Mandy Schmitt
Print Marketing Specialist,
Caleres

Mandy Schmitt joined Caleres in 2020 on the allocation team for Famous Footwear and quickly transitioned to her current role as Print Marketing Specialist on their Visual Merchandising team. In this role, she has been instrumental in coordinating in-store marketing, expanding new store concepts, and optimizing production processes. Prior to her role at Caleres, Mandy spent many years in retail stores, advancing to leadership roles at Old Navy and Eileen Fisher where she honed her skills in sales, visual merchandising, and retail management. She began her journey in the industry as an intern at Skif International after earning her Fashion Design degree in Chicago, IL. Mandy's passion lies in brand storytelling, effective collaboration, and delivering impactful brand experiences. Recently, Mandy was chosen to lead EmpowHER, the new Women’s ERG at Caleres, showcasing her dedication to fostering inclusivity and empowerment within the industry.

Keaira Williams
Head of Social Media & Design,
Loyola University Chicago's Study Abroad Office;
Two Ten Scholar

Keaira Williams is a senior at Loyola University Chicago pursuing a degree in Creative Advertising with a specialization in Art Direction. She currently holds the position of Head of Social Media & Design at Loyola’s Study Abroad Office where her responsibilities encompass content creation, social media management, and internal design. Her four-year tenure at Designer Brands has equipped her with valuable skills in providing a memorable customer experience, problem-solving, and storytelling. Throughout her academic journey, Keaira has gained proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, digital advertising, and cross-functional collaboration as she is set to earn her degree in May 2024. She is prepared to seamlessly transition into an Art Director position, where she aims to create compelling content while collaborating with brands that resonate with her values of creativity, community support, and fashion.

MODERATED BY:
Ashley Dyson
Manager of Diversity and Inclusion,
ASICS America Corporation

Ashley Dyson is the Manager of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for ASICS America Corporation, North America region. She has been with the organization for 5 years. As a DE&I professional, she has sat on various committees and worked with teams abroad. Ashley is a National Diversity Council Certified Diversity Professional. Recently published for her work in the DEI space at ASICS, she believes you have to invite people in by creating fun and interactive ways where they can share their experiences and stories but also take information away that they didn’t know before. This work of DEI comes with challenges and making it fun doesn’t lessen the impact; most times it enhances it.