Bay Area Power Women Paving The Way For Those Who Come Next

SummerHill Senior Vice President of Development Elaine Breeze +

Photo: Courtesy of Summerhill Homes

Elaine Breeze has committed her career to Northern California, its real estate and its people. With degrees from University of California Berkeley, and experience serving as chair of the San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce, she's all about the Bay Area.

She has been affiliated with Marcus & Millichap companies since 1988, when she started out as a research analyst. She's been with SummerHill Homes since 2008, overseeing award-winning projects in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

Breeze also brings her interest in history and architecture to her professional life, serving as a board member of the San Mateo County Historical Association.

Cresa Managing Principal Christina Clark +

Photo: Courtesy of Christina Clark

Christina Clark has spent the past 20 years in the commercial real estate industry, getting her start working in architecture and design.

Now, she serves as a senior adviser at Cresa, representing occupiers with global real estate portfolios. Her clients include Twitter, New Relic and Headspace, while past clients include Facebook, Tibco and Airbnb.

In her spare time, she donates her time and talent to children's causes, including Bay Area Children's Theatre, Edgewood Center for Children and Families and, previously, Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

CBRE Executive Managing Director and Global Lead Georgia Collins +

Photo: Courtesy of Tag Worldwide

Georgia Collins doesn’t like to settle for what everyone else is doing. She’s developed a thirst for knowledge throughout her career, and she isn’t happy with accepting the easy answers.

Collins rejects the status quo or the idea of rehashing the same conversations. She prides herself on her ability to ask questions, challenge assumptions, seek out what’s new, and formulate a well-informed and distinct point of view about her work.

Collins hopes to have a greater impact on the world as her career continues and recognizes the value of diversity, advocating for a broader range of voices within the CRE industry.

Cushman & Wakefield Managing Principal Cori English +

Photo: Courtesy of Cori English

Cori English knows being first can make a difference. When asked why she believes she was recognized as a trailblazer for women in CRE, the answer is simple.

“I am one of the first women at one of the top global commercial real estate services firms to run a region for advisory and brokerage services in Northern California/Greater Bay Area,” she said.

English also recognizes the value in mentorship and credits her current success to her experiences at Cushman & Wakefield. English notes her experiences within a training program at Cushman & Wakefield, values the training it provided, and became determined to craft a similar program in order to better support associates and senior associates with the company.

Avison Young Principal of Agency Leasing Kelly Glass +

Photo: Courtesy of Avison Young

Kelly Glass doesn’t try to sugarcoat the fact that CRE is still very heavily dominated by men, but she takes pride in the steps her company is taking to alleviate this issue since assuming her position in 2017 and is grateful to be considered a trailblazer in CRE.

Glass was the first female principal/broker in the Western Region when joining Avison Young in 2017, and takes pride in knowing that is no longer the case, surrounded by accomplished women across all service lines. Glass knows that brokerage is still extremely male-dominated, but is proud to be the lead agency broker for six buildings within San Francisco.

When not working, Glass loves traveling, or at least planning to travel, looking forward to making up for lost time amid the hectic schedule of motherhood.

Newmark Vice Chairman, Co-Lead of Technology and Innovation Practice Group Liz Hart +

Photo: Courtesy of Newmark

Liz Hart is proud to be considered a CRE trailblazer and hopes that the industry can continue to grow.

Hart also hopes to be able to create more opportunities for diverse candidates across commercial real estate. Hart credits her decision to join Newmark with the bevy of independent and passionate women brokers that she would have the opportunity to work alongside.

She has since been on a 17-year pursuit to bring a more inclusive and community-minded outlook to the real estate industry, which she says has never been more critical from a collective point of view.

When looking to the future, Hart knows there’s still a lot of work to be done and is more than up to the challenge.

“There is still so much to do!" Hart said. "Given the young age I started in the real estate industry, I anticipate having 30 more years to continue to build Newmark with my colleagues and to best serve our client’s needs. I hope to navigate uncertain times with confidence and grace and remember with humility the privilege we have to be in this industry when times are good.”

Oxford Properties Group Vice President - Head of Development for West Coast Ground-Up Development Lauren Krause +

Photo: Courtesy of Lauren Krause

Lauren Krause doesn’t hide the fact that CRE is a complicated industry, and its professionals are expected to carry a lot of water — both in terms of sheer information, and while serving as leaders and setting an example.

Krause wears the title of “trailblazer” with honor, understanding that women within the industry are often required to wear multiple hats — understanding the nuances around things like cap rates, MEP systems and zoning, while also being expected to lead and empower others.

Krause recognizes that while she enjoys the design process behind development and design, team building is ultimately far more rewarding, prioritizing relationships and dedicating time to building true connections, while fostering mentorship to those around her.

AEI Consultants CEO, Property Consulting Holly Neber +

Photo: Courtesy of Nightingale Photos

Holly Neber knows that climate change will impact the landscape of commercial real estate. As CEO of AEI Consultants, Neber recognizes that the industry has yet to come to any kind of standard when it comes to assessing the ultimate risks for climate change, and that is something she hopes to change.

Neber serves as chair for the American Society for Tests and Materials Task Group, which works to develop a baseline assessment standard for climate change and natural hazard risk and reliance for commercial real estate, which Neber says are essential for property risk management.

When not dealing with long-term implications of climate change on CRE, Neber likes to spend time outdoors at the beach or “in the trees.” The outdoors are a part of her upbringing.

“I've lived in some unconventional homes: in a teepee as a kid in the Ozarks, on a sailboat in Alameda and an RV on the beach in Baja in my 30s.”

Beacon Capital Partners Senior Vice President, Asset Management Andrea Reeder +

Photo: Courtesy of Beacon Capital

Andrea Reeder doesn’t know if she considers herself a trailblazer and she takes a humble approach to her many successes within CRE.

She recognizes that there have been many working women and mothers that have paved the way for people like her, but posits that her nominator sees the value in her tenacity and direct approach, along with her career ascension to blazing a trail for more individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Reeder has spent her career hoping to raise awareness and speak loudly on the issues facing women within the CRE workplace, and hopes to continue doing so to help her peers navigate the industry’s past of sexism, nepotism and favoritism, while working to improve conditions for future generations.

Introba Chief Sustainability Officer/Director of ESG Megan White +

Photo: Courtesy of Integral Group

Megan White, chief sustainability officer and director of ESG at Introba, knows her 15 years of experience in CRE is an asset to the sustainability efforts of the future.

White is known within the real estate industry as a process author, systems thinker and igniter. White works with clients that are on the forefront of innovation, helping them implement ESG commitments.

And White has the credentials to back it up, leading countless projects targeting LEED certification across her storied career, which includes over 25M SF of projects with LEED certification, 4M SF with Living Building Challenge certifications and over 2M SF pursuing a WELL certification.

Bay Area Power Women Paving The Way For Those Who Come Next

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