Fresh snow, cutting-edge eyewear, and a deep dive into mountain culture set the stage at Oakley Community Days 2026 in Whistler, where performance and innovation converged both on and off the slopes. Against this backdrop—marked by early-morning ride sessions, hands-on access to the latest Oakley releases from EssilorLuxottica, and candid convos within the winter sports community—Eyecare Business connected with snowboarder Jamie Anderson, two-time Olympic gold medalist and the most decorated female snowboarder in X Games history.

Here, Anderson shares insight into the role of high-performance eyewear, the importance of blending sport and style, and the 2-word mantra she channels when overcoming obstacles.

EB: For our audience of business professionals who are leading a team, what attributes do you feel like you aspire to have?

Jamie Anderson: The most important thing is having a positive leader and someone who is respected all around and has respect mutually. It creates such a positive work environment for the whole team, where people feel like they’re heard, and they’re able to be creative and productive. Even if mistakes or hard things happen, you have a strong community to get through whatever challenges might come.

EB: What do you wish more people understood about choosing the right eyewear for outdoor sports, and what can eyecare professionals do to make sure their customers get it right?

Jamie Anderson: Having the opportunity to demo eyewear, like at this community event, where people can go out and try all different gear. It’s an investment to buy good eyewear, and it’s nice to be able to try on different product, see what you like, and see what’s going to be functional and, thankfully, fashionable.

EB: When you think about goggles as part of your performance toolkit, what features make the biggest difference on the mountain?

Jamie Anderson: Oakley’s quality of lenses is out of this world. I feel like I almost have an advantage when I’m competing in bad weather and flat light. All the different lenses to choose from just make a world of difference, especially when you’re performing or hitting big jumps. I love how good [my goggles] fit with a helmet and a face mask.

EB: You’ve worked closely with leading performance brands. What does a truly great partnership look like for you as an athlete?

Jamie Anderson: With Oakley, I have a really longstanding relationship, and I’ve gotten to work with them over the years [with] a lot of the development of product and innovations [and] different design for the outerwear as far as materials and fit. It’s key, because the riders are the ones out there—especially the pro athletes. We live, breathe, and snowboard all the time. We want to make it the best for all consumers. It’s key to be able to work closely with the development team and have the athletes involved in that.

EB: What’s your overall advice for overcoming any type of hurdle—whether personal or professional?

Jamie Anderson: My thing lately, while having a toddler, is “it’s OK.” Everything is going to be OK. Now my toddler will spill something and be like, “Oh, it’s OK, Mom.” And I’m like, “You’re right; everything is going to be OK.” Take it one moment at a time. Without hardship, you don’t grow and evolve, so embrace it and know time will pass.