Sabrina Leibowitz began her career in retail with Macy’s, where she works as an Assistant Buyer, but her story begins several years earlier with the NRF Foundation Next Generation Scholarship. A transformative milestone that helped shape her personal and professional trajectory and established her relationship with the NRF Foundation programs.
“The NRF Foundation Next Generation Scholarship was the highlight of my college career,” Sabrina shares. “It gave me the opportunity to apply everything I had learned in the classroom to a real-world project and share my point of view.”
As a Next Generation Top 5 Finalist, Sabrina gained more than recognition, she built a network of professionals and friends across the retail industry. That community continues to support her today. It was at the NRF Foundation Student Program, part of the scholarship experience, where she first connected with the Macy’s College Recruitment Team. Their passion for innovation and commitment to aspiring merchants resonated deeply with her.
“I knew Macy’s was where I wanted to launch my career,” she says. “Through the NRF Foundation, I discovered Macy’s Merchandising Executive Development Program, which gave me leadership training before stepping into my Assistant role.”
Fast forward to her one-year anniversary at Macy’s, Sabrina attended the NRF Foundation Emerging Leaders Summit with a clear goal: to grow into a People Leader. The Summit brought together over a hundred retail professionals in Washington, D.C., all eager to shape the future of the industry.
“The Emerging Leaders Summit was an excellent opportunity to connect with other Retail professionals with the same aspirations as me,” Sabrina reflects on her experience.
“Leadership is a team sport. Retail has always been about how people support people. The Summit emphasized that leadership means making decisions that help the entire team, and our customers, succeed.”
Leadership is a team sport. Retail has always been about how people support people. The Summit emphasized that leadership means making decisions that help the entire team, and our customers, succeed.
One standout moment was her “Brain Date” with Halleemah Nash, Founder of Rosecrans Ventures. Halleemah’s session on Transformational Leadership created a space for deep peer connection and personal reflection. Their one-on-one conversation helped Sabrina map out her career goals and envision her path to leadership.
“I left Halleemah’s session feeling empowered,” Sabrina says. “She was inspiring during large group discussions and brought great compassion to our private conversation."
Today, Sabrina carries the lessons from the NRF Foundation into her role as an Assistant Buyer at Macy’s. She approaches her work as a collaborator, curating meaningful experiences for customers and building bridges across teams. Her involvement with Macy’s Atlas Colleague Resource Group and her role as an Executive Mentor in the NRF Foundation Student Program reflect her commitment to uplifting others.
“The NRF Foundation taught me the power of connection,” she says. “It inspired me to diversify my network and help others grow—just like I was supported when I started.”
“Be confident. Share your point of view. The real prize is the people you meet along the way. These conversations have shaped me more than anything else.”
From scholarship finalist to mentor and emerging leader, Sabrina’s story is a testament to how the NRF Foundation creates lasting impact—one connection at a time.
