Emerging Retail Leaders 2025

Optional activities across D.C. for attendees

Washington D.C. (various locations)

Doors Open

Light breakfast, coffee, and tea provided by the NRF Foundation.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Networking Reception @ Wild Days

Beverages and light food provided by the NRF Foundation.

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.

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.

Presented by:

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.

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.

Staying Connected

There will be two virtual post-event check-ins with the summit cohort, scheduled at the 30- and 60-day marks.