Class of 2020

LeAnn Percivill takes immense ownership and pride in playing a role in the retail industry and is inspired by the real, actionable change retailers can create to make a difference in the world. As a first-generation college student, LeAnn has capitalized on every opportunity to work multiple retail jobs, pursue her degree and prioritize professional development as the President of Texas A&M’s Student Retailing Association, all while exploring the areas of retail that excite her the most. “Retail is exciting, challenging, and is an industry I can put my tenacity and grit into action.”

A senior at the University of Arizona, Maria Hartke has known since high school that her passion and vision for her future were in retail. Maria already has a wide variety of retail experiences under her belt at companies including Tillys, Buffalo Exchange, DSW, Inc. and most recently, Kohl’s Corporate, each of which contributed to her depth of understanding for the industry today. After graduation, Maria hopes to find a role in product development, merchandising and planning. “I want to be a part of creating a story, sourcing and developing the product, and solving “the last mile” for the consumer.”

First inspired by her family starting a children’s clothing brand, Annie Hope Mazzola followed her intuition and is confident that the retail industry is where she belongs. Her summer internships in brand communications at Vans Asia Pacific Headquarters and product development at Urban Outfitters solidified her drive for product development and innovation, which she hopes to explore further after graduation. She is also passionate about innovations within sustainable sourcing and dreams of creating a 100% sustainable brand that harnesses innovation to make positive change.