Mastering the Customer Experience
A Robin Report Webinar Series in association with FIT





Participant Bios

Ajoy K. Sarkar
Ajoy K. Sarkar, PhD is Professor and Assistant Chairperson in the Textile Development and Marketing department at the Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York, NY. Following undergraduate education in India, he earned MS and PhD degrees in…

Anjali Birkins
Anjali Burkins is a retail strategy advisor at o9 Solutions. She helps prospective and current clients on their journey to digital transformation and delivering business results. She has held several Merchandising positions at notable brands such as: Tommy Hilfiger, Coach,…

Catherine Geib
Catherine is an Associate Professor and the Assistant Chairperson in The Fashion Business Management Department at The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in NYC. Before joining FIT , Catherine was a senior merchant for Macy’s with an expertise in Retail…

Kim Kitchings
Kim Kitchings is the Senior Vice President of Consumer Marketing at Cotton Incorporated. Kim leads consumer and trade advertising, public relations, corporate strategy, global market insights, and strategic alliances. In this role, Kim’s primary goals are to motivate consumers and…

Marissa Barlin
Marissa Barlin is the Director of the Consumer Marketing – Brand Partnerships department at Cotton Incorporated. In her role, she is responsible for point-of-sale marketing initiatives in partnership with retailers and brands. Marissa joined Cotton in 2006 as Manager of…

Mary Ankeny
Mary Ankeny is Vice President, Product Development & Implementation Operations at Cotton Incorporated. Mary plays an integral role in the development of strategy and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Cotton Incorporated Product Development and Implementation laboratories, as well as…

Preeti Arya
Dr Preeti Arya is an Assistant Professor at the department of Textile Development and Marketing at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in NY. She teaches Textile Science, Textile Finishes, Textile Product Development and Performance Textiles. Her PhD. is in…

Rich Pedott
Rich Pedott is a retail veteran who has held senior leadership positions with leading retailers, most recently serving as the head of retail for The Metropolitan Museum of Art. He contributes thought leadership pieces to Total Retail and Sourcing Journal…

Steven Pires
Steven Pires is Manager in the Sustainability Division at Cotton Incorporated, focusing on improvement strategies for both agriculture and textile industries. Steven applies 10 years of experience in sustainability and environmental management, from dirt to shirt, through research and data-driven…