What did Josh Pickles do at DoorDash? All we know about the executive killed in Tahoe boat accident

Josh Pickles is one of the victims who tragically lost his life in a recent boating accident on Lake Tahoe. In all, eight lives were lost in the incident at California on Saturday afternoon.

Pickles served as DoorDash’s Global Head of Strategic Sourcing and Procurement, as per a CBS News report. According to a CNN report, the 37-year-old deceased was celebrating his birthday with family.

The group visited the lake from Northern California. San Francisco's Josh Pickles was joined by his parents, 73-year-old Terry Pickles and 71-year-old Paula Bozinovich from Redwood City. His uncle, 72-years-old Peter Bayes, from Lincoln, was also on the powerboat.

Everything we know about the boat accident on Lake Tahoe

Josh Pickles and his loved ones took their 27-foot Chris-Craft luxury powerboat to celebrate Paula's 71st birthday, the family's rep shared with ABC 7 San Francisco, E! News confirmed.

As per reports, a strong thunderstorm hit the powerboat suddenly, leading to the devastating accident close to DL Bliss State Park. It occurred on the lake’s south shore, KQED reported.

John and his dad owned the boat, which capsized due to the sudden storm. During the unfortunate accident, 10 people were present on it. As the boat lost its balance and toppled, eight among the 10 people lost their lives. The remaining two injured persons were immediately rushed to a hospital for medical attention.

According to ABC 7, people dialled 911 and informed authorities about the tragedy at around 5 PM.

Their rep further expressed in the official statement,

"This is a terrible heartbreaking tragedy that took the lives of Joshua Pickles, his father Terry, his mother Paula, his uncle Peter as well as friends and family. The family has homes in the Bay Area as well as on Lake Tahoe. They love the lake. That adds to the tragedy that has occurred."

Apart from Josh Pickles and his parents and uncle, four other people did not make it following the adverse weather conditions, either. The upstate New York-based victims are 69-year-old James Guck, 63-year-old Stephen Lindsay, and 66-year-old Teresa Giullari.

Josh's widow, Jordan Sugar-Carlsgaard, released her statement on her personal loss. According to the KQED report, she chose to ditch the boating experience to stay with her 7-month-old daughter at the Pickles family’s home at Lake Tahoe.

Expressing her sorrow, Jordan said,

"No words can express the pain and anguish we feel knowing their lives were lost during what was meant to be a joyful time on the lake."

She continued:

"Our hearts go out to those who tragically lost their lives and the two survivors of this unexpected and deadly storm on Lake Tahoe."

She also thanked the rescue team for standing beside her in this time of grief. She said,

"We are profoundly thankful for their help in the tragic situation."

The sudden change in weather conditions and the violent storm hitting the lake thrashed Josh Pickles' powerboat and a few other watercraft.

Michael Cane, lab director and boat captain of UC Davis’s research center in Tahoe, stated that the powerful wind and storm pushed across the surface, as KQED cited.

On the day of the accident, winds blew towards south from north at a maximum speed of 35 mph, causing dangerous waves towering up to 8 feet on the southern edge.

On Tuesday, an official statement was released announcing,

"The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office extends its deepest heartfelt condolences to the families of those who were lost and all those who have been affected by this tragic event."

As South Tahoe Now reported, cited by People, Boat Captain Joby Cefalu said,

"It was a very, very tragic day on Lake Tahoe."

Here's what we know about Josh Pickles and his widow, Jordan Sugar-Carlsgaard

Josh Pickles

As mentioned on LinkedIn, Josh Pickles was working at DoorDash for "nearly seven years" before his tragic demise. His LinkedIn account has been made private now, People confirmed. Before DoorDash, his resume also included experience working for Salesforce and Cisco in the past.

DoorDash Chief Financial Officer Ravi Inukonda expressed his thoughts and grief following the powerboat accident involving Josh Pickles and his loved ones.

Conveying the company's "heartbroken" feelings upon hearing the news, Ravi shared,

"Josh loved his team and was an inspiration to everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. During his nearly seven years at DoorDash, he brought a contagious spirit that lifted those around him. The loss of Josh is immeasurable. We miss him deeply and will carry his memory with us always."

Jordan Sugar-Carlsgaard

Jordan attended Colorado State University from 2005 to 2009 to earn her degree in Bachelor of Liberal Arts, Journalism. Later, in 2017, she joined The George Washington University to pursue a Master's in Political Management, according to her LinkedIn page.

Presently, Sugar-Carlsgaard serves as the Senior Executive Assistant to the CEO & Co-Founder of Airbnb. She has been associated with the vacation rental company in the San Francisco Bay Area since January 2019.

Before Airbnb, she was the Director of Scheduling and Special Events Director of Scheduling and Special Events at the Office of the Democratic Whip / Office of the Majority Leader.