Sorority Chat

Liz Alexander

A podcast about all things Greek housing, decorating, and beyond. Host Liz Alexander is an alumnae of Alpha Gamma Delta and owner of PDR Interiors, an interior decorating firm that focuses on enhancing the sorority housing experience. Having worked on over 80 college campuses across 25 states, Toombs is well-versed in the world of chapter facilities. She hosts many knowledgeable guests who provide valuable insight for the sorority housing industry. Connect with Liz:  🔗 ⁠⁠Website: PDR Interiors⁠⁠  📷 ⁠⁠Instagram: @pdrinteriors⁠

  1. 1D AGO

    Nonlinear Careers, Boundaries, and Mentorship in the Music Industry

    Nonlinear Careers, Boundaries, and Mentorship in the Music Industry (with Molly Tarr) | Sorority Chat On this episode of Sorority Chat, host Liz Alexander talks with Molly Tarr, a Belmont University alumna and former Alpha Sigma Tau chaplain and T-shirt chair, about building a “messy” but meaningful career path in Nashville’s music industry. Molly shares how she moved from Ashland, Kentucky, then returned with more clarity, and explains why career journeys often look more linear online than they are in real life. They discuss learning to set workplace boundaries, communicating PTO with confidence while setting teammates up for success, and how challenging roles—including a mismatched freelance job—helped Molly develop the skills to have hard conversations. Molly also shares the milestone of signing her first management client. 📌 Connect with  Molly: 📸  instagram.com/mollytarr 🌐  tiktok.com/@korndogkardashian 📌 Connect with Liz:  📸 ⁠⁠Instagram: @pdrinteriors⁠ 🌐  ⁠Website: PDR Interiors⁠⁠  Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe to Sorority Chat on your favorite podcast platform!If you loved this episode, leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review and share it with a friend in your sorority circle! Sorority Chat is your go-to podcast for all things Greek life! Liz Alexander hosts this show for sorority leaders, house directors, alumni, and anyone who loves sisterhood and the traditions that make Greek life unique. From leadership insights to house renovations and recruitment tips, Sorority Chat brings you real conversations, thoughtful insights, and fun stories. Episode Highlights: 00:00 Career Paths Aren't Linear 00:38 Meet Molly Tarr 02:22 Sorority Connections 03:10 From Kentucky to Belmont 04:31 Leaving and Returning 05:47 Messy Career Lessons 08:27 Boundaries at Work 16:01 PTO Without Guilt 21:44 Music Industry Reality 23:21 Travel and Time Off 24:44 First Management Client 27:01 Advice and What's Next 28:27 Where to Follow Molly 29:42 House Hot Takes Segment 30:36 Final Wrap and Credits

    31 min
  2. APR 29

    Leading a Sorority House Renovation with AXiD’s Alyssa Huff

    On today's episode of Sorority Chat, host Liz Alexander welcomes Alyssa Huff, an Alpha Xi Delta alumna and scientist, to discuss volunteering as house corporation president during the University of Washington chapter house renovation in Seattle. Elisa explains how commercial-style regulations, city permitting, and the realities of remodeling a nearly 100-year-old historic home—plus asbestos, outdated electrical, and major plumbing needs—made the project far different from HGTV expectations, and how communicating those constraints to alumni was challenging. She shares key lessons, including engaging a local contractor early, coordinating the contractor and architect together, and hiring a third-party owner’s rep to protect the chapter’s interests and manage budget oversight. Elisa also reflects on her AZD journey as a founding member at Western Kentucky, staying connected through scholarships and community, and balancing intense volunteer leadership with her academic career and new faculty role in Washington, DC. 📌 Connect with Alyssa 📸  @alyhuff30 🌐 https://hufflab.smhs.gwu.edu/ 📌 Connect with Liz:  📸 ⁠⁠Instagram: @pdrinteriors⁠ 🌐  ⁠Website: PDR Interiors⁠⁠  Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe to Sorority Chat on your favorite podcast platform!If you loved this episode, leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review and share it with a friend in your sorority circle! Sorority Chat is your go-to podcast for all things Greek life! Liz Alexander hosts this show for sorority leaders, house directors, alumni, and anyone who loves sisterhood and the traditions that make Greek life unique. From leadership insights to house renovations and recruitment tips, Sorority Chat brings you real conversations, thoughtful insights, and fun stories. Episode Highlights: 00:00 HGTV vs Reality 00:34 Welcome to Sorority Chat 00:59 Meet Alyssa Huff 02:52 Renovation Reality Check 05:17 Seattle Permitting Roadblocks 06:20 Start With the Contractor 10:25 Budgeting and Student Needs 17:05 Why Hire an Owner's Rep 20:05 Colonizing at WKU 24:46 Staying Connected to AXiD 28:22 Life in DC and What's Next 29:49 Wrap Up and House Hot Take 30:30 Pro Tip: Where Sisters Hang 31:22 Final Thanks and Subscribe

    32 min
  3. APR 22

    Sorority Housing Behind the Scenes + Building Community Through Moves

    Today on Sorority Chat, host Liz Alexander welcomes Liza Hallsten, Assistant Director of Housing for Pi Beta Phi and a longtime Alpha Chi Omega advisor, to discuss what it really takes to run and renovate sorority chapter homes. Liza shares how her experience as a volunteer, property-management professional, and housing leader informs decisions about safety, budgets, and major repairs in aging, complex facilities, and why housing operations involve far more than décor. She also explains how the wider fraternity/sorority housing community collaborates across organizations, and how shifting labor and material costs affect timelines and quotes. As a military spouse who has moved nine times in 15 years, Liza describes founding the Stars and Stripes alumni chapter to help military-connected sisters build friendships and support, and offers practical advice for finding community after a move. 📌 Connect with Liza 📸  @lizamarie.axo 📌 Connect with Liz:  📸 ⁠⁠Instagram: @pdrinteriors⁠ 🌐  ⁠Website: PDR Interiors⁠⁠  Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe to Sorority Chat on your favorite podcast platform!If you loved this episode, leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review and share it with a friend in your sorority circle! Sorority Chat is your go-to podcast for all things Greek life! Liz Alexander hosts this show for sorority leaders, house directors, alumni, and anyone who loves sisterhood and the traditions that make Greek life unique. From leadership insights to house renovations and recruitment tips, Sorority Chat brings you real conversations, thoughtful insights, and fun stories. Episode Highlights: 00:00 Finding Your People00:47 Meet Liza Hallsten02:04 Day in Housing Ops03:49 Why She Keeps Advising06:11 Career Path in Housing09:56 Housing Myths and Costs13:14 Behind the Scenes Work15:46 Rising Costs and Labor18:02 Building Military Community21:42 Advice for New Cities23:49 Haunted House Lore27:12 Wrap Up and Contact28:45 Liz House Hot Takes29:49 Final Thanks and Outro

    30 min
  4. APR 15

    From Dental Hygienist to Bid Day Design

    On today's episode of Sorority Chat, Liz welcomes Anna Carcamo, founder of Stellar Party, a full-service event production company serving clients coast to coast. Anna shares how she transitioned from eight years as a dental hygienist into event design after planning her son’s first birthday and noticing a local need for backdrop rentals, then taught herself through research and reinvested profits to grow the business. They discuss how her detail-oriented healthcare background influences quality control, what Stellar Party offers as a custom design-and-execute experience with 3D mockups, and where her team finds global inspiration. Anna explains the unique collaboration and logistics of sorority bid day and recruitment installs, including overnight setups, long pickups, and working with large chapter teams, as well as how budgeting conversations work and how their new 9,000-square-foot warehouse centralizes operations. 📌 Connect with  Anna 📸  @stellarparty.co 🌐  stellarparty.co 📌 Connect with Liz:  📸 ⁠⁠Instagram: @pdrinteriors⁠ 🌐  ⁠Website: PDR Interiors⁠⁠  Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe to Sorority Chat on your favorite podcast platform!If you loved this episode, leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review and share it with a friend in your sorority circle! Sorority Chat is your go-to podcast for all things Greek life! Liz Alexander hosts this show for sorority leaders, house directors, alumni, and anyone who loves sisterhood and the traditions that make Greek life unique. From leadership insights to house renovations and recruitment tips, Sorority Chat brings you real conversations, thoughtful insights, and fun stories. 00:00 Go For It Mindset00:24 Welcome To Sorority Chat00:52 Meet Anna Carmo02:06 From Dental To Decor04:21 First Backdrop Breakthrough05:48 Transferable Type A Skills07:40 Early Hustle And Learning09:10 What Stellar Party Does11:58 Global Inspiration And Trends14:10 Bid Day Collaboration Process16:10 When To Book Bid Day17:37 Working With Sorority Spaces18:14 Sister Partnership And Balloons18:49 Partnering for Bid Day19:29 Favorite Theme Builds21:05 All Night Install Grind22:30 Mechanical Bull Chaos23:59 Teardown and Pickup Reality24:45 Not Greek but All In25:14 Starting a Creative Business27:08 Budgeting and Client Calls28:35 Bid Day Travel Limits29:41 Rentals and Reuse System30:45 New Warehouse Expansion32:15 Where to Follow Stellar Party32:55 House Hot Takes Tip33:51 Final Wrap and Credits

    34 min
  5. APR 8

    Soft Skills That Set Greek Leaders Apart

    Confidence, Interviews & Thank-You Notes.On this episode of the Sorority Chat podcast, Liz interviews Michelle Rupp, an Emmy Award-winning journalist-turned-corporate communications leader and founder of Memorable Results Media, about how clear, confident communication can help college leaders turn Greek life experience into career opportunities. Michelle shares lessons from TV news—being specific, concise, and deadline-driven—and discusses the shift to corporate PR. The conversation focuses on soft skills that students may be missing, including making eye contact, offering firm handshakes, arriving early, and sending thank-you notes or emails after interviews. Michelle explains how to reframe networking through the lens of recruitment, leading with curiosity and value, and emphasizes translating sorority and fraternity roles into concrete resume skills such as brand management, budgeting, and crisis communication. Liz closes with a “House Hot Takes” design tip on durable, attractive performance materials for sorority houses. 📌 Connect with Michelle: 📸  @memorableresultsmedia 🌐  www.memorableresultsmedia.com 📌 Connect with Liz:  📸 ⁠⁠Instagram: @pdrinteriors⁠ 🌐  ⁠Website: PDR Interiors⁠⁠  Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe to Sorority Chat on your favorite podcast platform!If you loved this episode, leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review and share it with a friend in your sorority circle! Sorority Chat is your go-to podcast for all things Greek life! Liz Alexander hosts this show for sorority leaders, house directors, alumni, and anyone who loves sisterhood and the traditions that make Greek life unique. From leadership insights to house renovations and recruitment tips, Sorority Chat brings you real conversations, thoughtful insights, and fun stories. Episode Highlights:00:00 Thank You Note Edge00:34 Welcome and Guest Intro02:27 Michelle Journalism Origin05:17 Newsroom Communication Skills08:20 Liz TV Segment Lessons09:56 Switching to Corporate PR12:19 Grace After News Pace13:36 Gen Z Soft Skills Gap15:51 Handshake Practice Tips17:20 Confidence Building Next17:36 Reframing Networking Anxiety19:29 Be the Host in the Room20:17 Greek Leadership on Resumes24:29 Highlight Member Experience25:45 Mentorship Program Breakdown28:30 Thank You Notes That Win32:22 Reputation and Burning Bridges33:38 How to Connect with Michelle34:44 House Hot Takes Design Tip35:32 Final Wrap and Subscribe

    36 min
  6. APR 1

    Organization, Communication & Confidence on the Job Site with Renée Biery

    Liz Alexander welcomes designer and podcast host Renée Biery of DeVignier Design to discuss how women—especially homeowners and sorority housing volunteers—can feel confident, informed, and effective during renovations. Renee shares how her training in drafting and construction language helped her contribute as an equal on job sites, and why job sites feel intimidating when people don’t understand the process or hesitate to ask questions. They emphasize clarifying scope before requesting bids, avoiding assumptions that lead to change orders, and choosing a contractor who feels like a good fit because projects are long and emotional. Renee advises house corporation leaders to define their role early, not pretend to know what they don’t, stay organized, be accessible for time-sensitive decisions, and set structured weekly meetings. Liz closes with a “House Hot Take” on planning storage for sorority houses. 📌 Connect with Renée: 📸 : @devignierdesign 🎙️: devignierdesign.com/podcast/ 📌 Connect with Liz:  📸 ⁠⁠Instagram: @pdrinteriors⁠ 🌐  ⁠Website: PDR Interiors⁠⁠  Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe to Sorority Chat on your favorite podcast platform!If you loved this episode, leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review and share it with a friend in your sorority circle! Sorority Chat is your go-to podcast for all things Greek life! Liz Alexander hosts this show for sorority leaders, house directors, alumni, and anyone who loves sisterhood and the traditions that make Greek life unique. From leadership insights to house renovations and recruitment tips, Sorority Chat brings you real conversations, thoughtful insights, and fun stories. 00:00 Podcast cold open00:47 Meet Renée Biery of Devignier Design02:25 Design origin story04:32 Learning renovations06:58 Early jobsite lessons09:48 Why jobsites intimidate11:20 Contractor communication gaps15:31 House board leadership tips18:41 Define Your Scope19:50 Choosing the Right Contractor21:04 HGTV Expectations Check21:51 Timing Your Renovation24:30 Quoting and Client Fit27:06 Deadline Clarity Lessons29:16 Organization and Asking Questions30:53 Accessibility and Decision Systems33:30 Weekly Meetings Workflow35:45 Wrap Up and Hot Takes36:29 Storage Is Insurance37:27 Final Outro and Credits

    38 min
  7. MAR 25

    Liz Alexander on Building PDR Interiors: Purpose, Systems, Resilience—and Why Recruitment Isn’t a Decorating Contest

    In this solo Sorority Chat episode, host Liz Alexander (Alpha Gamma Delta alumna and founder of PDR Interiors) unpacks an interview with female founders in Authority Magazine to share her origin story and lessons learned while building a design business through recession, family illness, the pandemic, and divorce. She explains how early experiences shaped her belief that design affects how people feel and why the most meaningful businesses are built around people and connection. Liz reflects on an early mistake that taught her how to respond and recover, then outlines what she wishes she’d known sooner: know your “why,” embrace the business side (finances, systems, strategy, delegation), build with both soul and structure, ask for help through mentors and peers, and rely on resilience. She closes with a “House Hot Take” that recruitment isn’t a decorating competition—authentic, values-aligned spaces recruit better than overdone trends. 📌 Connect with Liz:  📸 ⁠⁠Instagram: @pdrinteriors⁠ 🌐  ⁠Website: PDR Interiors⁠⁠  Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe to Sorority Chat on your favorite podcast platform!If you loved this episode, leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review and share it with a friend in your sorority circle! Sorority Chat is your go-to podcast for all things Greek life! Liz Alexander hosts this show for sorority leaders, house directors, alumni, and anyone who loves sisterhood and the traditions that make Greek life unique. From leadership insights to house renovations and recruitment tips, Sorority Chat brings you real conversations, thoughtful insights, and fun stories. Episode Highlights:00:00 Why Business Needs Numbers00:56 Solo Episode Setup01:48 Early Design Roots03:24 Starting PDR In Hard Times05:09 Biggest Early Mistake06:25 What Holds Women Back07:40 Five Founder Lessons11:12 Designing For Connection12:45 House Hot Takes Recruitment13:47 Wrap Up And Credits

    14 min
  8. MAR 18

    Today's Dorm Design, Roommate Dynamics & Building a Family Business with Misty Hall

    On today's episode of Sorority Chat, Liz interviews Misty Hall, owner of Loose Ends 38655, a dorm-essentials business that began when she designed her daughter's Ole Miss dorm room. The business has grown to serve students across more than 30 campuses, offering items such as signature cubbies, desk hutches, shelves, fridge cabinets, and custom textiles hand-built with her husband, Chris. Misty shares how her creativity started with sewing, how word-of-mouth and social media helped the business expand, and why creating a comfortable space helps students feel at home. They discuss roommate dynamics, the importance of setting expectations, and common dorm mistakes, such as bringing too much. Misty highlights must-haves like linens, headboards, and art, as well as current color trends and her milestone of showcasing designs in the University of Mississippi Housing showrooms. Liz closes with a “House Hot Take": recruitment design should reflect chapter values, not the competition. 📌 Connect with Misty: 📸  @looseends38655 🌐  looseends38655.com 📌 Connect with Liz:  📸 ⁠⁠Instagram: @pdrinteriors⁠ 🌐  ⁠Website: PDR Interiors⁠⁠  Don't miss an episode! Subscribe to Sorority Chat on your favorite podcast platform!If you loved this episode, leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review and share it with a friend in your sorority circle! Sorority Chat is your go-to podcast for all things Greek life! Liz Alexander hosts this show for sorority leaders, house directors, alums, and anyone who loves sisterhood and the traditions that make Greek life unique. From leadership insights to house renovations and recruitment tips, Sorority Chat brings you real conversations, thoughtful insights, and fun stories. Episode Highlights:00:00 Podcast Cold Open00:38 Welcome and Mission01:02 Meet Misty and Loose Ends02:32 Roots in Sewing and Creativity03:49 From Mom to Dorm Designer04:54 Turning Help Into Business06:58 Scaling to 30 Campuses09:53 How Clients Work With Them11:21 Working With Your Spouse14:12 Design Philosophy and Roommates15:09 Roommate Talk Early15:57 Personality Pairings16:44 Let Them Work It Out18:00 Dorm Design Mistakes18:40 Dorm Must-Haves19:18 Cubby Nightstand Hack20:27 Ole Miss Showrooms21:29 Dorm Color Trends22:27 Creative Business Advice23:17 Most Rewarding Moments24:20 Rapid Fire Round25:10 What's Next Ahead26:06 How To Connect26:47 Recruitment Decor Hot Take27:47 Wrap Up And Credits

    28 min
4.7
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

A podcast about all things Greek housing, decorating, and beyond. Host Liz Alexander is an alumnae of Alpha Gamma Delta and owner of PDR Interiors, an interior decorating firm that focuses on enhancing the sorority housing experience. Having worked on over 80 college campuses across 25 states, Toombs is well-versed in the world of chapter facilities. She hosts many knowledgeable guests who provide valuable insight for the sorority housing industry. Connect with Liz:  🔗 ⁠⁠Website: PDR Interiors⁠⁠  📷 ⁠⁠Instagram: @pdrinteriors⁠

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