Jessica Berman was named Commissioner of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in 2022. Under Berman’s leadership, the NWSL has seen skyrocketing franchise valuations and sales, partnership gains, the signing of the largest-ever media rights deal for a women’s sports league and the signing of a historical collective bargaining agreement that makes the NWSL the first U.S. sports league to eliminate its draft and give players full control over where they play.
During the 2024 season – the first under the league’s record-breaking media rights agreement with CBS Sports, ESPN, Prime Video and Scripps Sports – the NWSL experienced record-breaking viewership and attendance, topping 2 million fans for the first time and marking the third straight year the league surpassed 1 million in total attendance. The 2024 season also saw viewership reach 17.1 million, with 5 of the top 10 most-viewed matches in NWSL history. The 2024 NWSL Championship averaged 967,900 viewers in primetime on CBS; an 18 percent increase from the previous year’s title match. 2024 also saw an 80% rise in social impressions on league channels, while engagement across league social platforms increased 152%.
Commissioner Berman has led the league to establish a dominant presence within the international soccer space; The January 2024 transfer window led to a record 22 players joining the NWSL from the world’s best leagues and during the 2024 Olympic Games, 19 NWSL players won gold as members of the USWNT; 61 NWSL players competed across 11 of 12 national teams at the Paris Games. Domestically, Commissioner Berman led the league’s expansion to 16 clubs, established record valuations and reset the enterprise value of the franchises by more than 10 times. She also navigated the NWSL through a comprehensive internal investigation into abuse allegations, resulting in substantial culture reforms.
In 2024, Berman was named a CNBC Changemaker, and her leadership contributed to the NWSL being named number five on Fast Company’s list of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2024. In January 2025, Commissioner Berman was named as Sports Illlustrated’s Innovator of the Year. She was recognized as Sports Business Journal’s Best Hire in 2022 and was named Executive of the Year by Sports Business Journal in 2024, the first woman so honored in the history of the award.
Previously, Berman was Deputy Commissioner at the National Lacrosse League as the first female deputy commissioner of a men’s professional sports league, and she spent 13 years at the National Hockey League, where she contributed to collective bargaining
and drove community engagement and growth. Prior to that she was a labor lawyer at Proskauer Rose LLP.
A University of Michigan alum and Fordham University law graduate, she is on the alumni board of the UM Sport Management Advisory Board and the Fordham Sports Law Forum Alumni Board. She is on the Board of U.S. Soccer and is on the UJA Sports for Youth Committee. Jessica lives in Larchmont, New York, with her family and rescue dogs.
Bobbi Brown is a beauty industry titan, world-renowned makeup artist, best-selling author, sought-after speaker, and serial entrepreneur. As a professional makeup artist, Bobbi created the ten simple lipsticks that launched Bobbi Brown Cosmetics.
Bobbi Brown Cosmetics was acquired by The Estée Lauder Companies in 1995, and she served as its Chief Creative Officer for over 20 years, building a globally recognized billion-dollar brand.
In October 2016, Brown left her namesake brand to return to her roots as an entrepreneur. Just five months later in April 2017, Brown unveiled Beauty Evolution LLC, a holding company she created to launch her next round of businesses and creative endeavors. The George, a 31-room boutique hotel in Montclair, NJ with modern style and historic bones, opened in Spring 2017. Formerly a stately home built in the early 1900s, Bobbi and her husband, developer Steven Plofker, worked collaboratively to reimagine the space, transforming it into a coveted home away from home for celebrities and vips. Always a content creator and editor, Bobbi opened a state of the art photo and video production studio 18Label and launched her own multi-channel media platform, @justbobbibrown. Through her personal social media accounts, along with her daily educational musings captured on TikTok, YouTube and her recently launched daily Substack platform, Brown has a viral reach of over 8 million followers daily. On October 26, 2020, at the height of the pandemic, Brown made her return to the beauty industry, launching Jones Road, a collection of edited and indispensable clean beauty products for all ages, skin types, and skin tones. Five months after launch, Business Insider named Jones Road one of the fastest growing brands of the year and in less than four years, the award-winning brand has collected accolades from media outlets such as Allure, Vogue, W, In Style and Essence. On September 23, 2025, Brown will unveil her 10th book, a personal memoir called Still Bobbi.
Born in Chicago and a graduate of Emerson College, Bobbi was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2025. She was also named one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women and in 2022, was named one of Forbes “50 Over 50” Most Influential Women. Brown has received the Glamour Woman of the Year Award, The Fashion Group International Night of Stars Beauty Award, and The Jackie Robinson Foundation’s ROBIE Humanitarian Award. She was appointed by President Obama to serve on the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiation and has been inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame. She holds honorary doctorates from Montclair State University, Fashion Institute of Technology, Monmouth University, and Emerson College.
Joanna Coles, OBE Is a creative executive, producer, and best-selling author, managing a portfolio of TV and podcast projects with ABC, Amazon and Apple. She sits on three public boards (Snap, Sonos, Bark) and advises Masterclass, Klarna and Cornell Capital, a private equity company. She is also the Executive Producer of Hulu’s The Bold Type (on Netflix globally), the five season TV drama inspired by her career.
Coles is the former Chief Content Officer of Hearst Magazines, responsible for 300 magazines globally. She is also a director of the private tech companies Density, and Grover, Europe’s largest tech-rental platform based in Berlin, and KDC the global beauty manufacturer. And she advises the non-profit Women Entrepreneurs New York City, an initiative to expand female entrepreneurship, with a focus on underserved women and communities. In 2020 she also raised the Northern Star Special Acquisition Series, NSI merged with Bark, the dog toy and treat company.
The British-born editor moved to the U.S. in 1997 as the New York Bureau Chief for The Guardian, before becoming the New York Bureau Chief for The Times of London.
Coles joined Hearst in 2006 as editor-in-chief of Marie Claire, where she co-produced the Style Network’s unscripted show Running in Heels. She was also the on-air mentor for Project Runway AllStars. She was named editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, the world’s largest women’s media brand, in 2012. She was the executive producer of the unscripted series So Cosmo on E! in 2017.
Over the course of her career, Coles has won numerous prestigious awards for journalism and media leadership, including a Matrix Award, and a National Magazine Award for Cosmopolitan. the first in its 50 year history. She was recently described by The New York Times as “one of the most powerful people in media.”
Coles is the author of the best-selling Love Rules, published by HarperCollins, about relationships in the digital age, now being made into a TV show for FX.
She lives in Manhattan and has two sons, with the author Peter Godwin.
Tim Derner is a driving force in scaling global digital marketplaces, bringing more than a decade of leadership experience at Amazon, where he served as Director of Amazon Fashion and Luxury Stores. As Global Head of Marketplaces at Authentic, Derner spearheads the expansion of Authentic’s global distribution strategy, with a focus on strengthening partnerships, accelerating brand reach and driving incremental value across platforms. He is based in New York.
Colie Edison serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Growth Officer for the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). A veteran strategic leader and transformative marketer, Edison became the league’s first-ever Chief Growth Officer in January 2022. She is charged with league business and strategy functions and leads efforts on all league and team revenue-generating opportunities. She is based in the WNBA’s New York office and reports directly to Commissioner Engelbert.
Prior to the WNBA, Edison was with the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA), where she served as the first female Chief Executive Officer in the organization’s history. Edison was responsible for all business operations of the league including the PBA’s groundbreaking media partnership with FOX Sports.
Edison also served as Chief Customer Officer for Bowlero Corporation, leading global marketing efforts and strategic growth initiatives for the world’s largest owner and operator of bowling centers.
Recognized by Sports Business Journal in its Game Changers class of 2021, Edison graduated Cum Laude from Tulane University and is the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from Tulane’s School of Liberal Arts. Edison was named as one of the “Most Powerful Women in Sports – Champions of Change” by Adweek in June 2024.
Jenn Edwards is the VP of Customer Experience at Five9, where she is responsible for creating customer, partner, and employee experiences focused on delivering what matters most to those Five9 serves. She has over 20 years of experience in developing and executing global marketing and CX strategies, streamlining operations, creating positive customer and brand experiences, and building strong cross-functional teams.
Gabrielle Fonrouge is a retail reporter at CNBC, covering specialty retailers, DTC brands and retailers of the future. Her work often focuses on the intersection of retail, politics and consumers and she enjoys diving deep into the strategies that are causing companies to both win and lose consumers. Fonrouge has reported on a wide array of publicly traded companies, including stories on the comeback of Abercrombie & Fitch, Peloton’s turnaround and Bed Bath & Beyond’s bankruptcy. When she isn’t covering quarterly earnings and other corporate news, Fonrouge focuses on enterprise stories and investigations. Prior to joining CNBC, Fonrouge was a national correspondent and investigative reporter at the New York Post. She graduated summa cum laude from St. John’s University.
Zarna Garg is a comedy trailblazing Indian immigrant mom from New York City. She masterfully infuses humor, wit, and fearless social commentary into her comedy special for Amazon Prime, ‘One in a Billion,’ and her insightful podcast, ‘The Zarna Garg Family Show,’ dissecting modern family dynamics. She headlined her sold-out Practical People Win tour and is the opener for comedy legends Tina Fey and Amy Poehler on their Restless Leg T our. Zarna has also crossed over to the film world, starring in ‘A Nice Indian Boy.’ Her comedy has been praised by The New York Times and Variety, and with appearances at the prestigious Just For Laughs’ Comedy T our and ‘Netflix is a Joke Festival’, Zarna has firmly established herself as a staple in the comedy world. Boasting a devoted social media following of 2M+, she passionately advocates for change and representation in comedy and is bravely vocal about criminalizing evil mother-in-law behaviors.
Mindy Grossman is a Partner and Vice Chair at Consello. She is a high-energy, disruptive leader with extensive experience in building and transforming consumer brands. Previously, Mindy served as President and CEO of WW, Int’l , where she led the company’s evolution to a holistic wellness brand and spearheaded its digital transformation. Prior to WW, Mindy was the CEO of HSNi, where she led a $4 billion direct-to-consumer retail portfolio, building a reputation for pioneering digital strategies in retail. She previously served as CEO of IAC Retail, successfully taking it public as HSNi in 2008. Before joining IAC, Mindy served as the Vice-President of Global Apparel for Nike, Inc., President and CEO of Polo Jeans Company, Vice-President of New Business Development at Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, President of Chaps Ralph Lauren, and Senior Vice President of Warnaco Menswear. She also held senior roles at Tommy Hilfiger and Oxford Industries.Mindy has been recognized among Forbes’ “100 Most Powerful Women.”
She was appointed to the Digital Economy Board of Advisors during the Obama administration and served as Chairman of the National Retail Federation and Chairman of the NRF Foundation.
She currently serves on the Board of Directors of VF Corporation, Fanatics, Inc., Hungry
Root, Springboard Enterprises, and the American Heart Association.
Gen Z thought leader and award-winning fashion strategist, Clay Lute is the Global Merchant over Men’s Denim at Calvin Klein. Clay has been a featured speaker at multiple retail conferences, quoted in over 30 publications, and has received accolades for his work to bridge the gap between brands and consumers, and creating new innovations in the retail industry
Joy Mangano is a legendary product inventor, fearless female entrepreneur, and one of the most influential voices in TV shopping history. Trusted by millions of people worldwide, Joy has been reinventing clean for over 30 years with game changing products designed to make life better and brighter for you and your family. Her $3 billion clean empire includes products across virtually every category, including the iconic Miracle Mop, the billion-dollar Joy Hanger, and now CleanBoss, the world’s most powerful non-toxic cleaning brand. Joy’s journey inspired the Oscar-nominated movie JOY, starring Jennifer Lawrence, and an off-Broadway Musical starring TONY AWARD nominee, Betsy Wolf. Joy and CleanBoss have been recognized by Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Companies, Forbes 50 Over 50, Fast Company’s “Most Creative People,” Good Morning America, 20/20, the TODAY Show, The View, Glamour, InStyle, O, The Oprah Magazine, and many more.
Olivia is focused on transforming unconventional ideas into scalable business opportunities at the intersection of fashion, function, and social impact. With a multidisciplinary background in merchandising, dance, and editorial work, she brings a unique approach to innovation and has received accolades from the Fashion Scholarship Fund, National Retail Federation, and UNESCO x Women@Dior Mentorship Program. Passionate about aligning product strategy with cultural and environmental shifts, Olivia advocates for sustainable and ethical business practices and is currently developing a patent-pending accessible hosiery design.
Dhruv Patel is the Chief Product Officer at Rokt and Co-Founder of Aftersell, an ecommerce software company specializing in post-purchase upselling solutions for merchants. Established in 2020, Patel and his co-founders, Armon Shokravi, Varun Kundra, and Landon Fuhr, created Aftersell to help independent ecommerce merchants compete on a global scale. Under their leadership, Aftersell has developed software solutions trusted by over 30,000 of the world’s leading brands.
Patel’s entrepreneurial journey reached a significant milestone in February 2024 when Aftersell was acquired by Rokt, a global leader in ecommerce technology. While the exact valuation of the deal was not disclosed, it involved a combination of cash and equity. This acquisition not only validated the success of Aftersell but also positioned the company for further growth and innovation within the ecommerce technology sector.
Throughout his career, Patel has demonstrated a strong commitment to leveraging technology to solve business challenges, particularly in the ecommerce space. His work with Aftersell has contributed to strengthening Canada’s economy by supporting small businesses and driving innovation in the tech industry.
Joon Silverstein is the Chief Marketing Officer at Coach, where she leads brand-building and marketing-led growth strategies to drive the brand’s acceleration as a platform for self-expression. Since joining in 2014, she has been a change agent in multiple roles across customer experience, global ecommerce and digital, marketing, and sustainability. As CMO, she continues to challenge traditional fashion and luxury paradigms through purpose-led storytelling, consumer co-creation, and innovative media strategies. Her dedication to addressing fashion’s environmental impact led her to found Coachtopia, a Coach sub-brand pioneering circularity in fashion, in 2023. She’s since championed industry-wide change by sharing its learnings through global platforms—including a TED Talk on reimagining waste and a leadership series at the UN COP29 Climate Change Conference. Coachtopia has been widely recognized: it was named to Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas and Most Innovative Companies lists, won the 2024 CFDA Innovation Award, and its mission was described by Vogue Business as “the type of drastic change that fashion needs to embrace.”
Joon began her career as a cultural anthropologist, earning a BA in Anthropology from Columbia University before conducting fieldwork as a Fulbright Fellow. Her experience as a second-generation Korean American inspired this pursuit—and her lifelong focus on understanding human identity and culture as drivers of change. She subsequently combined her passion for anthropology with an MBA from Harvard Business School to drive consumer-centric transformation at BCG, Victoria’s Secret, and Louis Vuitton before joining Coach. She lives in Colorado with her husband and two children and enjoys rock climbing and skiing.
Alicia Tillman is a visionary executive with over two decades of global leadership in marketing, sales, and strategy. As Chief Marketing Officer of Delta Air Lines and a member of the Delta Leadership Committee, she is shaping the future of one of the world’s most admired brands. Alicia leads Delta’s global marketing strategy bringing the airline’s purpose to life and deepening its connection with customers around the world.
Alicia previously served as Global Chief Marketing Officer at SAP, where she redefined the brand’s global presence, held a transformative 11-year tenure at American Express, and served as Chief Revenue Officer at Capitolis, a pioneering fintech startup.
Alicia’s career is defined by her ability to lead with purpose, inspire teams, and drive meaningful growth. She continues to champion innovation, inclusion, and the power of brand to shape culture and business.
Her leadership and impact have earned her some of the industry’s highest honors, including induction into the Forbes CMO Hall of Fame following recognition as a Most Influential CMO five times, recognition as one of ADWEEK’s Marketing Vanguards and a Brand Genius, and being named a She Runs It Woman of the Year.
As NA Group Lead – Retail & Ecommerce, Karin Tracy oversees Meta’s retail and ecommerce practices, which she built over the past 10 years to help brands drive real business results through their work on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp. As leader of Meta’s global retail strategy, she partners closely with product and engineering teams to build the most relevant and performant solutions for the industry, including the recently launched Omnichannel Ads solution.
Since joining Facebook in 2015, Karin has developed go-to market strategies tailored for retail and ecommerce marketers across numerous categories, including beauty, fashion, luxury, home and DTC start-ups and giants. She has built a best-in-class team that has forged senior-level partnerships within these industries, shaping GTM strategies and product roadmaps. Karin has pioneered initiatives such as Meta’s first-ever Beauty and Luxury Summits and launched Meta’s Retail Advisory Board.
Previous to Meta, Karin Tracy was Publisher of InStyle from 2012-2014, following four highly successful years in senior leadership within Time Inc.’s Style and Entertainment Group as Publisher of Entertainment Weekly and People StyleWatch. At InStyle, she oversaw the magazine’s marketing, advertising sales and brand strategy for the monthly and annual special issues. In addition, she oversaw marketing and sales strategy for InStyle.com and its social platforms, including product innovation, branded content, audience development and ad solutions.
Before joining Time Inc., Tracy held numerous publishing leadership roles at Conde Nast & Hearst. She began her advertising career at Giorgio Armani and in Saks Fifth Avenue’s Marketing Department.
Tracy, a lifelong New Yorker, is a board member of CEW (Cosmetic Executive Women) and VP Partnerships on the NY Women in Communications executive board. She is frequently sought after for her external thought leadership, speaking on stages including Shoptalk and WWD summits. She graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a B.S. degree in marketing, is a member of the FIT Alumni Advisory Board and was the recipient of FIT’s 2022 President’s Award. In 2022 Karin was listed as one of BCG/WWD’s 25 Most Inspirational Women. She resides in downtown Manhattan with her husband and their three children.
James Turco is currently working in Value Retail’s ‘Rising Executive Program’ as a Business Planning Manager for Belmont Park Village – the 12th experiential retail destination in The Bicester Collection. I am focused on overall strategy and leasing. Previously I received my Masters of Science in Entrepreneurial Leadership at the Babson College F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business. My undergraduate degree is from Lafayette College, where I earned a B.A. in Entrepreneurship and Marketing with a minor in Organizational Studies.
Phil Wahba is a senior writer at Fortune primarily focused on leadership coverage, with a prior focus on retail. His award-winning features include deep dives into how Costco does it, and profiles of CEOs at J.C. Penney and Kohl’s. Phil joined Fortune in 2014 from Reuters, where over the course of six years, he covered retail, corporate bankruptcies, the stock exchanges, and wrote a weekly column about IPOs. He has also worked as a trade commissioner in New York for the Canadian government. He holds a B.Comm from HEC Montréal and an MBA from the University of Ottawa. In 2007, he graduated from Columbia University with a Masters in Journalism. He is also a CFA charter holder.. He has run a marathon in every U.S. state.