Emerging Leaders Summit | At Work

Developing early retail professionals into strong future leaders

The Emerging Leaders Summit Provides early careerists:

Knowledge of the wider world of retail directly from industry experts.
A network of mid-to-senior level peers.
Workforce navigation skills to be engaged, authentic, and successful.

Emerging Leaders are early in their retail career as full-time employees in entry-level to manager roles at a retail company. They demonstrate strong leadership potential, clear interest to grow in their career, and are committed to cultivating a dynamic retail industry where everyone belongs.

2025 Speakers Announcements

Mecca Mitchell

Burlington Stores, Inc.
Senior Vice President & Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer

Katherine Cullen

National Retail Federation
Vice President, Industry and Consumer Insights

See the full Emerging Leaders Schedule and Speaker Lineup

Highlights from 2024 Emerging Leaders Summit

"The NRF Foundation Emerging Leaders Summit gave me the opportunity to learn from inspiring leaders and take those learnings into my everyday work. Networking with peers left me feeling energized and grateful to be a part of the retail industry."

Arisley Rodriguez

WALGREENS

Attendees at the Emerging Leaders Summit enjoy refreshments on a rooftop deck during a Washington D.C. sunset.

"I genuinely felt heard and supported at this event when asking questions and sharing my ideas. My confidence has grown tremendously in my ability to develop on a professional level and enhance my company's goals!"