Current speakers

Melissa Worth is the SVP Americas at New Balance Athletics, a top global manufacturer of athletic footwear, apparel and accessories. She leads the Americas business for New Balance and is responsible for retail, wholesale, e-commerce, marketing, and operations for the region with dotted functions including merchandising and finance.  In this role, Worth drives the elevation and reach of New Balance’s brand each day — bringing vision, motivation, and deep industry expertise. Worth leads with a future vision that ensures both the brand and the team are highly competitive in today’s ever-changing environment. She empowers those around her and believes that building teamwork and trust elicits dynamic results in associate performance and the overall business.

Prior to joining the New Balance team in late 2018, Worth served as President of Perry Ellis, a leading designer, distributor and licensor of men’s and women’s apparel, accessories, and fragrances.

During her 13 years at Perry Ellis, Worth built a team that cultivated the brand’s omni-channel approach and paved a path for the integration of technology and apparel, leading to a new and versatile product offering for the male consumer and making Perry Ellis a true innovator in the category.

As a retail industry veteran and brand innovator, Worth has a deep knowledge of the space that she has accumulated throughout her career. Worth previously held positions at Puma and TJX, which included an executive training program. Worth discovered her inherent passion for retail when she held positions as Store Manager at Esprit and Filene’s post-college.

Worth holds a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Miami.  She is on the advisory board for WIFI (Women in the footwear industry), a member of the Board of Trustees for the Boston’s Children Museum, and a former board member of Bottomless Closet, a non-profit that works to reduce barriers NYC women face in the search for employment.  She has also mentored for WOMEN Unlimited, INC, as well as judged for the YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund. She splits her time between Boston and New York where she resides with her family.