Carnegie Mellon University
February 01, 2022

Tepper School Welcomes Four New Faculty Members

The Tepper School welcomes four new faculty members with expertise that will continue to propel the Tepper School students and community into The Intelligent Future. 

Abbe Depretis, Assistant Professor of Business Communications

Abbe Depretis joins the Tepper School of Business as a Teaching Track Assistant Professor in Business Communications. Depretis received the Rhetoric and Public Address Division of the Eastern Communication Association award for her paper, “Containment of the African American Voice: Bobby Seale and the Chicago Eight Trial.” She received a MA and Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, an MBA from Temple University, and a BA from the University of Pittsburgh.

“We are pleased to welcome Dr. Depretis to the Tepper School faculty,” says Isabelle Bajeux-Besnainou, Dean of the Tepper School. “Communication is foundational to being an effective leader and Dr. Depretis’s expertise will equip our students with the translational skills they need to be successful business professionals.”

Meredith Grelli, Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship

Meredith Grelli (MBA 2010) is the co-founder and co-owner of Wigle Whiskey and Threadbare Cider and Mead. Wigle and Threadbare operate seven sites throughout Western Pennsylvania and distribute spirits and cider throughout the country. Grelli is a two-time James Beard Award Semi-Finalist; 2018 Imbibe 75 Beverage Professionals to Watch; the author of The Whiskey Rebellion and The Rebirth of Rye and the Founder of the Whiskey Rebellion Trail, which connects 75 distilleries and cultural sites across the Mid-Atlantic.

Before starting Wigle and Threadbare, Grelli worked in brand management at the H.J. Heinz Company, received her MBA from the Tepper School, worked in community development, studied cooking at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, and received her BS in urban history and geography at the University of Chicago. While she was in graduate school, Grelli co-founded a Pittsburgh urban beekeeping organization and started the nation's first community apiary.

“We are thrilled to welcome Tepper School alumna Meredith Meyer Grelli back to the school as a faculty member,” says Bajeux-Besnainou. “Grelli stays on the cusp of the ever-evolving business world in real-time with her successful ventures. Her wealth of entrepreneurial experience and knowledge will be invaluable to our students.”

Yucheng Liang, Assistant Professor of Accounting

Yucheng Liang joins the Tepper School of Business faculty as a Tenure Track Assistant Professor in Accounting. Liang studies behavioral economics and its applications in finance and management. His current research focuses on uncertainty and information. Liang was a research affiliate at the briq Institute at Bonn, Germany prior to joining the Tepper School. He earned his Ph.D. in economics from Stanford University and his BA in economics and BS in applied mathematics from Peking University.

“Yucheng Liang is an excellent addition to our Tepper School faculty,” says Bajeux-Besnainou. “His impressive research agenda and experience is a valued contribution to the business landscape in and out of the classroom.”

Liyan Shi, Assistant Professor of Economics

Liyan Shi, joins the Tepper School of Business faculty as an Assistant Professor of Economics. Shi’s research interests are in macroeconomics, firm dynamics, labor search, and dynamic contracts. Shi earned her Ph.D. in economics from the University of California, a MSc in financial economics from the University of Oxford, and a BA in finance from Peking University. Before joining the Tepper School, she was a postdoctoral researcher at the Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance.

“We are proud to welcome Liyan Shi to the Tepper School,” said Bajeux-Besnainou. “Dr. Shi helps us work towards a more intelligent future by bringing her important work and insight to our classrooms. Her research agenda is pivotal in business and our students will benefit from her expertise.”