Kathy Forstadt

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Senior Director of Merchandising, Zappos

Kathy graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Arts along with an Associate Degree from The Fashion Institute of Technology. After graduation, she was recruited by MGM MIRAGE corporation to join their Management Training Program which led to placement in their retail division. After a year working with MGM MIRAGE retail, she applied to Zappos and began her career with the online retailer as a Merchandising Assistant in size and width footwear. With the ever-changing environment that is Zappos, she gained buying experience across the casual footwear industry from size and width, to comfort and euro comfort.  Along the way, she has worked with numerous footwear vendors, built relationships both inside and outside of Zappos and the footwear industry, and eventually was charged with managing a team of buyers.  She has progressed from Merchandising Assistant to Assistant Buyer, from Buyer to Senior Buyer & Lead Buyer and 3 years ago, was appointed Director of Casual Womens Footwear. Most recently she was put into a new role as Sr. Director of Merchandising.