In honor of Black History Month, we at Women in Retail Leadership Circle (WIRLC) are highlighting eight Black women in retail you should know. These individuals are paving the way for the next generation of female retail leaders, redefining what it means to be a leader and setting new standards for the workplace. They are C-suite executives, entrepreneurs, nonprofit founders, champions and heroes who are elevating the conversation about what it means to positively impact the culture.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of all the amazing Black retail leaders that are and have been advancing and shaping the conversation about equity and justice in the retail space and beyond, nor is this list in any particular order. If there’s someone in the world of retail you think should be included in this list, let me know at malbiges@napco.com.

We’ve included a link to each woman’s LinkedIn profile because we’ve found they are actively posting on the social platform interesting, thought-provoking insights as well as starting dialogues about issues that every retail leader should be thinking about.

  1. Crystal Andrews Banks, Global Head of Belonging, The Kraft Heinz Company
    Crystal has over 10 years of experience in diversity, inclusion, talent management and workforce engagement. She regularly posts about DEI initiatives, including how companies can grow and invest in DEI training and programs.
  2. Maya Bowie, Vice President of Marketing, Walmart
    Maya has over 20 years of experience in retail, including four at Walmart. She oversees Walmart Grocery, consumables, marketplace, and services, as well as Walmart’s private brands and product marketing.
  3. Nicole Cokley Dunlap, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Burlington Stores, Inc.
    Nicole is a member of the Black Retail Action Group (BRAG), whose mission is to educate and prepare professionals, entrepreneurs and students for leadership roles in the industry. Prior to Burlington, Nicole served as chief DEI officer at Bed Bath & Beyond.
  4. Amelia Williams Hardy, Chief Inclusion, Diversity and Talent Acquisition Officer, Best Buy
    Amelia approaches work with an equity lens that creates a culture of inclusion and a thriving collaborative environment. Her responsibilities include efforts to increase the engagement, representation and retention of diverse employees at all levels of the company.
  5. Jamillah Davis Hernandez, Vice President/DMM of Men’s Footwear and Accessories, Saks Fifth Avenue
    In addition to her work at Saks Fifth Avenue, Jamillah is also a BRAG member. In 2024, she received BRAG’s Business Achievement Award.
  6. Kimberly Lee Minor, CEO, Women of Color Retail Alliance
    Kimberly founded the WOC Retail Alliance to champion inclusion in retail, focusing on closing employment, leadership and pay gaps for women of color. She is regularly tapped to speak about ways to enhance leadership diversity and inclusivity in the retail industry.
  7. Jessica Thomas, Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, Dollar Tree Stores
    Jessica is responsible for building and leading DEI and belonging at a company with over 200,000 associates across the U.S. and Canada.
  8. Verjeigh Violet, Head of Inclusion, Belonging, Talent and Learning, Gap Inc.
    Verjeigh has been at Gap Inc. for nearly four years, and prior to this role she headed up DEI talent acquisition for Amazon.com. She specializes in strategically developing equitable talent management work streams.