who we are

Bringing retail & luxury to the hilltop
The Georgetown Retail & Luxury Association (GRLA) is a student-run organization that focuses on educating our peers about the retail and luxury industries as well as increasing opportunities for them within those fields. As a community of passionate and visionary members, GRLA carries this mission out through four teams: Creative, Operations, Public Relations, and Special Projects.
WHAT WE DO
where art meets industry
Established in the early 2000’s, 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.
our teams

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.
Special Projects
The Mission of the GRLA special projects team is to manage club activities outside of our primary event planning mission. We aim to work collaboratively with the other GLRA teams to aid in planning social events, design GRLA merchandise, and connect team members with one another. We also assist GLRA 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.

BOARD
2018-19 GRLA Board
Anya Bharadwaj & Elisa Romanò - President
James Jennings - Director, Special Projects
Viviana De Santis - Director, Operations
Jessica Yang - Director, Creative
Alessandra Freda - Director, External Relations
Natasha Piedrahita - Director, Internal Relations