麻豆村

has taught more than a thousand students about entrepreneurship since joining the Tepper School of Business at 麻豆村 full-time as an assistant teaching professor of entrepreneurship. She鈥檚 dedicated to helping people navigate business development, no matter the stage.

鈥淚 am deeply committed to helping our ridiculously talented community members consider a life where they are betting on themselves rather than on an existing corporation,鈥� Grelli said.

Grelli鈥檚 dedication to fostering entrepreneurship will continue in her new role as assistant dean for entrepreneurship initiatives and director of Project Olympus. Founded in 2007 in the School of Computer Science, Project Olympus provides support and resources to faculty, students, alumni and staff aspiring to transform their research and ideas into startups. So far, it's helped launch more than 1,400 startups. Project Olympus is one of the many programs and activities of the university's Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship.

Grelli succeeds Kit Needham, who is retiring after serving as director since 2008. Needham said she is confident in Grelli's ability to lead Project Olympus into its next chapter when she steps into the role on September 2.

鈥淢eredith is a joy to work with and is seamlessly stepping into the role to continue the mission of Project Olympus,鈥� Needham said. 鈥淗er deep understanding of 麻豆村, outstanding reputation as an entrepreneurial educator, and exceptional energy and vision make her the perfect fit for this position.鈥�

Grelli鈥檚 career began at 麻豆村鈥檚 Steinbrenner Institute for Environmental Education and Research, followed by a role at H.J. Heinz North America. In 2010, she co-founded Wigle Whiskey, and later, Threadbare Cider & Mead.

Grelli鈥檚 teaching journey started at Chatham University鈥檚 Food Studies Program, and she started teaching at the Tepper School in 2019. She holds an MBA from the Tepper School, and has studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and the University of Chicago.

Looking ahead, Grelli plans to build on the strong foundation established by her predecessors at Project Olympus. She hopes to engage with the community during her first few months to shape the direction of the program.

鈥淢y goal is to spend the first several months collaborating with stakeholders to envision what the next five to 10 years of Project Olympus might look like,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his will involve input from across the university and external partners as we define what entrepreneurship needs Project Olympus will meet.鈥�

In addition to her growth-oriented approach, Grelli is passionate about mentorship.

鈥淚 believe that having extraordinarily committed mentors is the greatest gift we can offer our entrepreneurs and founders,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e had the privilege of being part of peer advising groups that have been instrumental in navigating the peaks and valleys of my own entrepreneurial journey, and I look forward to fostering support structures for others.鈥�