Board
Justin Bakewell - President
Justin is a 2009 MBA candidate at The George Washington University with a general concentration. He is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, with a degree in Communication. Prior to returning to
school, he was an active duty Marine for eight years where he specialized in marketing and public affairs. Upon graduation, Justin plans to work in the investment banking industry, focusing on investment management.
Christopher Hedquist - Executive Vice President
Chris is a 2009 MBA/MA candidate with the School of Business and Elliott School of International Affairs. His concentration includes International Business and International Trade and Investment Policy. Chris is a graduate of Brigham Young University with a BA in Political Science. He has experience in politics, sports marketing, and the Olympic sports arena.
Prior to attending GW, Chris competed on the World Cup circuit for the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation. In the future Chris plans to pursue a career in international business and development with hopes to eventually transition into the business behind the Olympics.
Andrea D’Amore - VP, Marketing & Communications
Andrea is a 2009 MBA candidate at The George Washington University with a
concentration in Marketing. Andrea is from Glastonbury, CT and received her BA
from Holy Cross in Psychology. Before entering the MBA program at GWU, she
worked as a junior negotiator at The Hartford Financial Services Group and was
selected to be a Procurement representative on their Infrastructure Outsourcing
team. After graduation, Andrea hopes to pursue career in Organizational Development.
Lila Lee - VP, Alumni and Career Center Relations
Lila Mei Lee is a first-year MBA student with a concentration in Sports
Management. Prior to attending The George Washington University, she attended
law school at Northeastern University’s School of Law and was sworn into the
Massachusetts Bar in November 2007. Lila earned her Bachelor’s Degree with a
dual major in Economics and Spanish at Wellesley College in Wellesley, MA. While
at Wellesley College, Lila played varsity squash, was a member of the
college’s event planning board, and studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain for 5
months.
Upon graduation from George Washington University, Lila plans on entering the
sports management field in the areas of player development or product
sponsorship with a long-term goal of starting her own business.
As the VP of Alumni and Career Center Relations, she plans on organizing
several events in addition to the traditional alumni socials, networking
opportunities, and career treks. One of Lila’s goals is to improve the
networking and career potential of the student body and alumni classes through
workshops, interactive sessions, and mentoring.
Jacqueline Le - Treasurer
Jacqueline is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a bachelor’s degree
in Foreign Affairs. Her professional experience includes working at law firms as
a paralegal and business development work as a client development executive at a
market intelligence firm. Besides the MBAA, Jacqueline also serves on the board
of the GWU chapter of the NAWMBA.
Upon graduation, Jacqueline hopes to pursue a career in finance.
Jon Powell - VP, International Students
Jon was born in Canada and completed his BSc. in Environmental Science at
Queen’s University. After graduation, Jon worked
in varying capacities as an environmental consultant eventually leading to a
position as a Client Portfolio Manager with URS Corporation in London, UK. Jon
has consulted for many different Fortune 500 companies in countries around the
world including Canada, Russia, Belgium, the Republic of Ireland, Northern
Ireland, Wales and England. In addition to serving as a member of the MBAA, Jon
is also a member of Net Impact as well as the GW Real Estate Investment and
Development Organization (REIDO).
After graduation, Jon plans to transition his
skills and experience as an environmental consultant to pursue a career in real
estate development and investment.
Elena Sylos-Labini - VP, Social Events
Elena is a 2009 MBA candidate at The George Washington University concentrating
in Real Estate and Urban Development. She graduated from Boston College Carroll
School of Management where she majored in Finance and Human Resource Management.
She worked in structured finance for Freddie Mac in DC and for Ernst & Young
in NYC. Upon graduation she plans to work in Real Estate Development as an
investment manager. In addition to serving on the MBAA board, Elena is also
serves as the Treasurer on the board of the GW Real Estate Investment and
Development Organization (REIDO).
Nicole Cochran - VP, First Year Integration
Nicole is a 2009 MBA candidate at George Washington University concentrating in
Event Management. She is actively involved in the MBA Association as well as the
GW chapter of the National Association of Women MBA’s.
Nicole has experience in marketing, non- profit development and event
management. Before attending George Washington University she worked as an Event
Management consultant for the Wild Bird Centers of America, a Development
Apprentice for the Round House Theatre and a Legal Assistant for the Skagit
County Prosecutors Office. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Design and
Production from the University of Maryland. Upon graduation, Nicole intends to
continue her career in event management.