Bonus Episode: 2023 Top Women in Retail Honoree Shawn Outler, Chief DEI Officer, Macy's
This bonus episode of Women in Retail Talks features an interview with 2023 Top Women in Retail honoree Shawn Outler, chief diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) officer at Macy’s, one of America’s premier retailers. Listen in as Outler discusses her experience being named one of the first chief diversity officers in the retail industry in 2018 (1:33), the DEI initiatives Macy’s has launched that she’s most proud of (3:40), and how she overcomes challenges in her work every day (9:25). She shares how she helps people of color prepare for executive leadership roles through her nonprofit, Black Retail Action Group (BRAG) (10:20), how she inspires her team (12:45), and what’s coming up next for her DEI career at Macy’s (14:05).
Women in Retail Leadership Circle’s 2023 Top Women in Retail report, which includes in-depth interviews with each honoree, can be accessed here.
Shawn Outler was named executive vice president, chief diversity officer at Macy’s, Inc. in October 2018. Prior to Macys, Outler worked for Lord & Taylor, becoming the first divisional merchandise manager in 2001. Outler joined Macy’s in 2006 as the divisional vice president and merchandise manager of Better Traditional Sportswear. Most recently, she served as executive vice president, Licensed Businesses, Food Services, and Multicultural Initiatives. In 2016, she was appointed as the senior vice president of Lease, Pricing and Multicultural Initiatives. In 2011, she created “The Workshop at Macy’s,” a retail vendor development program designed to mentor minority- and women-owned business owners to work with Macy’s in the retail industry.
Outler uses her 25-year-plus retail knowledge and experience to empower others through her nonprofit organization Black Retail Action Group (BRAG), a nonprofit that prepares people of color for executive leadership in the industry. Outler serves as president and a sitting board director for the organization. A native of Queens, New York, she earned a dual bachelor of science degree in marketing and transportation and distribution from Syracuse University’s Martin J. Whitman School of Management.
Date: April 11, 2023
Credits: Shawn Outler
Duration: 16:10
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