Chicago Women Leading Real Estate

Jessica Caffrey brings more than two decades of Real Estate leadership and hands-on experience to her role at Cook County Land Bank Authority. After holding a series of progressive leadership roles within the County Government, she became Executive Director of CCLBA with dynamism and innovative intention. Under Caffrey’s leadership, the Land Bank continues to demonstrate its mission that there is a robust market for naturally occurring affordable housing in every community. Before leading the CCLBA, Caffrey led the Real Estate portfolio for Cook County’s Offices under the President, which included 234 unique properties that covered over 19 million square feet. Caffrey spearheaded the redevelopment and rehabilitation of the historically significant Old Cook County Hospital which was transformed into offices and a hotel and helped bring the Cook County Board of Commissioners vision into reality. Caffrey managed and executed real estate acquisitions and dispositions on behalf of the County, which included negotiations, procurement, and executing all aspects of transitions from valuation to long-term strategic planning. Before joining Cook County Government in 2012, Caffrey worked for the Chicago Housing Authority where among other responsibilities, she strategically planned and coordinated the redevelopment process for the Oakwood Shores community. During this time, she managed a $200M redevelopment program to create a mixed-income community at the former Madden Park/Ida B. Wells site, and Altgeld Gardens creating more than 11,800 housing units in the process. As a widely respected real estate leader, Caffrey has a proven track record in successfully managing complex real estate initiatives and devising and implementing comprehensive strategic plans for property development. Having now led the CCLBA for over a year Caffrey’s diligence has made an ineffaceable mark on the County. Under Caffrey’s leadership, CCLBA has preserved and increased home values, helped return approximately $5M annually in property tax revenue to Cook County, and induced upwards of $14M in private sector investment in tax-distressed properties. The result is an estimated $10.02 to $15.86 in economic impact to Cook County during FY 23, for every dollar from the Land Bank’s budget. Caffrey received her bachelor’s degree from DePaul University and her Master of Science in Real Estate from Roosevelt University. Caffrey is also an alumni fellow of the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy’s prestigious Civic Leadership Academy. Most importantly, she is a proud mom to two and resides in the City of Chicago.

Laura Dietzel is an audit partner within RSM US LLP’s real estate practice. She was selected for the firm’s cutting-edge industry eminence program as a senior analyst covering real estate markets. She works alongside the firm’s chief economist and other industry eminence participants to analyze trends and themes affecting real estate and shaping middle market businesses. She is a trusted advisor and consults clients on efficient reporting structures and control frameworks to help them build and scale their businesses. Laura has more than 19 years of experience providing audit and consulting services for privately held companies and private equity funds specializing in real estate. She has an extensive knowledge of financial reporting on the fair value, GAAP and income tax basis of accounting, allowing her to advise clients through challenging technical accounting matters. Since joining RSM in 2005, she has worked with commercial, residential, retail, hotels and real estate opportunity funds, as well as performed due diligence services for real estate funds and various lenders in the real estate conduit markets. Laura joined the firm’s industry eminence program in 2018, deepening her understanding of the real estate industry. She advises clients regarding internal control weaknesses, process inefficiencies and compliance requirements driven by investors and lenders. She has deep experience understanding client needs—whether reviewing outsourced needs for back-office functions or introducing new technology—positioning her to better understand and respond to macro-economic trends affecting the industry. Laura regularly presents at conferences and interfaces with the media, serving as the voice for industry for the firm. Curiosity drives Laura to look around every corner to see what’s next for her clients. Her forward-thinking perspective helps her identify technological and digital disruptions that could affect her clients during this dynamic period of change. A lifelong learner, she appreciates public accounting as a profession in which she has never stopped learning. Within the firm, she challenges RSM teams to think about clients with an industry lens and participate in upskilling to become a true industry professional. Laura is part of the firm’s culture, diversity and inclusion (CDI) efforts as a member of the STAR employee network group (ENG) to help advance and retain high-performing women professionals at the firm. She advises female rising stars at the firm and is involved with RSM’s pathways recruitment program to help recruit and welcome new hires to RSM. An alumna of Miami University of Ohio, she is involved with the alumni association and in recruiting efforts advocating for academic programs that are applicable to the profession and valuable for future RSM team members. Laura is also fluent in Arabic.

Angela Aeschliman, Senior Vice President of Property and Asset Management for the firm, leads and directs the firm’s ongoing growth and development of the property management team by drawing from more than 25 years of experience in the real estate industry. Ms. Aeschliman is an industry professional with strong leadership and organizational skills, and a keen awareness and ability for solidifying and maintaining strong relationships with tenants, owners, investors and her team. At The Missner Group, she is responsible for overseeing the financial and operational needs of the firm’s extensive commercial real estate portfolio. She also oversees the management of in-house and third party contracts, works to improve the ease and efficiency added by the property management team, and works closely with tenants and investors to deliver on their needs. Ms. Aeschliman is steadfast in maintaining and increasing the value of the firm’s portfolio by focusing on tenant retention and by utilizing both preventative management techniques and innovative efficiencies to lower operating expenses and attract new tenants. Prior to joining The Missner Group, Ms. Aeschliman was the Chief Operating Officer for Watermark Property Management, a sister company of Baum Realty Group, in Chicago where she developed and ran the entire property management company and was named REALTOR® of the Year for the NICAR local Realtor Association. In 2014 she also was awarded the prestigious Leadership Award from the IREM Chicago Chapter #23. Angela is a life long learner and an Industry leader who believes in giving back, to her peers, mentees, local associations and owners. Angela is currently the President-Elect of the IREM Chicago Chapter #23 and is a past President of NICAR- Northern Illinois Commercial Association of Realtors.

Erin Converse is responsible for transitioning assets as well as company/management operational initiatives, such as training, auditing, property transition, due diligence, committee involvement, and technology platform directives. Erin oversees a team solely dedicated to administering and evolving the Hiffman property management platform. She has a background in software development and business strategy and joined Hiffman in 2019 as part of the Management Services group to assist investor clients.