Speakers

With over 20 years of combined experience as an automotive engineer and industrial designer, Safir has been able to leverage his strategic thinking and creative problem-solving skills to tackle a wide range of design challenges. Safir was an early adopter of 3D design and prototyping tools in his automotive past. As Head of Innovation for the industry’s leading Action Sports brand, Vans, he oversaw a number of innovation initiatives that spanned across product and experiences. In his new role driving innovation through digital product creation for VF’s apparel, footwear, and accessories brands, he aims to explore the opportunities offered by digital tools and workflows.

Gina helps technology, fashion, fashion-technology and other clients protect their innovation through patent, copyright and trademark intellectual property procurement, various commercial agreements, and complex litigation so that clients can focus on growing their business. Prior to moving to Los Angeles to form her own law firm and create a one-of-a-kind fashion-technology legal practice, Gina practiced as an attorney in the Silicon Valley offices of AmLaw 50 and AmLaw 100 law firms, where she litigated complex intellectual property and other matters and handled intellectual property procurement. Gina has significant patent litigation and procurement expertise, is a registered patent attorney, and has significant trial expertise in matters involving intellectual property, unfair competition, and trade secret misappropriation. Prior to practicing law, Gina worked as a computer software engineer at various Fortune 50 companies. Gina has studied fashion and fashion law and fashion-technology law at the Fashion Law Institute’s Intensive Program and Silicon Valley Fashion and Technology Program.

Dana Davis graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City in 2003, and immediately co-founded a design label and retail store in Brooklyn, NY. After several years, her passion in production and design led to her to work across the apparel industries at various companies such as Urban Outfitters, Macys and Carlisle Group.

In 2010, was recruited by Mara Hoffman to lead and grow the company’s Production Department, where she secured partnerships with facilities across the world while optimizing internal processes. In 2012, Davis became the Director of Production and Design and was integral in the company’s transformation into the recognizable and widely distributed brand that it is today. In 2015, Founder and President Mara Hoffman appointed Davis to spearhead the company’s transition towards sustainability. Since then, the Mara Hoffman brand has taken critical steps to mapping, evaluating, and reconfiguring its supply chain in order to make positive changes.

Dana, now the Vice President of Sustainability, Product and Business Strategy is also an advisor for Fashion Revolution USA and is engaged with industry organizations, educators and innovators such as Fashion Positive, Textile Exchange, CFDA, and the SAC.

Greg Gausewitz works as Product Sustainability Manager at REI and has focused his career onmaking it easier for consumers to live more sustainable lives. In his current capacity, Greg guides REI’s efforts to advance product sustainability across REI’s private brands and the products they sell from more than 1,000 brand partners. Greg previously worked in supply chain sustainability at Target Corporation and holds a Masters of Environmental Management from Duke University, and economics degree with an emphasis in Environmental Systems and Society from UCLA. In his free time, you can find Greg playing guitar and exploring the wilderness near his home in the Pacific Northwest.

Courtney Halverson is a blogger and actress, living in LA, working in film and television, but always with a heart for fashion.

Pretty Little Fawn is an expression, exploration, and evolution of style that began in 2011 as a way for Courtney to not only share her outfits, but for her to share her finds. As an avid explorer of international fashion, vintage styles, and online boutiques, Courtney uses as many means at her disposal to not only find unique pieces, but treasures that will last a lifetime.

Todd is an innovation and pathfinding leader at Intel where he has worked since 2005. He has conducted global ethnographic and design research and has pioneered research into new business and technology areas for Intel ranging from consumer electronics to wearables, smart materials, and fashion. Presently he leads strategic pathfinding and integration activities within Intel’s Olympic Technology Group which is part of Intel’s Corporate Strategy Office. Prior to joining Intel, Todd worked in diverse settings including financial services, the natural resource industry as well as in museums, community development and education. Todd earned Masters degrees in Historical Administration and Museum Studies as well as Cultural Anthropology from the University of Kansas and a PHD in Cultural Anthropology from The Australian National University.

Led by Kyle Hjelmeseth, God & Beauty was founded in 2017, quickly growing to almost 20 cherry-picked influencers, and over 700 clients that year. Now the firm has grown to 30 exclusive major market influencers, over 1,500 clients, many thousand programs, and launched internationally in 2018.

Kyle is an authority in sales management, training and leadership development with experience specifically tied to aspirational fashion brands. Before starting G&B he served as a national director for rising star Chloe + Isabel, teaching sales tactics and principles of entrepreneurship to more than 12,000 fashion merchandisers nationwide.

Hjelmeseth received his Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations, with minors in Psychology and Organizational Leadership from Purdue University.

Dan Jablons worked in retail while attending the Ohio State University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Production. He has worked with retailers such as Walmart, Target, JC Penney, American Apparel, Betsey Johnson, Donna Karan, Jimmy Choo, Charles David, Diesel, Oakley, Tumi, Hollywood Bowl, and many others. He has worked for a clothing manufacturer where he piloted vendor-managed inventory programs, a leading point-of-sale provider (where he installed systems and provided merchandising help to retailers large and small) and internet marketing (where he helped retailers establish a presence on the web.)

In addition to his vast retail background, Dan also has a background in improvisational theatre. He has performed with comedy troupes all across the USA, and recently appeared on Curb Your Enthusiasm. Dan combines his extensive knowledge of retail with his comedy skills to become one of the industry's most popular speakers. He has spoken at Magic, at local municipal and trade show events, and many other venues.

Andrea Kennedy is founder of Fashiondex.com and works with designers and brands on sustainable practices. She is a professor at LIM College teaching Sustainability and the Future of Fashion, Product Development and Merchandising, and is developing courses for the new Sustainability minor at LIM. Andrea is a certified Climate Reality Leader, a board member of the NYC Fair Trade Coalition, has designed at Ann Taylor, Bob Mackie, Sunny Leigh, and Calvin Klein, and has researched and authored many books and articles including: The Fashion Designer's Sustainable Sourcebook. Andrea is co-producer of the bi-annual Sustainable Fashion Forum (L.A.), the annual LIM College Fashion and Sustainability Summit (NYC), and the Texworld USA Local Loft. She holds a B.A. in Fashion Design from Parsons and an M.Ed. in Sustainability from Manhattanville College.

One of the most trusted names in marketing, Cindy Krupp has more than 20 years of experience in brand strategy and public relations. Before founding Krupp Group, she rose through the ranks at Barneys New York, ultimately overseeing its PR department. There, Cindy developed her passion for launching high-end designer brands and honed her skill in working with nascent creative talent to conceive ideas that drive deep customer affinity.

She believes in going with your gut, staying nimble, firing from all cylinders and making it look effortless. When our brand partners are in the room with Cindy, they have her full attention and invaluable access to her feedback, creative insight, and industry contacts.

Whether it’s go-to-market strategies, influencer marketing campaigns, media relations, brand partnerships or beyond, nothing leaves Krupp Group’s door without being graced by its founder’s entrepreneurial spirit, expertise, and ingenuity.

Shona Quinn works globally on product life cycle impacts -- from field to final product, influencing business partners and industry stakeholders to create long-term sustainable solutions for Eileen Fisher and the broader apparel sector.  Shona’s work also extends beyond the product to the customer, researching the psychology of the consumer/citizen and the role mindfulness plays in creating a shift to sustainable consumption.  Shona holds a master’s degree in Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. She speaks regularly and has been quoted in the Wall St Journal, the Guardian, Inc Magazine, and Women’s Wear Daily. 

Janie Smukler is the Managing Director of 28 ROW. She graduated Emory University in 2016 with a B.S. in biology and women’s & gender studies. After forgoing medical school, Janie decided to pursue a career in fashion. She met Cindy Krupp in a chance meeting and joined Krupp Group. There she was able to hone her organizational and managerial skills and shortly thereafter founded 28 ROW with Cindy. As an active member of the Delta Delta Delta Sorority, Janie understands Greek life and social experiences on campus. She is closely connected to the college demographic and believes that brands often miss the mark when attempting to target this demo.

The RealReal's Director of Strategic Initiatives, Allison Sommer, leads strategic initiatives including partnerships, retail marketing, and growing omnichannel client value. Allison brings with her a wide array of technology and business experience. She began her career working for U.S. Congress, but was lured away by the quick innovation at Google, where she held roles in Sales, Product, and Marketing.  Experience at Chinese internet giant Baidu and beauty startup Birchbox cemented her understanding of global technology and tech-driven retail. Allison joined The RealReal to help change the way people shop and think about sustainable consumerism. Allison holds an MBA from Stanford University and a BA from Washington University in St. Louis.

Celina Zagami is a Digital Account Executive at Krupp Group. She graduated from New York University with a B.S. in Media & Communications and Psychology. With over 3 years of experience in digital marketing, Celina found her niche in influencer marketing. Celina works closely with a diverse network influencers and agents to coordinate sponsored social programming and product seeding. She understands the vast value that content creators bring to brands and their impact on social media platforms at large. Influencer marketing is ever-evolving and Celina is excited to be at the forefront of the change.

Joey Zauzig is an NYC based social media influencer and activist. He started with a background in PR, working for places like Givenchy and Tommy Hilfiger. He has since grown his audience to over 100K, focusing on Fashion, Lifestyle and Travel. Joey has long done work with the LGBTQ+ community as apart of many organizations/charities. Joey has been featured in publications like, GQ, Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, W and Spotlyte.