Fashion and Retail Studies Speaker Series
"Retailing Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond"

If you have any questions about the Fashion and Retail Studies Speaker Series, please contact Alexandra Suer.

2021-2024 FRS Speaker Series included talks from:

Spring 2024

Panelists from the Women of Color Retail Alliance X FRS Industry Board:

“Navigating the Future”

  • Shelly Miller - Associate VP HR at Knitwell brands
  • Jessica Theis - University and Community Engagement at Express
  • Aaron Hawk - Manager Early Career programs at Bath and Body Works

Autumn 2023

Panelist from the CFA: “Made in the MidWest”

  • Ariana Lindenfelser: Creator / Curator / Director
  • Esther Sands: Fashion Designers / Dancer / Cosplayer
  • Maurice Whittaker: Designer / Fashion Instructor
  • Ashley White “The Power of Being YOU with US” – VP of Diversity & Inclusion, Big Lots Stores 

Spring 2023

  • Kim Harr “Drilling Down on Sustainability at A&F” - VP of Global Sustainability at A&F
  • Damon Mosley “Addressing the Images of Black Men in the Media” – Writer, Producer, Publisher

Fall 2022

Yohannan Terrell // Executive Director of the Columbus Fashion Alliance

Panelists

  • Dr. Tasha Lewis // Associate Professor – Clinical EHE OSU 
  • Dr. Cydni Robertson // Post Doctoral Fellow - EHE OSU
  • Dr. V. Ann Paulins // Associate Professor – Clinical EHE OSU

Spring 2022

Gabe Rodriguez// Co-owner of Soul Happy Boutique

Panelists

  • Monica Sklar // Ph.D. Design-History & Culture emphasis, University of Minnesota
  • Marlise Schoeny // History Curator at The Ohio History Connection 

Fall 2021

Sami & Scott Bossert // Owners P’Tula Active

  • Jennifer Peterson // Chief Executive, Easton at Steiner + Associates, Inc.

Spring 2021 

Kareem Gahed // CEO John Hardy

Panelists

  • Steve Light // President at Accel Inc 
  • Rachel Williamson // Chief Strategic Retail Advisor at Running Great Stores 
  • Joe Baer // CEO at ZenGenius
  • Electa Varnish // SVP wholesale/entrepreneur
  • Chris Bailey // VP-DMM Toys, Gifts & Electronics Burlington and OSU Alum

Past Speakers

  • Harris Levinson, Executive Producer, Emoticon Productions and Pull Aside Productions, "2020 and beyond: Video is in fashion"

  • Lisa Edheimer, VP Design and Merchandising, Nautica, Watch Lisa's talk

  • Jonathan Mugler, Chief Marketing Officer, Justice

  • Yaromir Steiner, Founder/CEO, Steiner and Associates, Watch Yaromir's talk

  • Leigh Helsel, Chief Client Officer, Accel, "Taking the Fashion Out of Retail"

  • Jim Hilt, EVP/Chief Customer Experience Officer, EXPRESS Watch video

  • Joe Baer, CEO/Creative Director/Co-founder, ZenGenius, Inc., "There's a ZenGenius in All of Us"

  • Todd Bernstein, President, Original Penguin, "Work smarter, not harder"

  • Roger Rawlins, CEO, DSW, DSW's Brand Revitalization Story: Inspiring Self-Expression

  • David Hirsh, President, Atrium Buying Corp., "Designed to Fit"

  • Lisa Baldzicki, VP-Global Product Design and Merchandising, The Walt Disney Company, "Tales of Magic"

  • Jamie Dulick, President, Jake Sales Inc., "Entrepreneurship in a Corporate World"

  • Ronald L. Schuller, EVP, FST Logistics, Inc., "Transforming Brands: It's More Exciting than Watching Paint Dry!"

  • Linda Heasley, President/CEO, Lane Bryant, "How Lane Bryant is Changing the Conversation"

  • Seth Schwinger, President, Mark Tucker, Inc., "It's Not Just About the Shoes"

  • Diane Ellis, CEO, The Limited, "Gladiators, Scandal and Branding."

  • Cindy Monroe, Founder, President/CEO, Thirty-One Gifts - "Thirty-One Gifts"

  • Uri Minkofff, CEO/Co-founder, Rebecca Minkoff - "Disrupting the Retail World"

  • David Campisi, Big Lots, Inc. - "Big Changes for Big Lots"

  • Ronnie Robinson, Ascena Global Sourcing - "Evolution of Apparel Sourcing & What the Future Holds"

  • Cheryl Krueger, Cheryl & Co. - "An Entrepreneur's Road to Success"

  • Nick Coe, Bath & Body Works, Co.

  • Kristy Eckert, Capital Style - "The Making of a Magazine: A Peek Behind the Scenes"

  • Edward G. Razek, Limited Brands

  • Terry J. Lundgren, Macy's

  • Laurie Dowley, Elizabeth Arden - "The Beauty Industry: An Inside Story"

  • Christina Getachew, Substance - "Sustainable Fashion: A Retailer's Perspective"

  • Michelle Honer, Lady M, Ltd. - "Planning a Career for Life"

  • Dan Clifford, Victoria's Secret - "Marketing"

  • Brian Giles, Kohl's - "Successful Retailing"

  • Stephanie Leader, Leaderpromos.com - "Promotional Product Solutions"

  • Shannon Keene, Von Maur - "The Inside Story"

  • Dr. Connie DeJong, Global Gallery - "The Ins & Outs of Fair Trade, Local & Global"

  • Stu Nifoussi, MR Magazine & MRketplace.com - "Jobs in Fashion Design, Merchandising, Business and Publishing: What Are They and Where Can You Find Them?"

  • Richard Zielinski, Lane Bryant - "Technical Design and Product Lifecycle Management"

  • Shannon McBurney, Tween Brands - "Product Development"

  • Nita Rollins, Resource Interactive - "New Style: Fashion's Digital Trends and Turning Points"

  • Wendy Goldstein, Costume Specialists Inc. - "Specialty Companies"

  • Jamie Schisler and Danielle Miller, Express - "White Space - See it, Size it, Seize it!"

  • Suzi West, Owner of Collier West - "Passion and the 6 P's of Successful Retailing"

  • Sally Boyer, Justice - "Inside Look Into Specialty Retailing"

  • Rick Ruppert, Sunrise Beauty Studio - "Global Sourcing and the Impact on Retail Strategy"

  • Tara Abraham, Accel, Inc. - "Contract Packaging: Careers that Bring Concepts to Life!"

  • Brian Giles, Kohl's - "Careers in Retail Stores"

  • Lisa Stein, Revolutions, Inc. - "E-Tailing – The Future of Retail"

  • Sue Schilling, Accent on Image - "Specialty Retailing"