The 2025 Emerging Leaders Summit brought together 100 early-in-their-career retail professionals alongside retail leaders and subject-matter experts for two days of networking, insights and engaging professional development. All with the aim to help early careerists become even stronger leaders in the retail industry.
Invest in the Future Leaders of Retail
Owner
The-Missouri-Rowe-Collective
Target
Group Vice President
Walmart
Sr. Director, Federal Government Affairs - AI, Technology, and Competition
Lowe's Companies, Inc.
Director, Government Affairs
National Retail Federation
Vice President, Industry and Consumer Insights
Old Navy
Senior Vice President Human Resources
Shipt
Chief Marketing Officer
WOC Retail Alliance
Chief Executive Officer
NRF & NRF Foundation
SVP & Executive Director
Burlington Stores, Inc.
Senior Vice President & Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer
Pattern Beauty
Co-Chief Executive Officer
A New Thing Coaching & Consulting, LLC
Founder & Chief Growth Catalyst
National Retail Federation
Group Vice President, Government Relations & Political Affairs
Bruin, UCollective
Owner
Gap Inc.
Global Head of Talent Acquisition
Rosecran Ventures
Founder
Late Afternoon & Evening
Networking
Optional activities across D.C. for attendees
Washington D.C. (various locations)
9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Networking
Doors Open
Light breakfast, coffee, and tea provided by the NRF Foundation
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Keynote
From Potential to Power: Cultivating Courage in Emerging Leaders
Mecca Mitchell, SVP of Leadership & Organizational Development, DEI, and Community Impact at Burlington Stores, Inc., will delve into the essential leadership competencies that drive success in today's dynamic business world. With a focus on professional courage, Mecca will share insights and strategies to empower emerging leaders to navigate challenges and seize opportunities with confidence.
Mecca Mitchell
Senior Vice President & Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer
Burlington Stores
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Session
Industry & Consumer Insights
Katherine Cullen, VP of Industry and Consumer Insights at NRF, will share a deep dive into the latest consumer trends and retail research shaping the industry in 2025. From shifting shopper behaviors and economic sentiment to the evolving role of data, this session will unpack what’s driving change—and how retailers can stay ahead.
Katherine Cullen
VP of Industry and Consumer Insights
NRF
12:00 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Nourish
Lunch
Provided by the NRF Foundation
12:45 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Session
How the NRF & NRF Foundation Can Work for You
Adam Lukoskie, Executive Director of the NRF Foundation, delivers the latest on what the NRF has to offer and how you can utilize the tools available in your everyday life and careers.
Adam Lukoskie
SVP & Executive Director
NRF & NRF Foundation
1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Session
Navigating Change and Maximizing Your Career
Halleemah Nash, Founder of Rosecrans Ventures, will share a dynamic framework for maximizing the early stages of your career, with an inclusive approach to defining what it means to be "early career." Through real-world insights and strategies, she’ll guide attendees on how to confidently navigate change and transform uncertainty into career-defining momentum.
Halleemah Nash
Founder
Rosecrans Ventures
3:30 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Nourish
Break
3:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
Session
Purpose in Practice: How Community Impact Fuels Culture and Business
Doing good for your community is more than a feel-good initiative— it’s a powerful driver of company culture, brand loyalty, and business success. Ron Brown, Group Vice President at Target, will explore how meaningful community impact boosts team morale, retention, and pride across departments and career stages and why showing up authentically in communities creates lasting value for both your company and the people it serves.
Ron Brown
Group Vice President
Target
Alia Kemet
Chief Marketing Officer
Shipt
4:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Session
Closing Remarks
5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Networking
Networking Reception @ Wild Days
Beverages and light food provided by the NRF Foundation
8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.
Nourish, Networking
Breakfast
Light breakfast, coffee, and tea provided by the NRF Foundation
Provided by:
8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Keynote
Telling Retail’s Story: How Government Relations Promotes Our Industry
Retail policy is everyone's business — and this session breaks down why. From tariffs and organized retail crime (ORC) to the evolving role of AI and technology, experts from NRF, Walmart and Lowe' will unpack the most critical issues shaping the industry today, how the NRF’s advocacy efforts are driving change across all sectors, and why staying informed is essential to everyone’s roles in retail.
Jason Straczewski
Group Vice President, Government Relations & Political Affairs
National Retail Federation
Ryan Burns
Sr. Director, Federal Government Affairs - AI, Technology, and Competition
Walmart
Sean Conner
Director, Government Affairs
Lowe's Companies, Inc.
9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Workshop
Retail at Work: An Immersive Workshop
Kimberly Lee Minor, Founder of the Women of Color Retail Alliance (WOCRA), will lead a workshop that will take attendees through a practical and immersive retail-industry scenario with fellow early careerists.
Kimberly Minor
Founder & CEO
WOC Retail Alliance
Lisa R. Bannister
Owner
The-Missouri-Rowe-Collective
Lydia Smith
Founder and Chief Growth Catalyst
A New Thing Coaching & Consulting LLC
Michelle Toledo
Owner
Bruin, UCollective
Christiane Pendarvis
Co-Chief Executive Officer
Pattern Beauty
Presented by:
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Nourish
Lunch
Provided by the NRF Foundation
12:30 p.m. - 1:25 p.m.
Session
Navigating the Retail Ladder – Career Trajectories and Pathways to Success
Hear from Gap Inc.’s Global Head of Talent Acquisition and Old Navy’s SVP of Human resources on how retail serves as a powerful launchpad for growth, building essential skills and confidence across all industry sectors. Through candid advice and actionable insights, the speakers will highlight key mindsets, feedback moments, and mentorship strategies that help emerging professionals thrive in today’s evolving workplace.
Monica Davila
SVP of Human Resources
Old Navy
Michelle Weber
Global Head of Talent Acquisition
GAP Inc.
1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Reflection
The Emerging Leaders Mentor Experience
Through small-group discussions, attendees will connect directly with experiences retail leaders to gain invaluable insights into navigating early career growth—learning firsthand how to build influence, adapt to industry changes, and cultivate the skills needed for future leadership roles.
Time & Date TBA
virtual
Staying Connected
There will be two virtual post-event check-ins with the summit cohort, scheduled at the 30- and 60-day marks.
