Shawn Outler is a seasoned retail executive and board member with a proven track record for consistently building innovative strategies and solutions to challenging business problems, delivering revenue and bottom-line growth, and successfully driving strategy execution. As a recognized business leader with over 30 years of experience, including the most recent fifteen years as a veteran executive at Macy's, Inc., she has repeatedly led transformational change, developed multiple strategies and created scalable initiatives across merchandising, licensed businesses, food services, and pricing, which drove increased sales performance, spurred customer acquisition and increased shareholder value.

Outler began her career as an Executive Trainee in store leadership at Abraham & Strauss. At Lord & Taylor, she was rapidly promoted through the Buying and Merchandising functions, ultimately leading the Better Sportswear Business. At Macy’s, Inc. Shawn has identified and developed merchandising strategies focused on capturing share of the emerging multicultural market. In 2011, she authored “The Workshop at Macy's,” an industry-leading vendor development program designed to educate and prepare underrepresented business owners to succeed at scale and drive innovation in the supplier base.

Based on Shawn’s 25 years of multi-disciplinary experience and operational excellence, she was appointed by the Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Macy’s, Inc. to the role of Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer. Shawn leveraged her business acumen to establish the company’s first DEI center of excellence, craft the bold vision and charter to advance and embed forward-thinking DEI practices into business strategy, focused on advancing growth and innovation and driving material impact for all stakeholders and society-at-large. Shawn has distinguished herself as a unique DEI leader, leveraging data to shape strategy and established metrics and milestones to drive accountability enterprise-wide. As a result, Macy's Inc. has been recognized by NBIC, a coalition of the nation's leading business organizations representing diverse communities, as one of the Top 50 Best-of-the-Best Corporations for Inclusion the last two years.

Outler and her team also oversee the DEI components of Macy’s, Inc.’s social purpose platform Mission Every One, which is directing $5 billion of the company’s spend by 2025 to the people, partners, products and programs that will help create a more equitable and sustainable future for all. This includes increasing investment in underrepresented designers, brands and business partners, non-profits, products, and service providers to amplify diverse voices, create more choices and expand opportunities for colleagues, partners, and communities.

Shawn is a frequent guest speaker and conference panelist. She has been recognized for her professional accomplishments by numerous organizations including the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) People Shaping Retail's Future, Syracuse University's Chancellor Citation for Distinction in Retailing and Multicultural Development, and the NAACP Community, Business, Service and Multicultural Award.

Shawn has extensive non-profit Board experience, serving on the board of BRAG – including as co-President for six years – Figure Skating in Harlem and the LIM College Fashion Industry
Advisory Board. Shawn received an honorary Doctor of Commercial Science degree and Distinguished Achievement Award from LIM, where she delivered the keynote address at the 2018 commencement ceremony. In October 2022, Business of Fashion named Shawn to their prestigious BoF 500 list. Nominated by industry peers, the exclusive BoF 500 list recognizes leaders and professionals shaping the global fashion industry through their impactful work, contributions, and dedication to change.

Shawn earned a Bachelor of Science from the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University and is a native of New York City.