20-year retail and merchandising veteran Tai Neal serves as Vice President of Strategy for Foot Locker’s Leading Education and Economic Development (LEED) Initiative – the company’s commitment to invest in, amplify and empower the communities we serve.

Tai, a native of Harlem, New York and HBCU graduate, by way of Hampton University, has an expansive retail career comprised of leadership roles across athletic and luxury brands. 

Mastering skills of global marketing, strategic planning, and revenue growth for omni-channel retailers such as Ermenegildo Zegna and Foot Locker, Tai is recognized industry-wide for her strategic prowess and commitment to excellence. In 2015, Tai was named a 40 under 40 award recipient by SBG Media for her leadership across the sporting goods and active lifestyle retail category. 

Today, as Vice President of Strategy for the LEED Initiative, Tai combines her love for athletics and fashion with her deep commitment to driving diversity, equity, and inclusion within all the communities Foot Locker serves.

In 2024, Tai was named to the Running Industry Diversity Coalition (RIDC) board of directors, where she serves as the Fundraising Committee Chair and a member of UNCF’s New York Leadership Council. Additionally, Tai is a Limited Partner Advisor for several venture capital firms focused on creating a more fair, just and equitable society for diverse and marginalized communities.

While still deeply connected to the retail industry, Tai’s life’s work is now rooted in creating methods to close opportunity gaps for diverse communities who have limited access to educational and economic resources.