Judges

Glenn Allison is Vice President, Enterprise AI Platforms and AI Solution Engineering for Tractor Supply Company, the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States with more than 2,200 stores in 49 states and 50,000 Team Members. In his role, Glenn is responsible for AI & ML Platforms, TSC & Me AI Platform, LLMOps and MLOps AI Engineering, Data Engineering & Governance, Cloud AI Platforms, Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure, Data Centers & Critical Facilities, Merchandising Systems, Product Information Management, SAP / Finance, Legal, Real Estate, HRIS.

Tractor Supply is frequently recognized as one of the best workplaces for IT professionals, including 2024 CIO 100 award for innovation with AI and Computerworld Best Places to Work in IT.

Prior to Tractor Supply, Glenn worked at Kellogg Company, where he led global architecture and engineering functions to support supply chain modernization. Glenn also previously held several leadership roles at W.W. Grainger, one of the largest eCommerce retailers in the United States.

Glenn received his MBA from the University of Chicago and Master of Science in Information Technology from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

He currently serves on the CNBC Technology Executive Council, Technology Leadership Council for the National Retail Federation (NRF), Nashville Technology Council, and is a lifetime member of the FFA. Glenn was named to the "40 Under 40" list by the Nashville Business Journal in 2016.

Sabrina Cherubini is the CMO of FullBeauty Brands, managing a portfolio of 19 apparel brands leading in inclusive sizing. She oversees accelerating growth through the power of creative, brand building, and digital innovation. An experienced inspirational and collaborative leader, Sabrina excels in mentoring teams, especially with her vast knowledge surrounding executing strong-consumer-centric strategies in a fast-paced environment. Sabrina is adept at growing global brand revenue and equity at lead advertising firms and large apparel brands.

Cindy Lincks Dunkley is a retail, technology, and growth executive with more than 20 years of experience building businesses and leading organizations through periods of growth and change.

Most recently, Cindy served as President of KULE, a modern lifestyle brand known for classic style with a happy wink. She joined KULE in 2019 as the company's first digital hire and helped scale the brand through significant growth, ultimately expanding her leadership across the business, including ecommerce, retail, wholesale, marketing, technology, analytics, finance, and operations.

Prior to KULE, Cindy founded and served as CEO of Reachify, a venture-backed technology company focused on connecting brands with the right technology solutions. Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles at Brooks Brothers, where she led digital commerce, performance marketing, technology, customer service, and analytics.

Across her career, Cindy has worked at the intersection of retail, technology, and customer experience, from established global brands to venture-backed startups and founder-led businesses. She is known for connecting strategy to execution, building high-performing teams, and helping organizations navigate growth, transformation, and change.

Jill Dvorak is the senior vice president, content at the National Retail Federation, where she is responsible for driving the overall strategic and operational leadership for global content. Dvorak leverages her deep industry experience to identify key issues and opportunities to deliver relevant content, oversee engagement with the CEO, CIO, NRF Digital Council and NRF Marketing Executives Council, and support the ongoing development of NRF's growing international portfolio.

Dvorak previously was the chief content officer at CommerceNext, a community, event series and conference for marketers at retail and direct-to-consumer brands. She oversaw the development of industry-leading content across CommerceNext's annual conference, executive summit, webinars and more. Dvorak joined CommerceNext from NRF where she was vice president, content and retail strategy and led all show content as well as the NRF Digital Council and NRF Marketing Executives Council. Prior to that, she held ecommerce, marketing and technology roles at brands such as National Geographic, Discovery Communications and Encyclopedia Britannica for more than 15 years.

Dvorak holds an MBA from the University of Maryland and a bachelor's degree from Vanderbilt University. She lives in Alexandria, Va., with her husband, two children and two dogs.

Karen Etzkorn became Chief Information Officer of Qurate Retail Group in December 2017. She leads a team that plays a pivotal role in driving long term growth, innovation, and productivity by bringing best-in-class technology solutions that leverage the combined resources and talents of Qurate Retail Group's worldwide technology teams.

Karen previously served as Chief Information Officer for HSN, Inc. (HSNi), which was acquired by Liberty Interactive Corporation in December 2017. She joined HSNi in 2013 and led a multi-year systems transformation of core processes and technologies, which increased efficiency and fostered a seamless integrated experience for HSNi customers.

Before joining HSNi, Karen served as Senior Vice President and CIO at Ascena Retail, where she was credited with integrating the IT functions of three brands and consolidating the company's data centers. Previously, she was Senior Vice President and CIO at Tween Brands, Inc. and held senior technology positions at retailers such as The Home Depot, Williams-Sonoma, Gap, and Limited.

Karen is on the Board of Directors for Hibbett Sports, Inc. She received her bachelor's degree in business administration from The Ohio State University.

Matt Ezyk is VP of Digital Commerce & Experience at Maxwood Furniture, a multi-brand, ecommerce-led furniture company with in-house design, global manufacturing partnerships, and US-based distribution. Matt owns the commercial performance of Maxwood's direct-to-consumer portfolio and the technology that delivers it. Prior to Maxwood, Matt held similar brand-side roles at Hanna Andersson and Pet Supermarket. Earlier in his career he held leadership roles at RafterOne, Accenture, and Merkle, building commerce programs for brands including Skechers, L.L.Bean, Uniqlo, Disney, and Tapestry. Matt is a MACH Alliance Ambassador and serves on the Coresight Research AI Council, the Retail AI Council, and the Retail Tech Media Nexus Leadership Council. He was named to NRF's Top 50 Retail Voices in 2026, RETHINK Retail's Top Global Retail Leaders in 2024, 2025, and 2026, Top AI Leaders in Retail in 2026, and Retail Touchpoints Retail Innovator in 2024.

Dave joined The Orvis Company in 2014 as the Customer Experience Officer, overseeing Marketing, Creative, and Technology. During his tenure, Orvis received industry awards for innovation. Prior to Orvis, Dave served as Chief Information and Interactive Officer at Build-A-Bear Workshop, where he played a crucial role in creating the innovative Store of the Future. Dave is involved in industry organizations, including the National Retail Federation-CMO Council. He has been recognized with various awards, such as the "Top 100 CIO" by CIO Magazine and "Innovative CIO of the Year" by Retail Information Systems magazine. Dave's expertise has been featured in publications like the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, and he has contributed to books on retail innovation.

Shirley Gao is the Chief Digital Information Officer at Pacsun, an apparel brand to inspire the next generation of youth by building a community at the intersection of fashion, music, art, and sports. She oversees enterprise systems, digital innovation, and agentic technology. Shirley brings deep expertise in leveraging technology to elevate customer experience, leading initiatives across omnichannel fulfillment, cloud modernization, and retail AI integration. Beyond her operational leadership at Pacsun, she actively contributes to retail technology advancements through her service on the Retail AI Council Executive Leadership Committee and Vation Ventures' Innovation Advisory Council.

Throughout her distinguished career, Shirley has consistently led large-scale digital transformations for major commercial enterprises. Her past roles include serving as CIO of PSEB LLC (spanning Pacsun and Eddie Bauer), SVP & CIO at Young's Market Company leading digital evolution for a $3.5B wholesale operation, and Global CIO at GUESS?, Inc. during a nearly 12-year tenure. Shirley holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in computer science from Dalian Maritime University.

Courtney Graybill is the Vice President of Digital Customer Experience at Kohl's, where she drives the strategic evolution of the retailer's digital touchpoints, launching and integrating agentic commerce, AI, and personalization to deepen customer loyalty. An enterprise growth architect, Courtney has led large-scale digital experience, marketing, and operating model transformations throughout her career, building teams and capabilities that have delivered over $800M in incremental revenue. Prior to her role at Kohl's, she served as Vice President of Customer Experience and Product Management at David's Bridal, leading the brand's enterprise-wide digital transformation. She also sits on the Advisory Boards for Total Retail, the Women in Retail Leadership Circle, eTail, and the National Retail Federation (NRF) Digital Council.

John is a Co-Founder of Spark Group, operating at the intersection of commercial growth and retail technology. John is known as a digital commerce enthusiast, industry connector, and seasoned commercial builder. Early in his career, he was drawn to the intensity, extremes, chaos, and rewards of the retail-tech startup career-arch, but most importantly, he found his tribe in the retail community. His contributions served industry-breakouts like Omniture (IPO/Acquisition), PowerReviews (acquired by Bazaarvoice), HookLogic (acquired by Criteo), Iterate.ai, and GiftNow (acquired by Synchrony). Deeply embedded in the community, John collects retail leaders and tech innovators to exchange ideas, navigate shifts, and accelerate growth for both, together.

Working through Spark as an investor, builder, and community architect, he collaborates closely with founders and retail executives to foster connection, evaluate emerging technologies, navigate shifts, and accelerate growth - together.

Krystina Gustafson is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of RetailClub, the only retail event built on the conviction that AI isn't just transforming the industry, but is reshaping the economy, society, and culture that underpin it. Prior to RetailClub, she was the senior vice president of content at Shoptalk and Groceryshop. She led the team that shaped the retail and ecommerce industry narratives across its four annual events – Shoptalk, Shoptalk Europe, Shoptalk Fall and Groceryshop – including agenda development and speaker selection. Krystina joined Shoptalk in 2017, after spending four years as a retail reporter and content editor at CNBC.com. Prior to CNBC, Krystina was a web editor at Women's Wear Daily, the trade publication for the fashion industry. She has interviewed prominent business figures from retail and beyond, including the CEOs of Target, Sam's Club, Pacsun, The Honest Company and Warby Parker; Dreamworks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg; and "Shark Tank" shark Kevin O'Leary. Krystina lives in Atlanta with her husband, TJ; her son, Beckett; and her dog, Emmy, a Biewer Terrier.

Divisional Vice President, Retail Innovation & Operations, Helzberg

Ryan operates at the intersection of frontline store reality and corporate strategy at Helzberg. Having started in the field, Ryan builds and scales retail technology with deep empathy for store teams. His focus centers on practical innovation, turning complex operational requirements into intuitive tools, including AI-enabled workforce management, clienteling, and streamlined store communications. He has developed a reputation for driving high-impact tech adoption while fostering collaborative, high-value vendor partnerships.

Ann Marie Ippoliti is a digital transformation executive and advisor focused on how AI, innovation, and human-centered leadership are reshaping the future of retail and consumer businesses. She brings more than 20 years of experience building and transforming businesses at the intersection of digital commerce, customer experience, data, and technology.

Most recently, Ann Marie served as SVP at Michael Kors, leading Digital Commerce, Consumer Marketing, Product Management, and Global Analytics, following earlier leadership roles at Nike. Across her career, she has built and scaled digital businesses, led enterprise transformation, and developed high-performing teams through periods of significant change.

Today, Ann Marie advises companies and emerging ventures while exploring new models for growth and transformation in an AI-first world. As a professional coach, she is particularly passionate about the human side of transformation by helping organizations embrace new technology while creating the leadership, capabilities, and cultures needed to thrive alongside it.

Ian is a dedicated researcher and analyst specializing in the Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) and cross-sector customer-first market. His work primarily revolves around comprehensive studies conducted through prominent outlets such as RetailX and CustomerX. He meticulously delves into the intricacies of the market, closely tracking and assessing the performance of Europe's Top1000 retailers and brands, as well as the Global Elite 1000.

Ian's contributions are instrumental in producing essential reports like the annual benchmark European eCommerce Market Report. Furthermore, his year-round involvement with the ConsumerX Observatory ensures a continuous and dynamic understanding of the entire sector, encompassing retailers, market dynamics, consumer behavior, and supplier insights. His work offers valuable insights into the ever-evolving D2C landscape.

EVP, Chief Operating Officer

Andrew Laudato is the EVP & COO of The Vitamin Shoppe and a recognized thought leader in retail and technology. He co-founded and chairs the Retail AI Council, guiding the industry's adoption of artificial intelligence. Passionate about leadership and innovation frequently speaks at industry events. Laudato is the author of Fostering Innovation: How to Build an Amazing IT Team, where he shares his practical, people-first leadership approach.

Calling the Denver area home, Nicole Leinbach Hoffman is the Founder of RetailMinded.com, a well-respected industry resource for merchants and vendors alike since 2007, as well as STIMULATE: A B2B Trade Show + Conference for the sexual wellness category. She's a frequent guest and contributor to various media outlets that have included The Today Show, Forbes, Entreprenuer.com and countless B2B publications, and has supported American Express's Small Business Saturday as a Spokesperson, is the Author of the book "Retail 101: The Guide to Managing and Marketing Your Retail Business" from McGraw-Hill and wrote "Shadow Siblings", a children's book.

In 2022, Hoffman was recognized as one of Women Wear Daily's "25 Most Inspiring Women in Retail" and has been on the list of the world's most influential retail leaders from Rethink Retail since 2015.

In 2023, Hoffman was recognized by retail leader American Eagle on a billboard in Times Square as a Global Change Maker with her work in retail, and in 2025 Hoffman was honored with the SHE Power of Women Award in China. Additionally, Hoffman has been an Adjunct Professor since 2005 at Columbia College where she teaches retail marketing.

With a core concentration on retailers and wholesalers alike, how technology impacts commerce, mass retail and its influence on consumer trends, and how the various touchpoints of commerce influence modern merchants, Hoffman offers inspiring, informative and interactive speaking engagements across the world in all categories of retail. Among her client list has included the National Retail Federation, Casual Furnishing Merchants Group, Retail Global in Australia, the American Lighting Association, Calloway Golf, the Association of Golf Merchandisers, MAGIC (Fashion) Trade Shows, NY NOW (Gift Show), SuperZoo, and many others.

Hoffman is a proud mom of four and three dogs and whenever possible, loves to travel with her husband. Hoffman proudly describes herself as a "retail geek".

Beth McCormick joined CAVA as Chief Technology Officer in 2023. Prior to that, she was PetSmart's Vice President of Customer Engagement Tech, Data Engineering and Analytics from 2017 to 2022, and Vice President of Applications from 2014 to 2017. Beth also held various information technology leadership roles at American Eagle Outfitters, where she served for 15 years. She has a B.A. from Wake Forest University.

Michael leads Berns & Co.'s Disruptive Technology Practice, providing expert counsel to enterprises, brands and early-stage companies across the AI, financial services, fintech/payments, retail and consumer product sectors. With a deep network of global media and industry relationships cultivated over three decades, he specializes in building visibility and category leadership for clients and creating and executing campaigns that support their growth in competitive markets. Michael is particularly adept at leveraging consumer and market data to help tell brand stories and achieve client objectives.

Prior to joining the firm in 2002, Michael spent seven years at Morgen-Walke Associates, where he led the retail and consumer media practice. He serves on the board of the Children's Hearing Institute. Michael holds a BA in communications from James Madison University.

Sneha Narahalli is a technology executive with over two decades of experience driving digital transformation for global retail and consumer brands. As Senior Vice President of Product & UX at Sephora, she leads the strategy and execution of digital products, customer experience, and AI-powered innovation across e-commerce, stores, loyalty, and enterprise platforms.

She partners across technology and business to modernize digital ecosystems, accelerate growth, and deliver connected customer experiences at scale. Her leadership spans AI, personalization, omnichannel commerce, retail technology, data-driven decision making, and enterprise platforms, with a focus on turning emerging technologies into meaningful business outcomes.

Prior to Sephora, Sneha held technology and product leadership roles at Walmart and Sears, where she helped advance omnichannel retail and digital commerce capabilities.

Beyond her executive role, Sneha advises and mentors technology startups and regularly shares insights on AI, digital transformation, and the future of retail at industry events. She holds a master's degree from Carnegie Mellon University.

Jenna Flateman Posner is currently the Founder and CEO of Chief Digital Agency dedicated to helping retailers and brands bridge the gap between how tech is built and sold and how retailers buy and implement it. Mrs. Posner is the former Chief Digital Officer for Solo Brands and prior to that spent four years as the VP of Digital and Chief Digital Officer at SNIPES, a global sneaker and streetwear retailer. Following her USA rugby career, Posner was unsurprisingly drawn to the fast-paced world of tech and prior to her DTC retail experience, accrued 15+ years as a strategic thinker, innovator and retail tech expert for early-stage businesses that exited to companies like: Grubhub, Fiserv and Bazaar Voice. Mrs. Posner earned her B.A. from Wesleyan University and EMBA from the Quantic School of Business and Technology.

Alex Richardson is the CTO of Global Luxury Fashion Brand KHAITE, New York City, known for cashmere, Japanese denim, Italian leather. Prior experience includes +two decades digitizing top global brands and retailers. leading transformational strategic initiatives for multi-billion-dollar global corporations and developing top performing digital, software, technology and operations teams Prior CDO/CTO, Frederic Fekkai Beauty Brands-launched Fekk.AI ML/AI/Computer Vision Applications. Formerly Vice President, Global Business Development & Digital Studios at Tory Burch LLC, NYC. Founder of Netkey Retail Software, acquired by NCR Corporation. Advisor to Tory Burch Fellows, Mentor-Endeavor, prior Lead Tech Advisor, Special Olympics Worldwide.

Scott Saeger, Chief Technology Officer at David's Bridal, leads the enterprise technology strategy behind the company's "Aisle to Algorithm" digital-first transformation. He guides the reinvention of the nation's leading bridal and special occasion retailer into an AI-powered, asset-light platform that spans 190+ stores, 300M+ annual digital visits, and nearly one-third of the U.S. wedding dress market.

Saeger directs the end-to-end Shopify commerce migration unifying online and in-store POS across all locations. He is launching Pearl Planner, an AI-native wedding planning experience with agentic commerce, dynamic timelines, and 300+ touchpoints, alongside the Pearl Retail Media Network, the wedding industry's only first-party data advertising platform. He is also accountable for enterprise data architecture, cybersecurity, and the generative AI capabilities powering 90% of customer communications across the Diamond Loyalty program.

Prior to David's Bridal, Saeger served as Chief Information and Digital Officer at E/M Group, Chief Information Officer at rue 21, and SVP and Chief Information Officer at GNC, where he led enterprise modernization, AI and machine learning integration, and platform consolidation across commerce, supply chain, and loyalty. His earlier career includes leadership roles at 1-800-Flowers, Hewlett-Packard, ExxonMobil, and Laura Mercier. He is a council member of the NRF CIO and Retail AI Council.

Saeger has been recognized by Retail Info Systems as a 2021 Top Movers and Shakers in Retail, named a 2023 CIO on the Move by the IT Executives Council, and selected as a CIO of the Year Finalist in 2021 and 2022 by the Pittsburgh Technology Council.

Chief Digital Officer | Enterprise Growth & Transformation Leader

Kacey Sharrett is an accomplished digital and retail executive known for leading enterprise transformation, accelerating profitable growth, and building customer-centric organizations. With more than 30 years of experience spanning retail, eCommerce, and omnichannel operations, she has successfully led teams through periods of significant change while delivering measurable business results.

As Chief Digital Officer at Hanna Andersson, Kacey oversees eCommerce, Growth Marketing, Digital Product, CRM & Loyalty, and Data & Analytics. She is responsible for driving revenue growth, increasing customer lifetime value, and embedding a customer-first, data-driven mindset across the organization.

Prior to joining Hanna Andersson, Kacey led the global Direct-to-Consumer business at GoPro, where she was responsible for accelerating digital growth and enhancing the customer experience across international markets. She also served as Vice President of eCommerce and Digital Operations at Barnes & Noble, leading key initiatives across digital commerce, operational excellence, and organizational transformation to connect in store shoppers with digital channels.

Kacey began her career with Toys "R" Us, where she spent more than two decades in progressive leadership roles across stores and digital channels. Her experience building and scaling omnichannel capabilities has provided a unique perspective on how brands can connect with customers across every touchpoint.

Throughout her career, Kacey has been recognized for her ability to align strategy with execution, develop high-performing teams, and navigate complex business challenges. She is passionate about leveraging technology, data, and innovation to create sustainable growth and lasting customer relationships.

Sharonda is a dynamic performance-driven leader with more than 25 years in the retail industry. She's also an accomplished executive with a reputation for driving results and profitability through high performing teams. She is an inspirational leader that believes in working with team members to bring about sustainable solutions.