Speakers

Hal Lawton

President & CEO Tractor Supply

Hal Lawton has served as President and CEO of Tractor Supply Company since January 2020 and is a member of the Company's Board of Directors. During his tenure at Tractor Supply, Hal has led the Company through a period of unprecedented growth while introducing its Life Out Here strategy to drive sustainable growth.

Previously, Hal served as President of Macy’s from September 2017 to December 2019. As President, he had responsibility for all aspects of the Macy’s brand, including merchandising, marketing, store operations, technology and consumer insights and analytics. Prior to that, Hal was Senior Vice President, eBay North America from August 2015 to September 2017. In that role, he oversaw all aspects of eBay’s Americas business unit, including marketing, merchandising, operations, business selling, consumer selling and advertising, as well as global responsibility for shipping, payments, risk and trust. Before joining eBay, Hal spent 10 years in various leadership roles at Home Depot, where he most recently was Senior Vice President for merchandising. Hal was responsible for elevating Home Depot’s Internet business. Prior to that, Hal was an associate principal at McKinsey & Co., providing strategic advice to executive teams in consumer-packaged goods and manufacturing industries.

Hal holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Chemical Engineering and Pulp and Paper Science Technology from North Carolina State University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Virginia. In November 2025, Hal was appointed as a director of Wayfair, Inc (NYSE: W). Hal also previously served as a director of Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc. from October 2016 to February 2018 and Sealed Air Corporation from January 2019 to February 2026. He also serves as a board member for the National Retail Federation (NRF) and the Business Roundtable.

Anne Mehlman

Crocs Brand President Crocs

Anne Mehlman serves as the Executive Vice President and Brand President of the Crocs Brand, having been appointed to the role in May 2024. Ms. Mehlman has over 20 years of global financial and operational experience, having re-joined Crocs, Inc. in 2018 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Mehlman had previously worked at Crocs, Inc. as Vice President of Corporate Finance from 2011-2016. After leaving Crocs in 2016, she served as the Chief Financial Officer of Zappos.com, the ecommerce retailer owned by Amazon. She also held various financial roles at RSC Equipment Rental (now United Rentals), Corporate Express (now Staples) and Lockheed Martin. She received her Bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

Carly Gomez

Chief Marketing Officer Crocs

Carly Fusaro Gomez joined Crocs in August of 2025 as SVP, Chief Marketing Officer. Reporting directly to the Chief Brand Officer, Carly drives continued brand growth through a forward-thinking, digitally led, social-first marketing strategy. With nearly 20 years of omnichannel marketing experience, Carly brings a reputation for leveraging emerging trends and technologies to captivate markets and drive business expansion.

A graduate of Virginia Tech, Carly spent most of her career in Los Angeles with Vans, a VF company, where she left as VP of Marketing, Brand Management, DTC and Social Media for Global and the Americas. She then joined Fabletics, where she served as Chief Marketing Officer. Drawn to Crocs by the culture it displays internally and with consumers, she is excited to share the passion for the brand and win together.

She enjoys challenges, such as launching Channel 66 at Vans during the height of the pandemic, creating a full digital radio station that would broadcast live from a closed store in downtown Los Angeles. Bringing people together in times of uncertainty and highlighting artists and creative voices, Carly thrives when projects can truly connect with the audience, an incredible fit for Crocs.

Growing up the oldest of three sisters in the D.C. area, Carly went on to spend 25 years in Los Angeles. She now enjoys staying active and discovering new restaurants in the Denver area with her husband Joe. In her time outside of work she supports her sister-in-law's nonprofit, Building Futures and Friends (BFF), which provides programs for children and adults with special needs

Adam Sinoway

VP, Global Supplier Operations Wayfair

Anne Mezzenga

Founder & CEO Retail Field Report

Ashley Kick

VP, Ecommerce DÔEN

Brendan Witcher

Global VP, Product & Content Shoptalk

Chelsea Zhang

Partner Equal Ventures

Christine Chang

Co-Founder & CO-CEO Glow Recipe

Elina Vilk

President & Chief Business Officer David's Bridal

Ellen Shenette

Director, Net Zero Action Accelerator Environmental Defense Fund

Emily Casey

Content Director Shoptalk

Ernie Roberts

Head of Global Sustainability Belkin

Greg Schwartz

Co-Founder & CEO StockX

Abhishek Nandi

VP, Marketing Technology Lowe's

Alon Rotem

Chief Strategy Officer ThredUp

As ThredUp's Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Legal Officer, Alon Rotem oversees the company's strategic direction and legal affairs, including its public policy and sustainability efforts. He is a vocal advocate for advancing textile recycling through legislative engagement and is actively involved in shaping public policy via coalitions such as ACT and Politically in Fashion. Alon also spearheads ThredUp's innovative Resale-as-a-Service (RaaS) program, which has led to partnerships with dozens of retailers such as Athleta, Madewell, Reformation, and J.Crew, enabling them to build scalable resale solutions and sustainable offerings to their customers.

Allison Tepley

Head of Global Audience Marketing Reddit

Amiee Bayer-Thomas

Chief Retail Officer Ulta Beauty

Amy Wu Martin

Partner Menlo Ventures

Angela Clark

Founder Eclipse Advisory Group

Arianne Parisi

Chief Digital Officer Kohl's

Ben Harms

Chief Growth Officer Archrival

Berit Bauer

VP, Digital Site Merchandising & Operations Target

Berit Bauer is Vice President of Digital Site Merchandising and Operations at Target. She began her Target journey more than 25 years ago as a 16-year-old team member at her local store, where she discovered a lasting passion for retail.

That early experience led her to study marketing and psychology at the Wisconsin School of Business at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Since then, Berit has built a well-rounded career across Target headquarters, with roles in buying, merchandising, inventory management, store operations, and digital.

Today, she leads Digital’s Site Merchandising and Operations team, focused on shaping a seamless and engaging online guest experience while connecting strategy across teams and channels.

Bo Moon

VP, Platform Business, Gaming, Commerce, & New Service Innovation LG

Bo Moon is a technology executive with more than two decades of experience turning emerging technologies into consumer products and new businesses. He currently serves as Vice President of Platform Business, New Services and Innovation at LG Electronics, where he leads the development of new platform services spanning commerce, gaming, and lifestyle categories.

Before joining LG, Bo was Chief Business Officer at TWO, a generative AI company building conversational AI engines and immersive experiences. Prior to TWO, Bo served as Head of Innovation Strategy for Samsung Research America's Think Tank Team, an advanced technology lab of leading scientists and engineers, and as Senior Director of Sports & Gaming, where he drove products and services built on emerging technologies like virtual reality and mobile gaming.

Prior to Samsung, Bo co-founded the sports analytics division at Bloomberg LP, which eventually was spun out as Bloomberg Sports, and held earlier roles in product management and user experience design, giving him a career-long focus on the intersection of technology, media, and entertainment.

Bo holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Cornell University. He is based in California, where — away from screens — he is a dedicated woodworker and lifelong tinkerer.

Brett Battes

SVP, Operations The UPS Store

Candan Erenguc

COO Anthropologie

Cate Khan

CEO Trendalytics

Chelsey Alexander

Founder & CEO Open Gate Consulting

Chris Walton

CEO Omni Talk

Chris Silver

CTO JustFoodForDogs

Chris Silver is a technology leader who believes great brands start with understanding people. As CTO of JustFoodForDogs, he is leading the company’s digital and data transformation, building a unified commerce and AI-driven foundation that connects eCommerce, retail, subscriptions, and customer care around the needs of pet parents.

Before joining JustFoodForDogs, Chris led global digital & retail technology teams for brands like Urban Outfitters, MAC Cosmetics, Estée Lauder, and David Yurman, and founded startups focused on AI and next-generation loyalty. Across every role, his work centers on one idea: when technology understands intent, brands can create experiences that feel personal, meaningful, and human

Christopher Pond

Chief Growth Officer BRUNT Workwear

Corinne Baker

SVP, Ecommerce DTC & Marketplaces RG Barry Brands

Danisha Lomax

Chief Social Officer, PMX Publicis Groupe

In her current role, Danisha Lomax brings together social, influencer, and community expertise to drive growth and deliver best-in-class solutions across paid, earned, shared and owned channels for Publicis agencies and their clients. As the head of PMX Social, she and her team provide integrated social expertise and power a holistic offering that connects all of Publicis’s existing social capabilities and designs tailored solutions for clients, based on their specific needs and brand objectives.

With over a decade of media experience, Lomax is a master of her craft, having joined Publicis in 2018 at Digitas. There, she worked her way up to Chief Connected Community Officer where she developed programs rooted in authenticity, cultural relevance, and advocacy for women of color and underrepresented communities. In her role, she blended the familiar with the forward-thinking, remixing proven strategies with emerging possibilities to build the intimacy, social influence, and cultural credibility to help brands become engines of growth.

Outside of Publicis, Lomax has been a dedicated champion for women and a standout leader within her community. She served as a mentor and board member for a diverse range of organizations, including Sol Sisters, HELLO HAPI, and the ADCOLOR Champions Program. Her commitment to professional equity extended to her work with Living Corporate, while her advocacy for community building and youth empowerment was reflected in her contributions to Nextdoor and GirlVentures. Through these roles, she has established herself as a tireless advocate for underrepresented voices, laying the groundwork for the next generation of leaders to succeed.

A sought-after thought leader and speaker, Lomax’s approach has won her multiple awards including AAF Hall of Achievement, Top Women in Media & AdTech DEI Champion, Campaign US Media Planner of the Year, Chief Marketer Market Like a Mother, and Cynopsis Top Women in Media.

Dean Dimitruk

VP, Branded Entertainment Warner Bros. Discovery

Dean Dimitruk is an Emmy Award-winning branded entertainment executive and Vice President of Branded Entertainment at Warner Bros. Discovery. With more than 15 years of experience across television, digital, social, and experiential media, he specializes in developing innovative custom co-branded marketing programs, talent-led partnerships, sponsorship strategies, and advertiser-funded content, that connect brands with passionate audiences.

At Warner Bros. Discovery, Dean oversees branded content strategy and execution across both linear and social platforms for iconic brands including Food Network, Discovery, TLC, and Animal Planet. He leads multi-million-dollar partnerships for advertisers such as Capital One, Hershey, Walmart, State Farm, Marriott, Wayfair, PepsiCo, Subaru, and Wells Fargo. His work has been integrated into marquee franchises including Tournament of Champions, Shark Week, and Puppy Bowl.

His expertise sits at the intersection of content, culture, and commerce, helping brands build deeper audience connections through storytelling, strategic partnerships, and premium content experiences.

Prior to Warner Bros. Discovery, Dean held production and programming roles spanning daytime television shows, ABC's third hour of Good Morning America, and as the creator of an original subway-based talk show series. He is a graduate of Emerson College and a proud Philadelphia native.

Deepak Maini

SVP & GM, Walmart+ Walmart

David Huskisson

SVP, Supply Chain & Transformation The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company

Dominck Miserandino

Founder RTM Nexus

Drew Sheriff

VP, Grocery, Alcohol, and Convenience DoorDash

Drew Sheriff is the Vice President of Grocery, Convenience, and Alcohol at DoorDash. He brings more than twenty years of experience scaling consumer businesses at Parachute, Amazon, and Starbucks. Drew is an operational and customer-obsessed leader with deep expertise in retail, product development, and omnichannel strategy. He is passionate about building products and services that solve hard problems for customers and is focused on taking DoorDash’s new verticals to their next stage of growth.

Before joining DoorDash, Drew led the expansion of Parachute’s physical retail presence and oversaw customer service, trade, and home care operations. At Amazon, he managed physical store operations and launched key omnichannel programs, including store pickup services, new payment methods, and digital price tags. Earlier in his career, he held several leadership roles at Starbucks, where he helped develop and grow successful new product concepts.

Drew lives in Seattle with his family and two extremely lazy Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.

Emily Hikade

Founder & CEO Petite Plume

Farzana Nasser

Partner Chameleon Collective

Gaurav Dixit

VP, Digital Customer Experience Lowe's

Greg Buzek

President & Chief AI Orchestrator IHL Services

Heather Bennett

President Michaels Stores

HG O'Connell

Senior Content Director Shoptalk

Hitha Herzog

Founder & Chief Research Officer H Squared Research

J. Michael Prince

President & CEO U.S. Polo Assn.

Jamil Ghani

Worldwide Head of Prime Amazon

Jane Cheung

Global Research Leader for Consumer Industries, Institute for Business Value (IBV) IBM

Jason Brenner

SVP, Digital Portfolio FedEx

Jason Brenner is the senior vice president of digital portfolio at FedEx, where he leads digital product and commercialization efforts that connect the FedEx physical network with digital capabilities to support retailers and shippers. Since joining FedEx in 2024, he has focused on advancing how data and digital tools can transform shipping, returns, visibility, and supply chain reliability for customers of all sizes. Jason brings a forward-looking perspective to building more seamless, resilient supply chain experiences, championing the practical application of advanced technologies to simplify post-purchase journeys and drive stronger operational outcomes for partners.

Prior to joining FedEx, he was the senior vice president of digital at Michaels where he led e-commerce, marketplaces, and digital transformation. Prior to Michaels, he was vice president of strategy for Equinox Fitness. In this role, he was responsible for Equinox’s growth strategy with a focus on commercial expansion.

Jason began his career as a management consultant before joining Jet and Walmart where he served in progressive leadership roles, including director of e-commerce strategy. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Emory University.

Jason Humphrey

Head of Ecommerce AG Jeans

Jason LaRose

CEO Bombas

LaRose joined Bombas as President in July 2024 and was appointed CEO in July 2025, taking over from co-founder, David Heath. In his role as CEO, he leads the company’s vision and strategic direction, and oversees all key functions, including technology, operations, eCommerce, wholesale and finance. In partnership with the company’s co- founders and leadership team, he is focused on guiding Bombas’s continued expansion, while advancing its mission to help those experiencing homelessness—building on their impact of donating more than 200 million necessary clothing items across the country to date. Prior to joining Bombas, Jason held a number of leadership roles in apparel and DTC businesses, most notably with Under Armour and Equinox. As President of North America for Under Armour, he was responsible for all eCommerce, retail, wholesale, and B2B activities in the U.S. and Canada. As CEO of Equinox Media, he led the launch of a connected fitness hardware and subscription platform. Additionally, Jason has served as Co-Founder of The Post, SVP of eCommerce at Express, SVP of International eCommerce at Sears Holdings, and Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Duke University.

Jeannie Yoo

CEO Draper James

Jeannie Yoo is a fashion and lifestyle executive with two decades of experience in brand building, product, and business development. She has a track record of evolving brands through DTC growth, category expansion, digital innovation, organizational design, and fusing creative with commerce. Since October 2024, she has served as CEO of Draper James, the lifestyle brand founded by Reese Witherspoon. Prior to that, she was President at Adam Lippes, a luxury brand specializing in womenswear. She has led businesses of varying scale and maturity at iconic American brands, including Michael Kors and Coach.

Jed Berger

CEO Kenneth Cole Productions

Jenna Landi

Senior Director, Global Brand Research Pinterest

Jillian Bonaventura

VP, Consumer Insights MRI-Simmons

Jillian Cueff

Chief Merchandising Officer Claire's

Jillian Cueff is the Chief Merchandising Officer at Claire's, leading one of retail's most closely watched brand transformations. She joined in January 2026 and has been rebuilding the company's merchandising strategy around the piercing equity that has defined Claire's for generations, while resetting the assortment for the Gen Alpha customer driving the brand's next chapter. Cueff is a fashion retail leader with 25 years of experience translating trends into commercial, accessible products at every price point. At Walmart and Macy's, she ran multi-billion-dollar businesses and was named VP of the Year at both companies, building merchandising organizations that pair trend instinct with operational rigor and move quickly without losing margin discipline. She builds commercial engines that translate cultural moments into scalable, profitable assortments. At Claire's, that scope spans the full merchandising stack, from buying and planning through sourcing, quality control and product development. Before Claire's, Cueff co-founded Ignited Industries, a merchandise and brand partnership company building unique product assortments for touring artists, festivals, and consumer brands.

 

Joe Laszlo

Head of Insights, U.S. Shoptalk

Joss Hastings

VP, Global Marketing, Disney Pixar & Softlines The Walt Disney Company

Julia Waldow

Reporter Modern Retail

Julia Waldrow

Reporter Modern Retail

Kasturi Pal

WW Head of Marketing, Amazon International Shopping and Bazaar App Amazon

Kate Hardcastle MBE

Global Broadcaster & The Customer Whisperer Hardcastle Collective

Kelly Breakstone Roth

Co-Founder & CEO Prysmic

Kelly Cook

CEO David's Bridal

Kevin Kelley

Principal & Co-Founder Shook Kelley

Kiera Ganann

SVP, Head of Merchandising The Children's Place

Krystyna Taheri

SVP, Social Commerce QVC Group

Krystyna Taheri is Senior Vice President, Social Commerce at QVC Group, where she defines and leads the social commerce strategy for QVC US and HSN, and is responsible for driving growth on leading social platforms, including TikTok, Meta and YouTube. Krystyna previously held roles at Google and Procter & Gamble and has a B.S. from Cornell University and an M.B.A. from Yale School of Management.   

Laura Cantor

VP, Marketing & Ecommerce New York & Company

Lauren Weinberg

Chief Marketing Officer Supergoop!

Lauren Weinberg is the Chief Marketing Officer of Supergoop!, where she oversees brand, social and growth marketing, product innovation, creative, consumer insights, CRM, strategic partnerships, and communications as the company continues to redefine everyday sun protection. A veteran marketing leader with a track record of scaling modern, consumer-centric brands, she brings more than two decades of experience driving transformation across global technology and consumer organizations.

Most recently, Lauren served as Chief Marketing Officer at Peloton, leading global brand and growth during a pivotal period of transition. Her work sharpened company strategy, elevated efficiency, and delivered meaningful business impact. Prior to that, she was Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Square, where she helped scale the business internationally, launched the company’s first global brand campaign, and supported major acquisitions, including Weebly and Afterpay. Earlier in her career, Lauren held senior leadership roles at Yahoo, MTV, AOL, Nielsen, and comScore.

Recognized as one of Forbes’ 50 Most Entrepreneurial CMOs and an Adweek Top CMO, Lauren is also a mentor, advisor, and co-author of the bestselling guide for small business owners, “Self-Made Boss.” She remains engaged with academic and industry communities, frequently lecturing at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School and serving on the CMO Council of Project Healthy Minds.

Leslie Ann Hall

Founder & CEO Iced Media

Lindsay Horrigan

SVP, Consumer Growth Officer Hearst Magazines

Lisa Koetter

Partner Bain & Company

Liza Amlani

Founder & Principal Retail Strategy Group

Lynn Gonsior

Co-Founder & COO ChangeUp

Madisen Li

SVP, Design & Merchandising Tecovas

Melanie Altarescu

Co-Founder Ask/Offer

Melanie Altarescu is the co-founder of ask/offer, a partnership strategy consultancy, and MTCHMKR, an AI-powered platform for discovering, evaluating, and managing brand partnerships. For more than 20 years, she has helped organizations uncover high-impact partnership opportunities that drive growth, cultural relevance, and measurable business value.

Her career spans leadership roles at The Wing, Artsy, The New Yorker, WIRED, and Vanity Fair, where she led partnership, sponsorship, and experiential strategy at the intersection of brands, media, culture, and community. Through ask/offer, Melanie advises companies on partnership strategy, go-to-market initiatives, sponsorships, and business development, helping organizations identify the right opportunities, build the right relationships, and create programs that deliver lasting impact.

She is currently building MTCHMKR, bringing the same strategic thinking into software. The platform combines AI with structured workflows to help organizations discover, evaluate, and manage partnerships more effectively, making a process that has traditionally relied on spreadsheets, intuition, and fragmented relationships more transparent and scalable.

Melanie's clients have included Snapchat, Kate Spade, WeightWatchers, Nanit, Forager Project, Maisonette, The Big Quiet, and the Fifteen Percent Pledge. She is known for uncovering meaningful connections, translating pattern recognition into practical strategy, and bringing clarity and structure to opportunities that might otherwise go unseen.

Melissa Pacheco

Co-Founder Chameleon Collective

Michael Hayes

VP, Integrated Marketing Krispy Kreme

Michelle Crossan-Matos

Chief Brand & Experience Officer SharkNinja

Mike Jacobs

Chief Growth Officer Consortium Brands

Mindy Massey

Global ED, Retail Anthropologie

Natalie Lockhart

Chief Strategy & Digital Officer Sally Beauty Holdings

Natalie Lockhart is SVP, Chief Strategy and Digital Officer at Sally Beauty Holdings, where she's driving enterprise-wide customer-centric transformation and owns the full ecommerce P&L across B2C, B2B, and marketplace channels. Beyond digital, she leads Corporate Strategy, M&A, CRM, and Consumer Analytics — connecting long-range strategy to the KPIs that actually move the business.

A data-driven operator with a track record of turning around complex, highly regulated businesses, Natalie previously led enterprise growth strategy as SVP of Strategy & Execution at Neiman Marcus Group. Before that, at JCPenney, she turned around the $400M Salon business, delivering 13 consecutive quarters of growth while championing a nationwide network of 11,000 stylists — redesigning staffing models and advancing legislative reform along the way.

Her career spans financial planning, advanced analytics, and strategic investment across both public and private-equity environments, giving her a rare blend of commercial instinct and financial discipline. Natalie holds an MBA from Southern Methodist University and a BA from Tulane University, and is based in Dallas.

Nate Checketts

CEO Rhone

Nate Checketts is the Co-Founder & CEO of Rhone, the performance driven apparel brand made by and for those in the pursuit of progress. Prior to Rhone, Nate worked for and consulted with some of the biggest technology and entertainment properties in the world including Cisco, The National Football League, Legends, FanVision and Sport Radar. Nate is also an avid entrepreneur who founded and launched 4 companies before the age of 30, including Rhone and Mangia Technologies, whose patents were later acquired by the San Francisco 49ers. In 2020 Nate was selected by the Sports Business Journal to their 2020 list of Forty leaders under Forty. In addition to Rhone, Nate also serves as a Director to Clean Simple Eats, a leading brand of functional foods and recipes. Nate graduated from Brigham Young  University with a BA in Finance.  He and his wife Dayna reside in Connecticut with their three boys, Gabriel, William and Nicholas.   

Niamh Butler-Walton

Senior Content Producer Shoptalk

Ninaad Acharya

CEO Fulfillment IQ

Patricia Camden

Managing Director, EY Studio+ Customer Experience and Loyalty Leader EY

Patrizia Ranzi

Head of Digital, Media, & CRM, Americas Dolce & Gabbana

Paul Archer

Founder & CEO Duel

Rachel Jonas Gilman

CEO Mane

Rachel Jonas Gilman is the CEO of Mane, the cute, feel-good hair care brand founded by celebrity stylist and entrepreneur Jen Atkin. Since stepping into the role in early 2024, Rachel has led a full brand refresh—reworking Mane’s strategy, sharpening its voice, and rebuilding a values-driven team culture.

Under her leadership, Rachel helped evolve Mane from a styling hot tools brand into a bold, hair care driven player with a hero-product strategy and buzzy new category launches—starting with stylers in August 2025. Working closely with Jen, she’s helped shape a brand ethos that feels expressive, connected, and distinctly Mane.

Rachel brings more than 20 years of experience building and scaling omni-channel consumer brands across beauty, fashion, and home. A marketing-first operator to her core, she’s built a reputation as the kind of modern CEO brands seek: customer-obsessed, insights-led, brand-savvy, and deeply invested in building brands and products people truly love.

Before joining Mane, Rachel was the founding President of PATTERN Beauty by Tracee Ellis Ross, where she helped translate Tracee’s vision to life by building the brand from launch into an eight-figure business and cultural force in textured hair care. From retailer expansion to product innovation to shaping the brand’s voice, Rachel helped turn PATTERN into a powerhouse. Earlier in her career, she held senior marketing leadership roles at Beach House Group, Yoobi, Jonathan Adler, Cole Haan, and Juicy Couture.

Known for nurturing founder-led brands and building standout teams, Rachel leads with empathy, curiosity, and a deep commitment to human connection. With a learning mindset and resilience, she brings foresight, gratitude, clarity, and heart to every brand (and every team) she helps build.

Rachel graduated with honors from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Strategic Communications. Currently, she lives in Los Angeles with her family.

Rebecca Fitts

Founder Double03 Retail

Rebecca Fitts has spent more than 20 years figuring out where retail is headed next.

After helping build physical retail strategies for companies including Warby Parker, Leap, Alvarez & Marsal Property Solutions, Brookfield Properties, Westfield, and General Growth Properties, she now advises brands, retailers, and developers through Double03 Retail while writing The Wild West of Retail Substack, where she explores the future of physical retail, consumer behavior, and the rise of the Discovery Economy.

Rebecca's work focuses on helping brands rethink physical retail—from first stores and pop-ups to hospitality partnerships, mixed-use destinations, and new distribution models. She is also the founder of Irwin Road, a members-only retail salon that introduces emerging luxury brands to influential consumers through curated experiences inside private clubs, bringing together discovery, community, and commerce.

She splits her time between West Palm Beach and New York City, where she's usually exploring independent retailers, uncovering emerging concepts, or paddleboarding with her husband.

Rebecca Maffei

Chief Information Officer Fashionphile

Rene Federico

Head of Marketing, U.S. Primark

Rick McDonald

CEO Rick McDonald Supply Chain Advisory LLC

Rishabh Jain

Founder & CEO FERMÁT

Rishabh Jain is the CEO and Co-Founder of FERMÀT, redefining how brands engage consumers across digital channels. His path to commerce tech is unconventional: he started with a PhD in Physics, founded a solar energy company during his doctorate, and spent nearly six years at LiveRamp as VP and Head of Innovation. In 2021, he partnered with former LiveRamp colleague Shreyas Kumar to launch FERMÀT. Under his leadership, the company has raised $74 million across three rounds, including a $45 million Series B led by VMG Partners, with participation from QED Investors, Greylock, Bain Capital Ventures, and Courtside Ventures. He's a frequent speaker on AI, agentic commerce, and the future of retail.   

Rob Petrosino

Chief Innovation Officer & AI Consultant PeakActivity

Rob Petrosino is a Chief Innovation Officer, US Government Al Strategist, and emerging
technology advisor who helps companies and government agencies turn Al from boardroom
buzzword into real operational advantage. With 15+ years advising Fortune 100 companies,
publicly traded organizations, and agencies including the FBI, CIA, DOJ, DHS, CIO Council, and
ODNI, Rob brings a rare mix of executive strategy, technical fluency, and battlefield-tested
implementation experience across Al, agentic systems, spatial computing, digital twins, and digital
transformation.

Santhi Ramesh

Chief Commercial Officer Pampered Chef

Sarah Engel

President January Digital

Sarah Engel is the President of January Digital, the marketing leadership company and agency of record for clients like Carhartt, amika, Interstate Batteries, and Steve Madden. She also serves as a Strategic Advisor to Shoptalk and Groceryshop, and was recently named to Adweek 50, honoring changemakers and growth drivers in marketing and technology. With more than two decades of multifaceted experience, Sarah has guided teams, served on boards, and held key leadership roles, including President, Chief Marketing Officer, and Chief HR Officer for leading consumer and B2B brands. Notable positions include Vice President of Marketing and Creative Communications at lifestyle brand Lilly Pulitzer and CMO of retail data leader DynamicAction (now Edited). Throughout her career, she has connected consumers and driven growth for the world’s most impactful brands, including Travelocity, Match, and Chevrolet. She serves on the advisory board of Rebel Nell, a jewelry company empowering marginalized women, and as Chairperson of the Board of Lutheran Settlement House, a nonprofit supporting vulnerable communities in Philadelphia. Her contributions to the industry have earned her recognition as a Top Woman in Media and Ad Tech, one of Women’s Wear Daily’s Top 20 Women Leaders in Business, and one of Footwear News’ Six Women in Power Creating Corporate Change.

Sarah Nassauer

Retail Reporter The Wall Street Journal

Scott Devlin

Chief Information Officer The Vitamin Shoppe

Sharon Leite

CEO The Vitamin Shoppe

Sheena Butler-Young

Senior Correspondent Business of Fashion

Sonia Biddle

Chief Product Officer DePop

Sonia Lapinsky

Managing Director, Retail AlixPartners

Sonia Lapinsky is a retail transformation leader with nearly 25 years of global operational experience. As head of AlixPartners’ global fashion practice, she works with leaders, owners and investors to improve performance and create value in fashion companies that span the luxury, specialty, global brand, department store and off-price sectors. Lapinsky is known for her pragmatic and hands-on approach, diverse experience, and ability to both challenge and partner with leaders to maximize results when speed is of the essence. She has led multiple complex transformations and integrations creating hundreds of millions of dollars of value, including serving as interim Chief Integration Officer for a global brand house.

Lapinsky is particularly passionate about the connection between consumer shopping preferences and business performance, creating tailored approaches for companies based on their unique market position, customer base and capabilities. She also leads AlixPartners’ annual Consumer Sentiment Index, which studies more than 9,000 consumers to understand what they expect from retailers and brands and which companies they perceive as “winners” across fashion sectors.

Prior to joining AlixPartners, Lapinsky lived and worked in Shenzhen, Toronto, South Asia and Europe, directing sourcing, manufacturing and product development. She holds a mechanical engineering degree from Queen’s University in Canada.

Stephen Nesle

Chief Marketing Officer Bob’s Discount Furniture

Steven Radewych

SVP, Supply Chain Operations Spin Master

Suruchi Shukla

Chief Marketing Officer Minted

Suze Dowling

Co-Founder Pattern Brands

Suze Dowling is the co-founder and Chief Business Officer at Pattern and has built her career in the early stage landscape. Her role is the culmination of more than a decade of experience at the forefront of the NY start-up community; working hand-in-hand with entrepreneurs from ideation to, now, multiple exits. Suze works closely with the CEO, the leadership team, and the Board of Directors to ensure Pattern realizes its full potential and its projections. Specifically, she is responsible for all operational aspects of the company, including building new functions within the company to drive sustainable growth. This includes overseeing Brand General Management, Revenue Channels and Core Shared Service Functions. As a seasoned thought leader, Suze frequently speaks on how to scale omnichannel growth, paths to profitability and brand optimization at leading industry events. A trusted source for business and consumer press, Suze is regularly interviewed for her perspective on retail, design and business trends. Prior to co-founding Pattern, Suze was General Manager at Gin Lane, a NY-based independent agency that focused on launching challenger start-ups to market. In her role, she focused on balancing growth, profitability, quality, culture and overseeing the agency P&L. During her tenure, Gin Lane helped to launch over 50 DNVB brands such as: Harry’s, Hims & SmileDirectClub creating $15 billion in aggregate startup value. Suze is originally from Australia and graduated with Honors from the University of Technology, Sydney.  

Suzy Davidkhanian

VP, Content EMARKETER

Vanessa Enns

VP, Integrated Marketing MERIT Beauty

Yoni Bloch

Founder & CEO eko

Zia Daniell Wigder

President, Connected Commerce Shoptalk