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Meet Ryan & Grace.
We grew up playing sports — basketball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, and track — but the journey to Pines really started with twisted ankles.
Growing up we both suffered chronic ankle twists and sprains. We were told we had naturally weak ankles, so we taped ‘em up and got back out there, and never addressed the core issues at play. This injury pattern continued for us into adulthood, leading to more time on the sideline, and more foot injuries.
Enter minimalism and a focus on foot health. After abandoning conventional footwear (and actively working on foot strength and mobility) Ryan was able to overcome an increasingly chronic case of plantar fasciitis.
He got rid of his old shoes and replaced them with foot healthy options that allowed his toes to be straight, kept his feet level and close to the ground, and let him move more naturally. He soon converted Grace and ankle twists became a thing of the past for us both.
Still, there was something missing. We both wanted to keep playing the sports we loved, but couldn’t find footwear that met both our minimalist and sports performance needs, and didn’t look…well, derpy.
In 2024 we set out to change that and founded Pines Footwear. We left our jobs in tech, and started working with world class designer Michael DiTullo and experienced shoe developer Drew Linth.
As a team, we began making the Atomic Court — a first of its kind sneaker that takes the best of minimalist concepts and pairs it with high performance design and construction, creating a minimalist performance shoe for any court surface.
This is just the beginning. Pines’ vision is to transform athletic footwear and provide athletes footwear options that enable them to play their sports longer and better.
our
Team
Grace Chen
Co-founder
Grace Chen
Co-founder
Grace was a product development leader at tech companies for 20 years, including Google, Square, and a venture-backed ISP start-up that she co-founded in 2016 and sold in 2020. Grace is now the Executive Director at a non-profit, tennis and pickleball recreation center in midcoast Maine.
Grace has a B.S. in Management Science & Engineering from Stanford University. She was an avid volleyball (indoor and beach) player, but switched to pickleball 3 years ago. She can't wait to dink in a foot friendly shoe with cushion and traction!
Ryan McDermott
Co-Founder
Ryan McDermott
Co-Founder
A former high school athlete with a history of weak ankles and foot injuries, Ryan is constantly working on his foot strength and mobility. A graduate of Dartmouth College, prior to founding Pines, he spent 20 years working in partnerships at advertising and marketing tech companies like Google and Adroll, and most recently led the technology partnership team at Hubspot.
These days Ryan can be found cycling, swimming, and playing dad-basketball at the Y. He's wanted a foot-healthy sneakers to play hoops in for years - and is excited to finally have one!
Michael DiTullo
Designer
Michael DiTullo
Designer
Michael DiTullo has been designing iconic physical products and experiences for the world’s best brands for nearly 30 years. Michael has worked with a wide array of companies including Google, Honda, Intel, Hasbro, Motorola, Carnegie, Cole Haan, Jordan, Converse, and Nike. Michael is listed on over 30 patents and has been awarded a Special Individual Achievement Award from the Industrial Designer’s Society of America for his contribution to the design industry, an award won by design luminaries such as Jonathan Ive, Charles Eames, and Raymond Loewy.
When Michael was 13 years old he said “I want to draw stuff from the future” and that is still the best description of what he does.
Drew Linth
Developer
Drew Linth
Developer
Drew Linth has been developing technical purpose-built products for multiple applications for over 25 years. Drew worked for several brands including Nike, Columbia Sportswear, Montrail, Keen and Danner before founding Torrent Concepts in 2012. Drew has several functional patents and continues to identify new innovative materials and manufacturing methods across several product categories. A tinkerer at heart, Drew believes there’s always a tangible solution to complex ideas.
the future
of athletic footwear
You shouldn't have to sacrifice foot health to play the sports you love. We're on a mission to build shoes for athletes who want to move more naturally and not compromise on performance.
Join us on the journey to launch the Atomic Court, the first minimal shoe for high performance play on any court.
