Big Risks Bring Big Rewards For DFW Women Leading Real Estate

Granite Properties Development Manager Estrella Carter +

Photo: Courtesy of Estrella Carter

The demand for Class-A office space has accelerated as companies strive to get workers back to the office. Leading the flight-to-quality trend are developers like Estrella Carter with Plano-based Granite Properties, a company that has played an integral role in bringing DFW’s Class-A office projects to fruition.

Carter is managing the construction of the 143.5K SF Granite Place II in Southlake and the 420K SF Granite Park Six in Plano, a project she has been working on since 2018. In her downtime, Carter enjoys hiking and going to the lake with her husband and daughter.

Angela Crum, CallisonRTKL associate principal and senior interior designer +

Photo: Courtesy of Angela Crum

When it comes to collaborating on a design aesthetic, a deep understanding of people is key to Angela Crum’s success. This human-centric approach led her to successfully spearhead a six-month research initiative focused on understanding burnout among front-line medical workers and how design could better support staff well-being and, in turn, patient care.

Crum’s upbringing as an Army brat meant she was forced to constantly recreate a sense of home. Today, she and her family are rooted to their home in Texas, but looking back, she said her transient childhood helped mold her expertise as a designer.

“I can distinctly remember each of the places we lived because I created my own place in each of them,” she said. “The realization that the built environment has such an immense influence on an individual, from their emotions to their physical actions, became my inspiration to pursue design as a profession.”

JLL Senior Vice President of Agency Leasing Ashley Curry +

Photo: Courtesy of Ashley Curry

When Ashley Curry made the decision to leave her old career and start from scratch in commercial real estate, she didn't take the decision lightly. She started as an analyst for JLL’s agency leasing team, and thanks to her determination and grit, seven years later she is a senior vice president.

Curry feels strongly about paying her success forward, which is why she hopes to dedicate more of her time to mentoring young women in the industry. When she isn't breaking through barriers and rising through the ranks of her firm, she is tending to her latest challenge: parenting a 9-month-old baby girl who she describes as “the light of her life.”

Adolfson & Peterson Construction Director of Project Operations, Operational Process and Risk Maureen Durbin +

Photo: Courtesy of Maureen Durbin

Maureen Durbin has quickly risen through the ranks of her firm — at just 29, she joined the region’s executive team. In an era when the construction industry is riddled with challenges, Durbin’s role is all about finding innovative solutions to complex problems while also maintaining structure.

Durbin’s work life involves a lot of mental gymnastics, so during her off hours she said she enjoys relaxing activities like walking or playing beach volleyball. She is also a commissioned painter.

Hart Commercial Managing Partner Allison Johnston Frizzo +

Photo: Courtesy of Allison Johnston Frizzo

After more than 10 years serving in leadership roles at Spire Realty, JLL and Gaedeke Group, Allison Johnston Frizzo (pictured on left) helped launch Hart Commercial in October 2021. The company has since scored the relocation of Cheer Athletics' national headquarters and is quickly building a reputation as a heavy-hitting firm in DFW and beyond.

Early in her career, Frizzo founded Ladies in CRE, a networking group for young female professionals that has grown to almost 700 members since its launch in 2012. Her goal is to continue growing the next generation of power brokers at Hart Commercial while also supporting other women-led businesses by partnering with female developers, architects, general contractors and engineers.

Elizabeth Herman Fulton, CBRE senior associate of urban retail brokerage +

Photo: Courtesy of Elizabeth Herman Fulton

When AT&T’s Discovery District and world headquarters debuted in Dallas, it brought new momentum and energy to a stagnant area of downtown. Part of its appeal is a vibrant mix of ground-level businesses, which Elizabeth Herman Fulton was instrumental in securing.

Dallas has long been considered a top market for restaurants and retail, but Fulton said improved walkability is needed to attract more tenants, especially in the urban core. She hopes to be an integral part of accomplishing this goal over the next few years. Fulton’s other passions include volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and mentoring Southern Methodist University students through the Hunt Scholars program and the Folsom Institute.

Goldman Sachs Head of Americas Real Estate Portfolio Management Katie Hashem +

Photo: Courtesy of Katie Hashem

In the thick of the pandemic, Katie Hashem was thrust into a leadership role at Goldman Sachs where she was responsible for overseeing organizational and divisional restructures while also managing her team. It is challenges like these that have pushed her to new heights in her career, Hashem said.

Hashem balances her active professional life with spending quality time with friends and family. Her travels have taken her all over the world, including to Bangalore on a short-term assignment and to the Bahamas, where she swam with sharks.

Streetlight Residential Vice President of Engagement Rachel Koonsman +

Photo: Courtesy of Rachel Koonsman

Responsible for developing the talent behind Streetlight Residential’s explosive growth in the multifamily space is Rachel Koonsman, who in five years went from manager to director to vice president, tasked with leading the company’s culture and HR teams.

Koonsman is an active member of her community, volunteering her time to the Yellow Rose Gala Foundation, and is a life group leader with Highland Park United Methodist Church. When she isn’t busy working or volunteering, she enjoys adrenaline-boosting activities like skydiving and paragliding.

ARCO/Murray principal and design-build general contractor Lauren Ladowski +

Photo: Courtesy of Lauren Ladowski

As the first female partner at ARCO/Murray, Lauren Ladowski (far right) understands the drive it takes to make it as a woman in a male-dominated industry. Through her work leading the tenant solutions team in Dallas, Ladowski has helped companies bring their visions to life through precise planning and expert execution.

Throughout her career, Ladowski has jumped at the chance to take on as many opportunities as possible. Now, she is turning her focus to creating those same opportunities for her team. Ladowski is passionate about developing the next generation of female industry leaders by fostering a love for engineering and construction in others. She is a mentor with the Young Women’s Preparatory Network and volunteers each year with Habitat for Humanity.

Vision Commercial Real Estate Director Molly MacEwan +

Photo: Courtesy of Molly MacEwan

After getting her master’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2016, Molly MacEwan joined Vision Commercial Real Estate as a research analyst. She was quickly promoted to director and since then has acted as lead agent on several of Vision’s highest-profile listings, including a retail REIT and a medical REIT. She was Vision Agent of the Year in 2018 and named one of Greater Fort Worth’s top commercial realtors of 2019.

When she isn't busy helping clients with their real estate needs, MacEwan said she is cooking, walking or catching up with friends. She is passionate about her love for Dairy Queen Blizzards, instilled in her by her 99-year-old grandmother, who she said has been one of her greatest role models.

Younger Partners broker Tanja McAleavey +

Photo: Courtesy of Tanja McAleavey

When Tanja McAleavey decided to leave her career in marketing and take a chance on brokerage, she knew it wouldn’t be easy. Five years later, she has been entrusted with more than $40M in transactions.

Over the next few years, McAleavey hopes to become a top producer and take on more leadership roles. In the meantime, she said she will continue to fearlessly cold-call and walk through unknown doors. When she isn't working to level up her career, she spends her time hiking, camping or going to the beach with her husband and 2-year-old son.

KDC Real Estate Development & Investments Senior Vice President and Director of Leasing Aarica Mims +

Photo: Courtesy of Aarica Mims

Grit and “a little sass” have served Aarica Mims well as a successful woman in the notorious boys club that is commercial real estate. Over her career, Mims has been involved in multiple high-profile projects, including the acquisition, renovation and lease-up of the former West End Marketplace, Factory Six03.

When Mims isn’t working to transform the DFW landscape through meaningful development, she is carting her sons to sporting events, volunteering or spending time at her ranch in Glen Rose. Mims is a three-time marathon runner and was a fast-pitch softball pitcher in high school.

Stream Realty Partners Senior Vice President of Industrial Brokerage Sarah Ozanne +

Photo: Courtesy of Sarah Ozanne

As more and more companies flock to DFW to capitalize on its red-hot industrial market, competition among brokers is at an all-time high. Clients have endless options of who to work with, so earning repeat business is what Sarah Ozanne considers a true mark of success.

Ozanne looks forward to growing her firm’s industrial footprint while also cultivating a greater presence of female brokers in her asset class. When she isn't helping clients buy or sell real estate, Ozanne is spending time with her sons or running, which she rises every day at 3:53 a.m. to do.

Innovan Neighborhoods founder and Managing Partner Maggie Parker +

Photo: Courtesy of Maggie Parker

For Maggie Parker, success comes down to so much more than dollars and cents. Through her company, Innovan Neighborhoods, she works to build economically sustainable neighborhoods by giving developers of color the tools they need to thrive. Today, Innovan Neighborhoods has more than 350 housing units in its pipeline.

One of Parker’s most recent achievements is the launch of The Community Developers Roundtable, an initiative aimed at establishing diverse, community-oriented real estate developers. Participants are provided the capital they need to fund innovative and impactful projects and to grow their organization's capacity.

Paslay Group associate principal of real estate development Andrea Payne +

Photo: Courtesy of Andrea Payne

Andrea Payne’s experience helping airports create revenue-generating development opportunities is unique, and she said it requires “dedication, resilience and demonstrable grit.” Payne helped Paslay Group launch its development arm during the pandemic, and she said the sky is the limit for what her team can achieve.

As a new mom and an ambitious professional, Payne has little time for hobbies. But when she does find a moment of free time, she said she enjoys traveling, yoga, hiking, and meeting new and interesting people.

OTJ Architects Dallas principal and Studio Director Aarohi Pilankar +

Photo: Courtesy of Aarohi Pilankar

Aarohi Pilankar’s career has taken her all over the world, but her most recent accomplishment is helping OTJ Architects launch and grow its newest studio in Dallas.

In an industry that favors men, Pilankar strives to pay her success as a female architect forward. Apart from her more than 10 years helping clients realize their design visions for mixed-use and office projects, Pilankar is proudest of mentoring young women in her industry. She serves on the boards of Commercial Real Estate Women’s Dallas chapter as well as AIA Dallas.

TIG Associate Vice President Natalia Prescott +

Photo: Courtesy of Natalia Prescott

When it comes to pursuing real estate for her clients, Natalia Prescott is an out-of-the-box thinker. That knack for innovation came in handy through a series of 1031 exchanges she used to parlay an underpriced, value-add industrial building into a 22K SF retail center at Inwood and Spring Valley roads.

Over the last six years, Prescott has represented both tenants and landlords, sold and purchased buildings for clients, developed relationships for repeat business, and fine-tuned her knowledge of industrial, office and retail. She and her husband, who is also a commercial real estate professional, have worked on many deals together and look forward to continuing to build a legacy for their two children, Pierce and Olivia.

KeyBank Vice President and senior mortgage banker Amber Rao +

Photo: Courtesy of Amber Rao

Across DFW, an affordability crisis has gripped the housing industry. Members of the CRE industry have taken note, and some have made it their personal mission to equip developers with the resources they need to improve properties and provide a safe place for tenants to call home. In the background of that important work are mortgage bankers like Amber Rao, who helps owners accomplish the difficult task of making these deals pencil.

Rao, whose work in the multifamily space involves providing clients with financing options, said she feels passionate about delivering on the needs of her clients and of the community as a whole. She is an active member of CREW and The Real Estate Council and has been directly involved in loan production totaling more than $2.5B.

The Rainier Cos. Equity Relationship Leader Rachael Turin +

Photo: Courtesy of Rachael Turin

As her title suggests, Rachael Turin has always had a knack for forging relationships. In her late teens and early 20s, the aspiring businesswoman used that skill to make friends in the music industry. Today, she works closely with The Rainier Cos.’ domestic and international partners to help guide investment decisions.

Turin treasures the strong female relationships she has formed during her career, especially during professional transitions. Constantly looking to level up, her next goal is to become a partner at her firm, where she hopes to guide strategy and growth.

HP Engineering Inc. Vice President and Regional Engineering Manager Emily Waldenmeyer +

Photo: Courtesy of Emily Waldenmeyer

As the only female engineer at her company, Emily Waldenmeyer stands out from the pack. She was hired during the pandemic to launch the Dallas office and build a team of designers and engineers from scratch. Since then, she has worked to evolve company culture by providing a perspective that is often overlooked.

Professionally, Waldenmeyer said she is proudest of her pending patent, but in her personal life, she is fulfilled by her role as a mother of two boys and another on the way. In the coming years, she hopes to advance through the ranks of her firm and also start a nonprofit focused on women in the architectural, engineering and construction industry.

“The younger you can start having conversations about STEM and introducing AEC careers, the greater the chances the next generation is prepared to join our workforce,” she said. “It is a long-term goal with implications for the entire AEC industry.”

Big Risks Bring Big Rewards For DFW Women Leading Real Estate

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