About The Accessories Council
The Accessories Council (Ac) is a not-for-profit trade association representing the diverse and dynamic world of fashion accessories, including optical, jewelry, footwear, handbags, and more.

Their mission is to promote the growth, innovation, and sustainability of the industry while providing unparalleled support and resources to their members to help them increase sales and thrive in a competitive market.

The Ac team is comprised of passionate industry professionals with extensive experience across retail, wholesale, merchandising, marketing, publishing, sourcing, and strategic planning. Together, they are dedicated to fostering success for their members and the industry as a whole.

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Meet the Curators

Karen Giberson, President & CEO

As President and CEO of the Ac, Karen is the leading voice for the industry. She creates and oversees production of educational events, mentoring programs, the industry newsletter, networking events, charitable efforts and fundraising galas. She advocates for policy, has testified in front of congress, local governments and works tirelessly to positively impact the accessories industry. Karen is an EMMY award winner and completed her Wharton GMP in December 2020. In her free time, she can be found running Spartan Races and spending time with her husband Nick, family and friends.

Irene FitzGerald, Chief of Staff & Executive VP of Client Relations

Irene FitzGerald has spent over two decades in communications, working with both corporations and non-profits. Most recently, she served as Executive Vice President at Lividini & Co., a NYC-based brand strategy and communications agency. Before that, she was Senior Director of Internal Communications at Nine West Holdings, where she helped define the brand voice for its legacy footwear, jewelry, and apparel lines.

Her passion for non-profit work began with the launch of QVC Presents “FFANY Shoes on Sale,” a breast cancer fundraiser that has raised millions for life-saving research. Irene continues to honor her late husband through the Tim Rivlin Excellence in Teaching Award and enjoys spending time with her family and exploring new culinary hot spots.

Cindy Chen Derkacz, Senior VP-Operations & Member Relations

Cindy joined the Ac after an impactful career in the accessories, jewelry, and footwear segments. She has experience in both the retail and wholesale side of the industry and has worked with large companies and small start-ups. Her resume includes stints in the TV shopping business (QVC, Shop NBC, and Shop LC) and with brick-and-mortar retailers (Walmart and Macy’s). Cindy has spent time in merchandising, product development, sourcing, and sales — always with a focus on the end consumer. She has been active in mentoring with her alma mater Purdue and Two-Ten’s WIFI organization. Cindy can often be found in the kitchen cooking for friends and family. She lives in Austin, TX with her husband Jay, son Matthew and their cat Philly and dog Kimmie.

The Ac Showcase

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