Thursday Sept. 11 — Friday Sept. 12, 2025
Washington D.C.
An invitation-only event filled with networking, learning and skill building, the NRF Foundation Emerging Leaders Summit brings together 100 early retail professionals, retail leaders and subject-matter experts to provide exclusive insights and engaging professional development that will help early careerists become stronger future leaders.
Mecca MitchellSenior Vice President & Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer
Katherine CullenVice President, Industry and Consumer Insights
Build knowledge of the wider world of retail, hearing directly from experts from various companies on what they need to know about the industry.
Cultivate an industry-wide network of mid-to-senior level peers.
Develop effective workforce navigation skills and techniques to be engaged, authentic and successful team members.
Full-time employment at a retail company.
Entry-level up to manager roles in any function within the organization.
A demonstrated potential and desire to grow in a career.
A commitment to the advancement of people of color to help cultivate a dynamic retail industry where everyone belongs.
Attendees can represent either corporate, stores, or warehouse functions. They should be ambitious early retail careerists with strong leadership potential and a clear interest in development opportunities to advance their careers and networks.
Join the NRF Foundation in our work towards a more diverse retail workforce at all levels by investing in retail's emerging leaders.
Attendees to the Emerging Leaders Summit should arrive ready to engage, learn, ask questions, and take learnings back to share and implement with their teams. They should also hold a clear interest in development opportunities to advance their careers and networks.
An attendee group with cross-functional backgrounds maximizes learning and networking across the broad spectrum of retail roles.
On average, attendees had 6.5 years of work experience.
Attendees can represent either corporate, stores, or warehouse functions.
Attendees represented 18 different functions, including merchandising, supply chain, finance, marketing, and more.
Attendees should be ambitious early retail careerists with strong leadership potential.
"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."
WALGREENS
"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!"
KROGER
"At the NRF Foundation Emerging Leaders summit, hearing leaders share real-world challenges and solutions gave me a deeper understanding of how we can impact the retail industry to be more inclusive and sustainable. The opportunity to connect with driven peers and learn from their unique experiences and perspectives was invigorating and inspiring."
CRATE & BARREL
"The NRF Foundation Emerging Leaders Summit was truly amazing as it refueled my motivation for my work in the retail industry. It truly provides you with the experience and opportunity to network with like-minded peers in the industry. My favorite part is being able to learn from the executives and experienced leaders from other companies to learn how someone at that level thinks/operates."
VICTORIA'S SECRET
Contact Samantha LaManna for more information and sign-up details. Or use the form below to receive periodic email updates about the agenda and speakers.
Individual passes are available for $1,500.
Contact Samantha LaManna for more information.
The Emerging Leaders Summit will take place at the Eaton DC hotel in Washington, D.C.
A room block for attendees with discounted rates are available for the dates of Wednesday, Sept. 10 – Friday, Sept. 12.
Reservations for our room block closes August 20, 2025.
Fill out this form to get updates and learn more about the 2025 NRF Emerging Leaders Summit.
