MEET OUR TEAM

Team Member Vadim

Vadim

Vadim is the founder of Green Hat Kiteboarding. He learned to kiteboard in 2002 and was one of the first kiteboarders in the area. An avid kite hydrofoil racer, he is obsessed with testing gear and tuning it for maximum performance. He is an IKO Certified Level 2 Instructor, PASA Level 2 Instructor, and he has a US Coast Guard Master Captain license. 

Team Member Brian

Brian

Brian learned to kiteboard on a Cabrinha Prodigy and an Epic kite back in 2008.  He grew up wakeboarding, water skiing, and sailing, but it was kiteboarding that changed his life. The sport has taken him to places he never imagined and introduced him to some amazing people, and his passion for the sport drew him to instructing.

Brian is an IKO Certified Instructor and has a Captain license. He spends his free time racing (and winning) foil regattas, throwing tricks on a twintip, or playing hockey.

Team Member Christine

Christine

Christine’s watersport experience includes wakeboarding, sailing, boating and kiteboarding. She grew up on Barnegat Bay in New Jersey where she more than held her own among the boys!

In her own words, “When I kitesurf, I can go anywhere on the water and not need a boat, and I love the kiting community. You can post you're in an area looking to kite and you'll always be able to make a new kiting friend.”

Team Member Eric

Eric

Eric grew up on Barnegat Bay and has been wakeboarding and water skiing since he was eight years old. After suffering from kiteboarding FOMO, he finally joined the sport, and he was a natural! In the winter he switches between ice hockey and kiteboarding, hockey when the water is frozen, kiting when it’s not. Eric is an assistant instructor and team rider. 

Nicole

Nicole

Nicole also grew up on Barnegat Bay and has been working with Green Hat since February 2019. She is currently going to college and loves to spend her free time hiking, Onewheeling, and honing her kiteboarding skills!

Team Member Melissa

Melissa

Melissa grew up in Lacey playing multiple sports, but currently her favorite thing to do is Onewheel. She is the first of our team to hit 1000 miles! When Melissa is not Onewheeling, she enjoys hiking and spending time at her blueberry farm. She is very eager to improve her kiteboarding skills this season. 

Melissa has traveled across the country and back in an RV, and she's been to 43 states and 13 countries! 

Team Member Shelby

Shelby

Shelby grew up on the water in Lacey Township. She is an avid boater, jet skier, and paddle boarder and is currently learning how to kiteboard! Shelby is an elementary school teacher during the school year who keeps the rest of us organized through out our busiest season, summer!

Ethan

Ethan

Ethan works in our shipping department to get your new gear to you as soon as possible. He grew up in Lacey and is a surfer and soon-to-be kiteboarder! He enjoys Onewheeling on non-windy days. 

Agus

Agus

Agus is our graphic designer and is in charge of all our media. She is an avid kiteboarder and team rider. In her free time she loves to Onewheel and be outdoors. 

Luke

Luke

Luke is the newest Green Hat Team member. He helps out in the shop and is excited to learn how to kiteboard this season. Luke likes to play hockey, Onewheel, and spend time on his boat. 

Hunter Meet Our Team

Hunter

Hunter grew up on the west coast in Santa Barbara, California. He has been completely addicted to kitefoiling since spring of 2018. He learned to kitefoil before learning how to twintip. He quickly progressed and eventually left his career as a commercial pilot behind to pursue his dream of kitefoiling. In 2021-22 Hunter was running the west coast Demo Tour for Airush Kiteboarding and Qualified for the GKA Hydrofoil Freestyle World Championship. In addition to joining the Greenhat Kiteboarding Team in 2022, Hunter is competing professionally on the Global Kitesurfing Association World Tour.