Bringing Retail and Luxury to the Hilltop
The Georgetown Retail and Luxury Association (GRLA) is a student-run organization dedicated to educating students on the retail and luxury industries and professional opportunities in these fields. GRLA is comprised of four committees—Operations, Public Relations, Development, and Creative—that work together to devise, plan, and execute our events. We foster a collaborative community of visionary members guided by a shared passion for the retail and luxury space.
Where Art Meets Industry
Established in the early 2000s, GRLA has effectively partnered with the McDonough School of Business Undergraduate Program Office to execute successful large scale events. In the past, we have organized events featuring the CEO of Fendi, Pietro Becarri; Chairman of Tom Ford, Domenico De Sole; the COO of Chanel, John Galantic; and the COO of Bentley Motors, Mark Del Rosso.
We are led by Dean Patricia Grant, Associate Dean in the McDonough School of Business Undergraduate Program, as well as Professor Ricardo Ernst, director of Georgetown's Global Business Initiative. GBI seeks to make Georgetown McDonough Business School the premier destination for global business education by cultivating future business leaders capable of making complex business decisions in a global environment.
Creative
The mission of GRLA’s Creative team is to design and manage the organization’s fundamental aesthetic. Our creative designs and content enable GRLA to advertise events and the organization as a whole. We aim to work collaboratively with one another to meet deadlines, provide feedback, and generate refined content. Moreover, we aspire to maintain our initiative as a driven team that seeks to present our organization and community in the best light.
Operations
GRLA’s Operations team aims to efficiently organize and supervise events by providing our community and guest speakers with logistical support. Our services are also a foundation to the internal processes of the organization. In order to continuously add value to our team, we seek to be proactive and react promptly to change. In developing an ambitious and responsive group, we work with the intention of executing the most engaging experiences for our community as possible.
Public Relations
As the main liaison between industry leaders and GRLA itself, the Public Relations team strives to bridge the gap between the Georgetown University community and the retail and luxury industries by facilitating effective communication and meaningful engagement. In this way, we imagine and propose partnership ideas with relevant individuals and companies. Our goal is to make GRLA an esteemed, empowering, and dynamic association available to all students on the Hilltop.
Development
The mission of the GRLA Development team is to manage club activities outside of our primary event planning mission. We aim to work collaboratively with the other GRLA teams to aid in planning social events and connect team members with one another. We also assist GRLA members and project teams in bringing new ideas to fruition, leaving those teams and individuals to better manage the workload of our core slate of events.
2024-25 GRLA Board
Presidents: Sean Dana (MSB ‘25) and Carolina O’Leary (SFS ‘25)
Director of Creative: Clara Hofmann (MSB ‘25)
Director of Operations: Lilly Izmirlian (MSB ‘26)
Co-Directors of Public Relations: Lola Mourot (CAS ‘25) and Matthew Reysa (CAS’25)
Director of Development: Celia Sotirhos (MSB ‘25)
Treasurer: Diky Izmirlian (MSB ‘25)