Retail Explorers Presents Allyship In Action
โ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ญ๐ก. It is the difference between being invited to the room and being given the floor.
When we talk about allyship at Retail Women in Tech, we aren't talking about passive encouragement. We are talking about the leaders who act as bridges to open doors.
Join Matt Ezyk, David Polinchock and Ricardo Belmar as they discuss Allyship in Action.
โMatt, David and Ricardo understand that true allyship moves into the realm of sponsorship. They use their influence intentionally to open doors when others are not in the room. By helping build the structures that allow talent to compound, they actively clear the path for the next generation of retail tech leaders.
โMeet our Panel:
โMatt Ezyk has decades of experience building, scaling and leading digital commerce technology and strategy at some of the world's most innovative companies.ย Matt serves as Head of Ecommerce Engineering at Hanna Andersson, a leading direct-to-consumer premium children's apparel and lifestyle brand.ย Prior to joining Hanna Andersson, he led digital at Pet Supermarket, overseeing product and engineering.ย Additionally, he served as Director of Functional Architecture and Director of PMO at RafterOne (f/k/a PixelMedia) with operational oversight of teams working with iconic brands like Skechers and LL Bean. Matt also served in progressive leadership roles at Accenture, Merkle (f/k/a LiveArea) and several startups working with hundreds of global brands like Uniqlo, Disney, Revlon, Tapestry and many more. Matt brings to retailers and DTC brands a deep expertise in developing and implementing diverse end-to-end commerce strategies.
โDavid Polinchock doesn't just talk about allyship โ he practices it. For years, he's been co-presenting and co-authoring with his daughter Sydney, who isย Gen Z and Philadelphia Zoo educator, bringing their generational differences to the stage as a feature, not a gap. That commitment to lifting the next generation extends to his work mentoring college students through the NRF Student Program and as an adjunct faculty member at Bucknell University, where he helps young peopleย find their footing in the industry. As Co-Founder of Brand Experience Lab and a recognized RETHINK Retail Top Expert with 30+ years in retail technology, David knows the industry's best breakthroughs happen in the most inclusive rooms โ and he's committed to helping build them.
โRicardo Belmar is a seasoned go-to-market strategist, advisor, and digital transformation specialist with over 20 years of experience guiding retail technology marketing and product teams. His expertise enables retail organizations to deliver elevated customer experiences and optimize their business operations. Additionally, Ricardo advises retail technology providers on go-to-market strategy and partner alliances.
โCurrently, Ricardo is the founder, host producer of The Retail Razor Podcast Network, where he offers sharp insights into AI technology in commerce, retail and commerce media, digital transformation, customer and employee experience, and executive leadership. He is a founding member of the Advisory Council at George Mason Universityโs Center for Retail Transformation and the Retail Cloud Alliance. Ricardo is a featured member of RetailWireโs BrainTrust panel, and has been recognized as a Top Retail Expert by RETHINK Retail from 2021 through 2026. Thinkers 360 has honored him as a Top 10 Thought Leader in Retail, Top 25 Thought Leader in AGI and Careers, Top 50 Thought Leader in Agentic AI and Management, and Top 100 Thought Leader in Digital Transformation and Transformation. He was also named a Top Voice for 2024 and 2025 by Thinkers 360. The NRF included Ricardo among their Top Retail Voices for 2025. Most recently, Ricardo served as Director, Partner Marketing for Retail & Consumer Goods at Microsoft, leading partner go-to-market initiatives across the Americas.
โRicardo is passionate about helping retail and technology executives innovate with AI and retail media while developing their leadership skills. He also dedicates his time as a long-term supporter of RetailROI, a charity organization focused on assisting children in need around the world.
โRetail Women in Tech is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Your donation directly fuels our community programming - creating access to mentorship, career pathways, and leadership opportunities for women and allies across retail and technology, as we collectively work toward parity by 2030.