What has been your biggest challenge or obstacle as a women in your particular role? In an industry where a majority of producers and leaders are male, my biggest challenge hasn't had anything to do with gender. The challenge is achieving sales and marketing alignment. In many commercial real estate organizations and traditional companies in general, the marketing team may be viewed as a cost center rather than a value producer. I believe you don't have to be a "make it pretty" marketing team. We consistently show our leadership the value of the marketing dollar. We urge them to consider strategies based on target audiences, brand values, and campaign goals. At some companies, there may be some resistance at first, but in time as leads come in, deals are made then trust is built. I try to teach the marketers who work with me to do the same. By working together with our brokers, our team has achieved far greater success for our company and our clients.

Where would you say commercial real estate needs to improve for women? Accountability is the key word. Over the course of my career, I have seen discrimination. It is less common today than it was 10 years ago, but it still happens. In some cases, these situations involve a top producer or important client who is not held accountable for their behavior. Where commercial real estate needs to improve is to assure each person is held accountable for his or her actions. I believe that accountability lies as much with peers as it does with leadership. It's important that real estate professionals stand up for each other, regardless of gender. How can women better position themselves for success both in general and in your specific area of focus? It's not about being a woman. It's about being smart, savvy, understanding your role, and getting the job done efficiently and effectively. It's about being creative and hard-working and thinking outside the box.