Baker. My family and I lived in Paris for a few years and Duolingo helps me retain some level of French comprehension and fluency while enjoying real stories. Josephine’s history is fascinating—I did not realize she was a spy in addition to being a renowned dancer.
