Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Rising Star Women of Real Estate for 2024. Within the field of real estate is a multitude of opportunities for talented, skilled, and driven professionals to truly shine. In addition to serving as an independent agent, rising real estate leaders come from a wide variety of career backgrounds, including technology, property management, compliance, sales, marketing, administration, and law.
This year’s honorees feature Kristen Graham, the Associate Director of Network Real Estate and Engineering at Verizon. Graham is a results-driven leader, directing complex projects and driving sales for one of the largest communication technology companies in the world.
Also among this year’s honorees is Melissa Dalton, the Senior Director of Portfolio Services at CBRE. With extensive experience in acquisitions, dispositions, and mergers, Dalton is an asset to the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm
Finally, we celebrate a real estate leader with a true entrepreneurial spirit, Vanessa Maggi. As the Director and Team Leader of Maggi Realty Group, Maggi markets her luxury listings globally on over 900 high-traffic websites, translated into 19 languages.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Rising Star Women of Real Estate for 2024.
Nicole Gillikin
Managing Director, Real Estate Tax, PricewaterhouseCoopers
Nicole Gillikin is a Managing Director on the Real Estate Tax team in the New York office of PwC, where she focuses her tax practice on consultation related to real estate fund structuring, mergers, and acquisitions within the REIT space, REIT, and real estate fund operations, and cross-border real estate investments. At PwC, their purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. They’re a network of firms in 151 countries with over 360,000 people who are committed to delivering quality assurance, advisory, and tax services.
Gillikin advises clients on real estate fund formation for closed and open-end funds. She performs due diligence on potential REIT investments with a view towards REIT-related requirements and advises clients on the REIT qualification impact of asset and entity acquisitions and in the context of REIT conversions. She has experience with the acquisition of both private and public REITs. Gillikin also advises clients with respect to the REIT qualification impact of ongoing REIT and TRS operations. She has experience working with REITs in connection with investments in residential, office, retail, industrial, manufactured housing, senior housing, student housing, data centers, and hospitality.
Gillikin also represents several US-based real estate development and management clients with respect to structuring real estate investments outside of the US. Prior to rejoining PwC, Gillikin worked for a number of years in international tax and has particular familiarity with tax planning for a variety of funds and fund investors. In addition to real estate funds, she has advised hedge funds, private equity funds, distressed debt funds, and infrastructure funds, particularly with respect to the cross-border aspects of their structures and operations. Gillikin has also represented major UK pension funds and foreign government investors with respect to their fund investments. She earned a JD from the Cardozo School of Law and from New York University School of Law an LLM in taxation and an undergraduate degree in politics from New York University.
Abby Alford
Vice President, CBRE
Abby Alford serves as a Vice President at CBRE where she provides strategic real estate consulting and brokerage services in Houston and around the country. Abby partners with clients to execute complex real estate goals and objectives. Her specialties include corporate headquarter office leases, site selection, lease restructuring, and land asset acquisitions and dispositions.
She joined CBRE in 2013 as a Project Manager where she focused on working with clients to define project scope and budgets and coordinate the delivery of architectural, engineering, and construction services and ultimately relocate when necessary. She later went on to be the Facilities Management Account Lead for a client with a 10.4 million SF portfolio. Abby leverages her project and facilities management experience to successfully provide brokerage services for her clients in all real estate matters.
Outside of the office, Abby proudly serves on the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce Board and the Habitat for Humanity Northwest Harris County Board and is a fierce advocate for female empowerment. Abby also enjoys spending time with her family and friends, especially her two daughters, Emma (5) and Madison (2).
Jaclyn Chakonis
Director, Sales, SEG Realty Keller Williams
Jaclyn Chakonis is the Director of Sales of SEG Realty Keller Williams. Keller Williams Realty (commonly referred to as Keller Williams) is an American technology and international real estate franchise with headquarters in Austin, Texas.
Born and raised in Bergen County, Chakonis is a people-minded person who is devoted to her community. Her passion for connecting and inspiring others to achieve her goals combined with years of work experience has helped her motivate and manage her teammates at SEG, as well as exceed expectations fulfilling her clients’ real estate dreams. Chakonis strongly believes the foundation for fulfillment and success is based on forming strong bonds, connections, and trust with her clients and ever-growing team.
After graduating with honors in Psychology from Ramapo College, Chakonis went on to work at Cushman and Wakefield LLC. Chakonis is able to have the difficult conversations needed to move sellers through a home sale by understanding what motivates them and how to help them navigate through difficult decisions.
Kymber Lovett-Menkiti
Co-owner & President, Keller Williams Capital Properties
Kymber Lovett-Menkiti is the Co-Owner and President of Keller Williams Capital Properties (KWCP), a brokerage with nine offices across the DC, Maryland, and Virginia regions. Lovett-Menkiti is also the regional director of Keller Williams for the Maryland / DC (MDC) Region, where she oversees over 4,500 agents.
Lovett-Menkiti served as the 2020 president of the DC Association of Realtors and currently serves as the broker liaison for the National Association of Realtors. She is the board chair for the CPMG Foundation and a board member of Crittenton Services and StepAfrika. She was also appointed by the Mayor of Washington DC to serve on the District of Columbia Arts Commission.
Prior to her roles within KWCP and the Keller Williams MDC Region, Lovett-Menkiti was the president of sales for The Menkiti Group. Throughout her time with the company, she built a dedicated and passionate team of real estate professionals who assist the clients of The Menkiti Group in meeting their real estate goals.
Lovett-Menkiti holds two Master’s degrees in Social Work and Law and Social Policy from Bryn Mawr College. She graduated magna cum laude from James Madison University with a degree in social work.
Kathrin Rein
Director of Kathrin Rein PA, Keller Williams Realty
Kathrin Rein is the Director of Kathrin Rein PA of Keller Williams Realty, an American technology and international real estate franchise with headquarters in Austin, Texas. It is the largest real estate franchise in the United States by sales volume as of 2022.
Rein is a top-producing real estate agent who specializes in selling preconstruction and luxury real estate in Miami. With a focus on international buyers, she has honed her expertise in catering to the unique needs of clients from around the world. She boasts a diverse portfolio comprising over 20 properties, ranging from residential and commercial spaces to vacation rentals.
Originally from Germany, Rein transitioned from a thriving athletic career in tennis to a brief entertainment stint. She ventured into the world of real estate over twelve years ago. Her innate talent for numbers, coupled with an unwavering work ethic and savvy social media strategies, have played pivotal roles in both her personal and professional triumphs. Beyond her own achievements, Rein’s greatest passion lies in empowering others to invest in real estate, fostering the creation of passive income streams. Acknowledged as a prominent figure in real estate, Rein is honored to be a part of Gary Keller's Top 100 Individual Agent Mastermind.
Kady Gundlach
Senior Director, Global RPM, Oracle, JLL
Kady Gundlach is the Senior Director of Global RPM at Oracle of JLL, a leading professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management. She oversees all move-related project activities, personnel, and vendors on the prestigious Nike account. With a proven track record of managing multiple cross-functional leadership teams, she successfully directs all move-related operations at Nike's world headquarters in Beaverton, OR. Gundlach’s expertise extends to effectively managing key drivers of financial performance for move operations within the account, while also developing and implementing strategic KPIs to ensure optimal account success.
Prior to her role at JLL, Gundlach excelled as the soft service manager for the WeWork account, where she expertly oversaw cleaning operations, vendor management, and building openings across the Mountain West region. Known for her collaborative approach and strong project leadership skills, Gundlach thrives in team environments and actively fosters positive relationships within the community. She is highly skilled in executing strategies to identify, acquire, and manage vendors, ultimately supporting operational success.
Gundlach graduated from Colorado State University with an undergraduate degree in apparel and merchandising.
Jennifer Fraser
Managing Director, Real Estate, Greystar
Jennifer Fraser serves as the Managing Director of the Centralized Operations for the Resource Center at Greystar. She is responsible for overseeing the Centralized Resource Center teams located in Dallas and Memphis and plays a pivotal role in supporting Greystar's Centralized Elevate Operations platform across both the owned and third-party managed portfolios. With extensive experience in the industry, her primary focus is on leading and enhancing the Resource Center by implementing continuous improvement initiatives. Fraser collaborates closely with Product Development, Technology Development, Learning and Development, and Centralization Scaling teams to introduce, sustain, and rapidly scale best practices throughout the Resource Center platform.
Fraser brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her current role, driving operational excellence and delivering exceptional results for Greystar. Previously, she served as the managing director of real estate for Greystar's Student Living Property Management business. In that role, she excelled in client outreach, relationship management, and business development efforts. She also successfully led the management and operations of the off-campus fee-managed assets, while leading a team of directors and regional property managers responsible for all business operations, financials, leasing, and staffing.
Fraser has been active in the real estate industry since 1996 and joined Greystar through the JPI acquisition in 2008. She began her career as an on-site leasing associate and held several roles, including, operations trainer, and vice president of operations – regional property manager. She also served as the JPI director of people development, where she developed, trained, and implemented educational programs across the country. Fraser is a member of the National Multifamily Housing Council, National Apartment Association, and Texas Apartment Association.
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Leah Lail
Estates Director, Global Luxury Division, Coldwell Banker
Leah Lail is the Estates Director for the Global Luxury Division of Coldwell Banker. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC is an American real estate franchise owned by Anywhere Real Estate, with headquarters in Madison, New Jersey. It was founded in 1906 in San Francisco and has approximately 3,000 offices in 49 countries and territories.
Lail came to real estate after two decades as a successful television actress. During her years as an LA resident, she has lived in numerous communities across the city, from downtown to Hollywood, the San Fernando and San Gabriel Valleys to Calabasas and Malibu. She understands the nuances of each neighborhood as very few realtors do. With unparalleled skills and commitment to her clients' needs, Lail has built a reputation within the community as a consummate, dedicated professional. She has often achieved Coldwell Banker's President's Premier status for top yearly sales volume, being named one of the top 1% of agents, and has also been awarded as one of their elite Top 100 Agents in Southern California.
Lail graduated from the University of Southern California with a BA in German and Humanities (Drama) and a minor in Political Science. She is a graduate of the Realtor Institute and a Certified Buyer's Representative. Lail was named a Real Estate All-Star by Los Angeles Magazine in 2021 and again in 2023.
Cindy Nixon
Senior Global Director, Relocation/Affinity, eXp Realty
Cindy Nixon is the Senior Global Director of Relocation and Affinity of eXp Realty, the fastest-growing, global residential real estate company. As a subsidiary of a publicly traded company, eXp Realty uniquely offers real estate professionals within its ranks opportunities to earn eXp World Holdings stock for production and contributions to overall company growth.
Nixon started at eXp Realty in 2021 as a broker as a broker operations relocation manager. In early 2022, she was promoted to director of relocation, where she served for a year and a half. She accepted her current role as a senior global director in June 2023.
Previously, Nixon was a relocation manager at John Daugherty, Realtors. Before that, she was a senior manager of business development at Heritage Texas Properties. Earlier in her career, she worked with HER Realtors as a director of relocation. Nixon graduated from Hondros College.
Tracy Adcock
Director, Real Estate Operations, U.S. West & Canada, Jacobs
Tracy Adcock joins Jacobs from CH2M, where she served as the international facilities manager for the Western US and Latin America. She is now the Director of Real Estate Operations for US West and Canada. Jacobs delivers impactful global solutions to create a more connected, sustainable world – from intelligence to infrastructure, cybersecurity to space exploration.
Adcock’s portfolio demonstrates her ability to capitalize on every opportunity to reduce overhead costs and provide project and construction management solutions for office relocations, reconfigurations, and consolidations while delivering against high standards of customer service. She led her team to deliver creative real estate and facility change projects that contributed to the firm’s cost savings plan. As part of the Senior Management team, Adcock worked with her peers, corporate and local management, and other administrative groups (IT HR, HSE, Security, and Communications) to implement and provide a level of consistency.
Adcock has worked through several natural disasters and security-related issues, partnering with various internal groups. She graduated from Arkansas State University with an undergraduate degree in arts studies.
Amy Harnish
Creative Director, The Annex Group
Amy Harnish’s assent to a real estate leader began from behind a camera lens. Formerly a professional commercial, family, and lifestyle photographer, Harnish joined The Annex Group in 2016 as a marketing specialist. She used her branding and design knowledge from her photography business to complete marketing tasks for the company, which had only a few dozen team members at the time. Over time, her roles and responsibilities expanded, and she was promoted to Creative Director in the summer of 2021.
Under Harnish’s leadership, The Annex Group has expanded the way it uses marketing to support both its corporate efforts and its communities. Harnish leads and oversees all marketing initiatives for The Annex Group and its portfolio of affordable, workforce, student, and market-rate housing, including company and community websites, content marketing, videography, photography, social media, media relations, and more. There is not an image nor written content about The Annex Group that hasn’t been touched by Harnish in some way.
Harnish is now one of The Annex Group’s longest-standing team members. Her marketing efforts have directly correlated with the company’s growth and expansion, which includes entering new markets and having communities in 18 states and growing. Harnish says being able to share the story of The Annex Group and its goal of producing housing that becomes a catalyst for growth to communities and households is something she’s most proud of. Since 2016, she has become one of real estate’s top marketing leaders who keeps her finger on the pulse of an ever-changing industry.
Joyce McGlone
Director, Commodities - Real Estate, Facilities & Hospitality, Baylor Scott & White Healthcare
Joyce McGlone is the Director of Commodities, Real Estate, Facilities, and Hospitality, for Baylor Scott & White Healthcare, one of the largest not-for-profit health care systems in the US. McGlone experience with sourcing, contracts, vendor management, and facility management services has positioned her as a solid and reputable value-added leader in the industry.
McGlone is a seasoned facilities management and vendor management professional. She partners with clients, vendors, and key stakeholders to grow long-term relationships and enhance all aspects of service levels. With vast experience expanding over 15 years, McGlone drives cost savings, client/vendor relations, operational efficiencies, and process improvements, above and beyond projections and expectations. McGlone's diverse experience spans healthcare, retail, consulting, technology, telecom/wireless, call centers, high-end office space, industrial, and warehouse.
McGlone possesses an MBA in Business, graduating summa cum laude from Keller Graduate School of Management. She also maintains membership with IFMA, holding a Facility Management Professional (FMP) certification.
Melissa Dalton
Senior Director, Portfolio Services, CBRE
Melissa Dalton is the Senior Director of Portfolio Services at CBRE. CBRE Group, Inc. is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm. The company has more than 130,000 employees, serving clients in more than 100 countries.
Dalton is an experienced lease administration professional with a demonstrated history of working in the real estate industry. Possessing strong program and project management skills, she has successfully handled various aspects of lease administration, including working with landlords, tenants, and subtenants. Her experience extends to acquisitions, dispositions, and mergers, as well as a solid understanding of real estate economics.
She first joined CBRE in 2009 as the director of lease administration operations. Previously, Dalton was a property administrator of global real estate at Federal-Mogul. Before that, she was a lease administrator for Delphi Corporation at Equis Corporation. She has an Associate of Arts and Sciences in Paralegal Science.
Melina Duggal
President, Duggal Real Estate Advisors, LLC
Melina Duggal has 25 years of experience in the real estate industry. Since 2016 she has been the President of Duggal Real Estate Advisors, LLC, a woman-owned real estate advisory firm. Duggal Real Estate Advisors provides a wide range of consulting services and research for those involved in the real estate industry and the built environment. They focus on advice that is market-based, implementable, and creative.
Duggal provides clients with feasibility studies, competitive market analysis, economic development strategies, financial analysis, corridor studies, and redevelopment strategies throughout the United States. She teaches at the George Mason University Master’s in Real Estate Development (MRED) program and has taught at the University of Maryland in the Department of Real Estate in the School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation. Before starting Duggal Real Estate Advisors, she worked for RCLCO, a real estate advisory firm, and Wade-Trim, an engineering and planning firm. She has spoken for organizations, such as the Urban Land Institute, Commercial Real Estate for Women, the National Association of Homebuilders, and the American Planning Association. Duggal has written multiple articles and is a contributing author to the ULI Resort Development Handbook and Land Development Handbook Series, Development of the Built Environment: From Site Acquisition to Project Completion.
Duggal graduated from the University of Michigan with an MUP in urban planning and from the University of Michigan with an undergraduate degree in anthropology and Spanish.
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Deana Moore
Director, Assistant General Counsel- Real Estate, DAVITA
Deana Moore is the Director and Assistant General Counsel for Real Estate at DAVITA, a Colorado-based healthcare firm that provides dialysis treatment, emergency support, and related services for chronic kidney failure and end-stage renal diseases. Today, their mission is to minimize the devastating impacts of kidney disease across the full spectrum of kidney healthcare.
With over 20 years of experience, Moore is a seasoned real estate and commercial contracts lawyer proficient in handling diverse real estate transactions and negotiating commercial contracts. Her expertise spans commercial real estate leasing, acquisitions, and dispositions, as well as supply chain and procurement contracts. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated skill and proficiency in managing various aspects of real estate law, providing valuable counsel to clients in navigating complex transactions and agreements.
Previously, Moore was a counsel for MDC Holdings, Inc. and Richmond American Homes, where she managed all real estate acquisition and development matters for several regional divisions of a publicly traded national home builder. She also worked as a counsel for Western Union, NewQuest Properties, and Jones Walker LLP. Moore earned a JD from South Texas College of Law Houston and an undergraduate degree in mass communication from Texas State University.
Donna Goss
Director, Real Estate, The Ohio State University
Donna Goss is the Director of Real Estate at The Ohio State University, one of the largest universities in the US. The Ohio State University is a leading research university and the model for Ohio's public higher education institutes.
Goss is a real estate, community, and economic development professional experienced in developing strategies in university and municipal environments. With a background in public, private, and government sector planning, design, and construction, she has expertise in policy formulation and administration, public-private partnership development, innovative project financing, historic preservation, and community revitalization. She is recognized as a creative and collaborative communicator who effectively joins constituents to maximize outcomes and deliverables.
Previously, Goss served as the interim director of development for the City of Gahanna, Ohio, and as the director of development for Dublin, Ohio. Earlier in her career, she worked in communications for Cornell University. Goss holds an MBA in Strategic and Entrepreneurial Management from the University of Maryland and a doctorate from Ohio University in entrepreneurship education with a focus on experiential learning.
Liz Jones
Luxury Estates Director, Compass
Liz Jones is the Luxury Estates Director of Compass, a real estate technology company with a powerful end-to-end platform that supports the entire buying and selling workflow. They deliver an incomparable experience to agents and their clients.
From selling movies to selling homes, Jones brings her marketing and story-telling expertise to the world of real estate. With over 20 years of entertainment marketing experience and a reputation as an innovator in digital media, Jones has partnered with her mother at COMPASS, bringing two generations of local expertise to their clients. In May 2022, Jones and her mother announced Flanagan Jones Group, officially partnering and building their business to focus on the Westside.
Currently serving on the Board of National Charity League, Inc., Westside Chapter, and chairing the 2023 Student Visionaries of the Year campaign for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Jones is thankful to be able to make a meaningful difference in our community alongside her daughters. Jones graduated from Boston University with an undergraduate degree in political science.
Sobia Saghir
Director, Real Estate, Burlington Stores, Inc.
Sobia Saghir is the Director of Real Estate at Burlington Stores, Inc., a Fortune 500 company with common stock traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The company operated 933 stores as of the end of the first quarter of Fiscal 2023, in 46 states and Puerto Rico, principally under the name Burlington Stores.
Saghir is a 20-year commercial real estate industry veteran and has represented large users of retail and office space in a wide array of real estate transactions. She has built a solid foundation of corporate clients through her advisory services and has a long record of successfully guiding local, national, and multi-national clients with their commercial real estate acquisitions, lease obligations, asset repositioning, and dispositions. Her specific areas of expertise include portfolio management, brokerage, and financial structuring.
Previously, Saghir was a leasing manager at Five Guys Enterprises. Before that, she was a specialty leasing at Ashkenazy Acquisition Corp. Earlier in her career, she worked with ABC Imaging as a vice president of real estate. Saghir graduated from Georgetown University. She is an active member in the professional networking real estate groups ICSC, CCI, and various Chambers of Commerce.
Kari Frazier
Director, Real Estate Investment Management, BlackRock
Kari Frazier is the Director of Real Estate Investment Management at BlackRock, a New York-based investment management firm that provides services like investment, advisory, and risk management for government and nonprofit organizations.
Frazier is a real estate investment manager and senior asset manager for BlackRock, overseeing a portfolio of office, industrial, multifamily, mixed-use, and retail assets in the Pacific Northwest, SF Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Orange County. Her portfolio consists of wholly owned and joint venture core, value add, and development assets. In her current role, Frazier is responsible for commercial leasing, operations, valuations, financial reporting, redevelopment and repositioning strategies, and disposition and transactions activity.
Frazier has 20 years of real estate experience. She joined the predecessor firm SSR Realty Advisors Inc. in 1999 as an associate in the firm's acquisitions group. In this position, she assisted in the acquisition of approximately $1 billion of assets for the firm nationally. Frazier departed the company in 2005 to pursue an opportunity with Schnitzer West in Seattle, where she collaborated on a joint-venture acquisition program and had asset management responsibilities for an existing office and industrial portfolio. She rejoined BlackRock in April 2007 as a VP in the asset management group. Frazier graduated from UCLA with an undergraduate degree in mass communication/media studies and psychology.
Jessica Butterworth
Managing Director | Asset Services, Range Commercial Partners
Jessica Butterworth is the Managing Director of Asset Services for Range Commercial Partners, a full-service commercial real estate brokerage firm in Richmond, VA, specializing in strategic leasing, acquisitions, tenant representation, property and asset management, and project and construction management. With over 16 years of experience in commercial real estate, Butterworth prioritizes employee engagement, client satisfaction, and business development. She understands that engaged employees are crucial for providing excellent service, which is vital for attracting and retaining clients.
Butterworth’s expertise spans various aspects of asset services, focusing on overall operations and building maintenance services. She has overseen numerous major operations projects and software updates, including a proprietary work order system. With experience in staffing development, accounting, marketing, and compliance with building maintenance codes, she has managed teams of up to 250 employees across 48 states. Additionally, Butterworth has managed various property types, including office, retail, and industrial, in private and government sectors, with national accounts totaling over 2 million square feet.
Before her current role, Butterworth held positions such as property manager, director of engineering services, and senior director of operations with leading global real estate companies. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from William & Mary and is a licensed Virginia Salesperson. In 2022, she was recognized by Virginia Business as one of 42 honorees for their Women in Leadership award.
Robin Mackin
Regional Director, FirstService Residential
Robin Mackin is the Regional Director of FirstService Residential, North America’s property management leader with local expertise. Since her arrival in 2020, Mackin has been actively engaged in supervision, training, direct management, client satisfaction, and operational development.
Mackin leads a team of portfolio managers who provide professional association management for single-family homes, condominiums, and townhomes. Before joining FirstService Residential, Mackin was a general manager consultant for Turnberry Place Tower 1 and a warrant manager for Bosa Development. Earlier in her career, she held multiple positions for Associa, which provides property management services. Starting as a portfolio manager, she worked her way up to vice president.
Mackin is a Certified Apartment Manager through the Nevada Real Estate Division. She is also a Certified Manager of Community Associations and an AMS-Association Management Specialist through the Community Associations Institute.
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Lisa Browning
HSE Director, CBRE Global Workplace Solutions (GWS) EMEA
Lisa Browning is the HSE Director of CBRE Global Workplace Solutions (GWS) EMEA. GWS works with clients to make real estate a meaningful contributor to organizational productivity and performance. Each client is entrusted with a dedicated leader and is supported by regional and global resources, leveraging the industry's most robust platform.
In this role, Browning focuses on new and expanding account transitions and provides guidance and leadership across the global platform. She acts as a resource to staff and internal customers as the HSE subject matter expert and provides direct and timely advice and information to the management responsible for the account, market area, or geographical region of responsibility in all matters related to HSE performance, compliance, trends, and concerns.
Browning is also an adjunct professor for the School of Science and Technology in the Environmental Science Program at American Public University. Previously, she was a senior consultant for BSI and a safety manager for WFS Construction Company and DuPont. Browning graduated from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania with an MS in Geo-Environmental Studies and from the University of Scranton with an undergraduate degree in chemistry.
Vicki Leiknes
Director, Real Estate, GoTo Foods
Vicki Leiknes is the Director of Real Estate at GoTo Foods. The parent company of brands including Auntie Anne’s, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, McAlister’s Deli, Moe’s Southwest Grill, and Schlotzsky’s, GoTo Foods (formerly Focus Brands) is the franchises and operates over 6,700 restaurants, cafes, shops, and bakeries in 50 states and over 60 countries.
Leiknes joined the team in 2014. She is the Southeast director of real estate for Auntie Anne's, Cinnabon, Carvel, and Jamba for mall and captive audience locations. With 20 years in the real estate industry, she has experience securing new national specialty leasing accounts, expanding properties’ retailer mix, and generating additional net operating income.
Previously, Leiknes served JLL Retail as the VP and national accounts manager. In this role, she was responsible for negotiating and executing all national specialty leasing deals for our retail portfolio. Her specialty leasing initiatives generated an additional $34 million in property value for JLL’s clients. She started with JLL as the VP of regional specialty leading, where she was responsible for the management of the specialty leasing team's strategies involving current and prospective tenants, planning and implementation of specialty leasing programs, reviewing property budgets, and coordination of kiosk space designs.
Lana Bell
Executive Director, Luxury Sales, Douglas Elliman Real Estate
Lana Bell is the Executive Director of Luxury Sales at Douglas Elliman Real Estate, one of the largest residential brokerage companies in the United States with operations in New York, Florida, California, Texas, Colorado, Nevada, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC. In addition, Douglas Elliman sources uses, and invests in early-stage, disruptive property technology (“PropTech”) solutions and companies and provides other real estate services, including development marketing, property management, and settlement and escrow services in select markets.
Bell has been working with Miami-Dade’s elite, luxury real estate clientele for more than 20 years and has been named the number one agent in Miami-Dade and Broward counties for 10 years running. Her successful track record is due in no small part to her tireless work ethic and brilliant combination of creativity and hard work. Bell treats each client as though they were family.
Before joining Douglas Elliman Real Estate, Bell was a global estate advisor at ONE Sotheby's International Realty. She graduated from Brooklyn College Computer Software Engineering with an undergraduate degree in computer science.
Norma-Jean Callahan
Executive Director, Luxury Sales, The Residences at Shell Bay
Today, Norma-Jean Callahan is the Executive Director of Luxury Sales at The Residences at Shell Bay, South Florida’s latest twenty-story condominium tower. Callahan is a sales and marketing powerhouse in the luxury real estate industry, with over 25 years of experience in both residential and new development sales. She is known for her confidence, contagious spirit, and unapologetic honesty, as well as her extensive market knowledge, strategic thinking, and negotiation skills.
As the sales director of both The Shore Club Private Collection and The Residences at Shell Bay for Witkoff, she leads the sales and marketing of a premier oceanfront resort and residence in Miami Beach and the most amenitized private club in South Florida, offering an exclusive lifestyle and unparalleled amenities to discerning buyers. At Douglas Elliman, she oversees a team of top-performing agents who specialize in selling high-end properties across New York and Florida.
Callahan has a proven track record of delivering exceptional results for her clients and developers, having represented buildings totaling over $5 billion in sellouts. She has worked with some of the world's most prestigious developers, such as Vornado Realty, Witkoff, Starwood, and GID Development Group, and has launched iconic projects, such as Baccarat Hotel Residences and 220 Central Park South. Callahan graduated from the University of Miami with an undergraduate degree in marketing.
View the complete list of awardees.