Cara Sylvester

Cara Sylvester

Keynote Speaker: Retail Innovation & Merchandising Leader; EVP & Chief Merchandising Officer at Target; Forbes Most Influential CMO

Cara Sylvester Biography

Cara Sylvester is the executive vice president and chief merchandising officer for Target Corporation, one of the largest retailers in the United States. Sylvester oversees teams responsible for the retailer's design- and style-driven curation strategy, including assortment, product design, owned brands, partner collaborations, and merchandising capabilities. She has been recognized by Forbes as one of the Most Influential CMOs and by Adweek as a brand leader.

Sylvester joined Target as senior manager of corporate strategy and later transitioned to the merchandising team as a buyer. Her experience includes roles such as senior vice president of merchandising in Home, vice president in Beauty and Dermstore, and senior director in planning for Housewares and Stationery/Holiday. As vice president of Beauty, Sylvester led the launch and evolution of Target's Beauty Concierge program, a service model unique among mass retailers. She also led Target's Home business, contributing to sales and share growth while expanding the company's digital presence in response to evolving consumer behaviors.

In her role as chief guest experience officer, Sylvester guided the transformation of Target's omnichannel shopping experience by integrating stores, digital, generative AI, and social media and marketing capabilities. Under her leadership, Roundel developed into a multi-billion-dollar retail media business and became a significant profit contributor for Target. Sylvester's merchandising expertise spans digital, loyalty, marketing, and revenue growth across multiple categories. As Target's merchandising chief, she advances the company's authority in style and design through merchandising capabilities, product development, assortment design, and partner collaborations.

Sylvester is a keynote speaker and industry expert, addressing topics such as marketing, sales, female leadership, women in business, art and design, beauty, and strategic leadership. She has spoken at major industry events, including a panel at the National Retail Federation convention, where she discussed the importance of emotional connection across every touchpoint of the Target brand experience. Sylvester serves on the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum advisory council. Before joining Target, she worked at Deloitte Consulting in Chicago. Sylvester holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Cara Sylvester and other top speakers and celebrities.

Cara Sylvester Videos

We Move Forward Panel - How to be an Advocate

How do I book Cara Sylvester to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Cara Sylvester for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Cara Sylvester, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Cara Sylvester or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Cara Sylvester for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Cara Sylvester, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. For the most current speaking fee to hire Cara Sylvester, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Cara Sylvester speak about?

Cara Sylvester is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Marketing, Sales, Female Leadership, Women in Business, Art & Design, Beauty, Strategic Leadership, Corporate Strategy, Customer Experience, Executive Leadership, Thought Leadership, Disruptive Thinking and Business Leadership.

Where does Cara Sylvester travel from?

Cara Sylvester generally travels from Minneapolis, MN, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Cara Sylvester?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Cara Sylvester for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805, and one of our agents will assist you to book Cara Sylvester for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Cara Sylvester or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Cara Sylvester is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Marketing, Sales and Female Leadership. Please contact us for live or virtual event fee details. Cara Sylvester generally travels from Minneapolis, MN, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Sara Blakely, Sharon Gai and Adrienne Lofton. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Cara Sylvester for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 31/07/2026.

Cara Sylvester Videos

We Move Forward Panel - How to be an Advocate
  • How do I book Cara Sylvester to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Cara Sylvester for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Cara Sylvester, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Cara Sylvester or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Cara Sylvester for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Cara Sylvester, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. For the most current speaking fee to hire Cara Sylvester, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Cara Sylvester speak about?

  • Where does Cara Sylvester travel from?

    Cara Sylvester generally travels from Minneapolis, MN, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Cara Sylvester?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Cara Sylvester for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805, and one of our agents will assist you to book Cara Sylvester for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Cara Sylvester or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
BOOKING INFORMATION REQUEST
CARA SYLVESTER

We are happy to assist you with your interest in booking a speaker or celebrity for your event, your organization, and the type of talent you would like to secure, and an agent will be in touch shortly.

Fill out the form below to or call us at 1.855.383.8805 if need immediate assistance.

Tell us about your event!

We respond to most inquiries within 4 hours. Under special circumstances, it may take up to 24 hours.


This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.