Fashion and Apparel Studies Advisory Board
The Board is a mutually beneficial partnership between the Department and its industry and organizational stakeholders. The goals of the partnership are to maintain program excellence; provide access to information, innovation, and scholarship that benefits all partners; and develop professionals with essential knowledge and critical skills to creatively contribute to fashion and apparel-related fields.
We are pleased to have prominent industry executives and successful alumni as part of the board.
| Carlos Arias Koramsa Corporation |
Carlos Arias is President of the Koramsa Corporation, which is the largest producer of woven bottoms in Guatemala. Prior to working at Koramsa, he was General Manager of the Aritex Group, which is dedicated to the production of woven dress shirts and knit baby apparel. Mr. Arias is on the board of directors of the Apparel and Textile Commission in Guatemala, the Guatemala Quotas Administration Commission, the Central American Council of Textiles and Apparel, and is a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Apparel Magazine. |
| Jessica Barkley QVC |
Jessica Barkley is an alumna of the Apparel Design program at the University of Delaware. She is Apparel Spec Designer at QVC. Prior to working at QVC, she was Apparel Production Control Associate and Technical Designer with Lilly Pulitzer. |
| Joan Bernard Barbizon Modeling & Acting Centers |
Joan Bernard is the owner of the Barbizon Modeling & Acting Centers located in Wilmington, DE and Ardmore, PA, which places models locally and internationally. The Barbizon Agency has models in movies, magazines, commercials, and the Broadway stage. Ms. Bernard divides her time as a choreographer, commentator for fashion shows, lecturer, pageant judge, and teaching special classes at Barbizon. |
| Jon Brilliant Atelier Fund |
Jon Brilliant is one of three founding partners of the Atelier Fund, a private equity fund focused on the luxury goods marketplace. Prior to this Mr. Brilliant was the Managing Director for the US operations of Syntek Capital AG and Director of Business Development at Harrods in London, where he was responsible for worldwide business development, strategy, and eCommerce and oversaw aspects of the personal portfolio of private companies of the owner of Harrods. In addition to being on the board of Portero, Mr. Brilliant sits on the board of Adam, Harrys of London, Mary Norton, Kaenon, C2Media, and WellDoc Communications. |
| Peter Carman Paris American Academy |
Peter Carman is President and Academic Director for Paris American Academy where he contributes visionary management to the administration and. Mr. Carman’s extensive international contacts keep the Paris American Academy’s global network thriving, while keeping the teaching and learning environment not only contemporary but even cutting-edge. |
| Devangshu Dutta Third Eyesight |
Devangshu Dutta is Chief Executive of Third Eyesight, a specialist research and consulting firm based in New Delhi, India. Third Eyesight works with companies in fashion and other consumer goods sectors through engagements covering business strategy, marketing, sourcing and supply chain, and other operations support engagements. As an advisor, entrepreneur and a senior manager, Mr. Dutta has worked with companies from around the world. |
| Ralph Erardy Women’s Wear Daily |
Ralph Erardy is Senior Vice President, Group Publisher of Women’s Wear Daily, one of the world’s leading and most successful trade publications. In his role at WWD, Mr. Erardy oversees sales and business developments at Women’s Wear Daily newspaper, as well as at its sister operations WWD The Magazine, WWD FAST, WWD Ultimate Accessories, WWD Scoop, WWD Beauty Biz, WWD Salon, Beauty Report International and the Internet site WWD.com. Mr. Erardy’s previous positions include senior Vice President, Publisher of Home Furnishing News and publisher of Women’s Wear Daily where he oversaw sales and marketing of the daily newspaper heralded as “The Bible” of the global fashion and retail industries. |
| Donna Hardcastle Macy’s East |
Donna Hardcastle is Regional Merchandising Manager for Ready to Wear at Macy’s East Her position covers 19 stores in the Pennsylvania Region including the Cherry Hill, NJ store. She has been a member of the Macy*s/Federated Executive Team for many years holding several positions including Manager of Planning, Merchandise Planner, Assistant Store Manager, and Buyer. |
| Nate Herman American Apparel & Footwear Association |
Nate Herman is an alumnus of the University of Delaware with degrees in International Relations and Economics. He is Director of International Trade for the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA). Mr. Herman manages AAFA’s regulatory and legislative affairs activities, tracking ongoing international trade developments and corporate social responsibility issues involving apparel and footwear. Mr. Herman also develops apparel and footwear industry data and statistics as AAFA's resident economist and handles technical and labeling issues for AAFA's footwear members as AAFA's footwear technical liaison. In addition, he represents the industry on the U.S. government's Industry Trade Advisory Committee (ITAC). Mr. Herman’s prior experience includes work as an industry analyst for the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration. |
| Rick Horwitch Bureau Veritas |
Rick Horwitch is Vice President, Solutions Business Development and Global Marketing, for Bureau Veritas – Consumer Products Services. His focus is on developing quality assurance solutions to encompass the entire supply chain, which helps retail and branded customers achieve faster deliveries and improve costs and total quality. Mr. Horwitch has many years experience in the apparel industry covering all facets of the business – Sales, Marketing, Operations, Sourcing, Manufacturing and IT, having worked with Warnaco, Inc. as Vice President, Private Brands, and with Fastum and Solutions Providers. |
| Olga Kontzias Fairchild Books, Conde Nast Publications, Inc. |
Olga Kontzias is Executive Editor of Fairchild Books, Conde Nast Publications, Inc. |
| Kenneth Lakin Boscov’s Department Stores |
Kenneth Lakin is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Boscov’s Department Stores and is the third generation of the family to lead the business. Mr. Lakin has been with Boscov’s for over two decades. Prior to joining Boscov’s, he worked at Federated Department Stores, Foley’s Division in Houston, Texas. |
| Peter Liu Heidrick & Struggles |
Peter Liu is a member of Heidrick & Struggles’ Global Supply Chain Practice where his work focuses on serving clients that use the supply chain function to improve customer service, vendor relationships, cost reduction, top-line growth and technological efficiency. Prior experience includes time as a Director of Peninsula Knitters, a major global garment manufacturer and distributor headquartered in Hong Kong. Mr. Liu also established Burlington WorldWide, a Hong Kong-based subsidiary of the largest textile company in the U.S. Mr. Liu is a board member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and is the Chairman of the Textile and Apparel Committee. He also serves on the Advisory Board of the Global Prime Source Forum and is a Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Directors. |
| Gregg Nebel adidas-Group |
Gregg Nebel is Head of Social and Environmental Affairs - Region Americas for the adidas-Group. He directs the regional field operations and compliance activities with the Group’s footwear, apparel, and accessories supply chains. He is also the Social and Environmental Affairs corporate point person for the adidas-Group’s Americas based brands (including adidas, Reebok, TaylorMade), subsidiaries, and licensees. His global management responsibilities include strategic planning, monitoring systems development, stakeholder verification processes, and public reporting. Mr. Nebel is also a director of the Fair Labor Association Board. |
| Coral Rose Eco-Innovations, Sustainable Textile Services |
Coral Rose is President/Founder of Eco-Innovations, which focuses on development and marketing of organic cotton and sustainable textiles. She has many years in the apparel industry, having senior management positions in merchandising and product development, including sustainable textile product development for major retail corporations. Most recently, Ms. Rose was Senior Ladies Apparel Buyer for Sam's Club where she and a co-worker led the Wal-Mart Sustainable Fibers and Organic Cotton Environmental Sustainability Team. |
| Al Shapiro Albert Shapiro & Associates, LLC |
Al Shapiro is President of Albert Shapiro & Associates, LLC a consultant to apparel manufacturers and marketers in the U.S. and abroad. Prior to his recent retirement, Mr. Shapiro was Senior Vice President, Corporate Marketing for Liz Claiborne Inc. In that position, he was responsible for overseeing the marketing, advertising, creative services, public relations, corporate communications, in-store marketing functions and e-commerce sites for multiple brands in the company’s portfolio. In addition to Liz Claiborne, these included DKNY Jeans, Ellen Tracy, Dana Buchman, Lucky Jeans, Sigrid Olsen, Mexx, Juicy Couture and numerous other well-known fashion brands. Additionally, Mr. Shapiro served on the Executive Council, a top advisory committee to the Chief Executive Officer. |
| Steven Siegler J. McLaughlin |
Steven Siegler is President and CEO of J.McLaughlin where he has led the company’s evolution from a traditional retail operation to a fully vertical design and brand marketing company. Prior to joining J.McLaughlin, Mr. Siegler was Vice President of Product Development for Talbot's and Divisional President of J.G. Hook. |
| Margaret Smith Country Store Holdings |
Margaret Smith is Vice President and Co-Owner of Country Store Holdings where she oversees buying for all ladies dresses, sportswear, accessories and jewelry for six stores, the Wilmington Country Store in Greenville, DE--Ellie in Greenville, DE; Strafford, PA; Haddonfield, NJ—and the Pink Crab with locations in Ruxton and Annapolis, MD |
| Analissa Verrill Nordstrom Product Group |
Analissa Verrill is Special Projects Merchandiser for the Nordstrom Product Group. The Nordstrom Product Group (NPG) is responsible for managing the exclusive brands and products featured in Nordstrom stores and other select locations. NPG designs, manufactures and manages exclusive power brands and product labels. She has held many positions at Nordstrom over the last 20 years including retail management, retail buying & most currently product merchandising in the Nordstrom Product Group. |
| Walter T. Wilhelm Walter Wilhelm & Associates LLC |
Walter Wilhelm is President and Chief Executive Officer of Walter Wilhelm Associates LLC. Mr. Wilhelm is one of the pioneers in creating and implementing technology to streamline the product design and development processes. He was the co-founder of Microdynamics; President of Animated Images (Ai); co-founder of Wilhelm-Leslie Associates; and General Manager of Hughes Aircraft Company's Apparel & Footwear Automation Systems. |
| Robert J. Zane US Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel |
Bob Zane is Chairman of the United States Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (USA ITA), an industry wide association of manufacturers and retailers that champions the rights of importers. He has been involved in apparel industry supply chain activities all his working life, a total of some 44 years, including a 10 year period when he lived abroad. Mr. Zane recently retired from Liz Claiborne where he was Senior Vice President for Sourcing, Manufacturing, Distribution and Logistics. Mr. Zane was also a founding member of the Board of Directors of the Fair Labor Association (FLA), an organization devoted to workers rights. |
| Paula Zusi Ann Taylor Stores |
Paula Zusi is an alumna of the University of Delaware’s Apparel Design program. She is executive vice president and chief supply chain officer for Ann Taylor, Inc. Prior to joining Ann Taylor, Ms. Zusi was corporate vice president of Global Manufacturing and Sourcing for Liz Claiborne Inc. Ms. Zusi began working with Liz Claiborne as vice president of Manufacturing for DKNY Jeans. Prior to joining Liz Claiborne Inc., she held executive positions in manufacturing at Carole Little, Bernard Chaus, and Imagine, Inc, and began her career as a designer for Mark Stuart, Inc. |
