LOS ANGELES—Caruso Affiliated has promoted Kloe Colacarro to head of leasing in the firm's Los Angeles office. In this new position, Colacarro will oversee the leasing and merchandising efforts for the developer's impressive mixed-use property portfolio, including the Grove, the Americana at Brand and the Commons at Calabasas. She will report directly to Rick J. Caruso, the CEO and founder of Caruso Affiliated.

“I have always been passionate about retail and fashion, and my background within the company has allowed me to meld that passion with an in-depth understanding of what we as a company do best: enhance the guest experience and stay ahead of the retail curve,” Colacarro tells GlobeSt.com. “This has prepared me well for my current position as the head of leasing, where I will continue to elevate our retail offerings, ensure a unique merchandising mix and provide best in-class destinations for our guests.”

Prior to this promotion, Colacarro served as general manager of the Grove, where she oversaw the property's operations, financials and marketing events, including the launch of an app and hundreds of concerts and large-scale fashion shows. She joined the company in 2009 as a project manager for the Americana at Brand, moving swiftly through the ranks as manager of specialty leasing for the portfolio and then as the general manager for Caruso's West Valley portfolio.

“In my new position, I am tasked with ensuring that we continue to innovate in the retail space and drive an exceptional guest experience through strategic leasing and merchandising decisions,” she says. “Caruso Affiliated has maintained 100% occupancy at our properties, which allows me to focus on unique, first-to-market opportunities such as Revolve and Paper Crown pop-ups, as well as carefully re-merchandising tenants to offer the most relevant and personalized retail experiences for our guests. I will also be developing our leasing strategy and target merchandising mix for new endeavors such as our upcoming project in the Palisades.”

Colacarro has a degree in business and political science from the University of Southern California, and is currently in the process of earning her masters of business from the George L. Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Her promotion coincides with the opening of Caruso's latest project, the Palisades Village, a 49,000-square-foot retail center the company bought last year for an undisclosed price.