Marley Cunningham

Marley Cunningham, 34

After spending 15 years in the hospitality industry, Marley Cunningham reached a crossroads in her career. She realized she was happiest when exercising her creativity, which happened most often in her marketing roles. So, she pivoted.

“Clearly this was the best decision I ever made because it led me to where I am now: Aqua Creek Products,” Cunningham says.

After a virtual interview where everyone just “clicked,” she had a job offer within half an hour and soon traded the Great Smoky Mountains for the Rocky Mountains to join Aqua Creek in Missoula, Montana. Being new to both manufacturing and the pool industry, she says there was a learning curve, but was was willing to embrace the challenges head-on.

Cunningham calls working for Aqua Creek a “breath of fresh air,” and she loves the opportunity for advocacy in the industry.

“I have a platform to influence people and businesses in a way that has the potential to shift societal thinking and create a more equitable world for people of all abilities,” she explains. “Accessibility seems to still be an afterthought for too many. If we are really dreaming, I want to see a world where universal design is standard practice; I want to see a world that is designed for everyone.”

Cunningham wants to grow her knowledge and experience as a marketing professional and contribute to her company’s success, which translates into more adaptive experiences for people of all abilities.

In addition to her professional mentors, Cunningham attributes much of her success to her mother, Kim.

“Despite my mountain man of a father doing everything in his power to raise me like a feral mountain cat and my eagerness to comply, she still somehow managed to instill in me the grace and power of femininity,” she says. “She always encouraged me to seek my higher self, even when that meant leaving our little hometown to travel the country, find myself and fulfill my dreams.”