Kate Fessler and Dr. David Guralnick’s Talk

The NRF Foundation’s RISE Up Program - Delivering Retail Industry-Recognized Credentials

RISE Up is the NRF Foundation's training and credentialing program. It provides foundational employability skills to help people land jobs and get promoted in retail and beyond.

The RISE Up courses and exams are industry-recognized and were developed, along with Kaleidoscope Learning, in collaboration with more than twenty retailers, including Walmart, Macy’s, The Home Depot, Burlington Stores, BJ's Wholesale Club and Nordstrom. The RISE Up program is currently used by over 3,000 training partners -- high schools, community colleges, workforce development programs, and others -- across the country. The NRF Foundation has helped more than 500,000 people earn RISE Up credentials.

In this session, we'll describe the RISE Up program and discuss its role as a way for people to earn credentials either within or outside of a school context.

About Kate Fessler

Kate Fessler is the senior director of outreach for RISE Up at the NRF Foundation, where she works with organizations across the country – including high schools, workforce organizations and community colleges – to introduce and deliver the RISE Up credentials to learners preparing for first jobs and second chances in retail and beyond. Prior to joining NRF, Kate worked for UVA’s Darden School of Business, overseeing the Board of Trustees and advisory boards, and at the American Staffing Association, where she was the director of education. She also oversaw operations and coaching standards for a D.C. soccer club after playing and coaching the sport for many years. Kate has a B.A. in International Studies from UNC-Chapel Hill and an M.Ed. in Administrative Leadership from Vanderbilt University.

Back to 2025 Speakers