Houston's Power Women Make Change While Navigating Shifting Ground

Recognized as the nation’s top commercial real estate influencer by LinkedIn and multiple industry associations and known for her commitment to mentoring other women, ARVO Realty Advisors Associate Director Tiffany Ryland aims to make an impact.

“Knowing that I have inspired, encouraged and influenced my peers and partners means a great deal,” said Ryland, who has been with ARVO for six years after stints as an international trade analyst for Georgia Pacific and as an Atlanta Hawks cheerleader. “This industry can be tough and every once in a while, we all need a reminder that we are not alone and we all have the ability to be wildly successful.”

Ryland looks forward to continuing making a difference in the industry, building ARVO, providing career opportunities to others and making meaningful strides with diversity and inclusion. When she is away from work, she keeps active with family and friends, biking, attending fairs, traveling internationally or to a rustic cabin, and boating. She has a bit of an acting background as well, appearing in the film Flight with Denzel Washington.

Sugar Land Director of Economic Development Elizabeth Huff believes a power woman is “someone who is determined to reach her goals and who is open-minded to new ideas and ways of conducting business.” That’s the approach she has taken in steering her city’s economic development strategy and annual business plan, overseeing its Primary Employment, Public Private Partnerships, Cultural Arts and Visit Sugar Land divisions, and coordinating with local and regional partners. 

With 10 years in the economic development field, Huff is proudest of her work last year, leading and implementing the award-winning #AllInForSLTX initiative, which focused on helping local businesses recover from the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. Looking to the future, she hopes to facilitate and support the launch of an integrated mixed-use development at a Sugar Land historic site, underlining the city’s novel approach to development.

Outside of work, Huff enjoys spending time with friends and family, enjoying the outdoors, traveling and exploring new local businesses. She especially enjoys trying new culinary experiences and cheering on the Louisiana State University Tigers.

A self-confessed former shy person, Huff has learned to increase her comfort zone by connecting with people: “I love learning people’s stories and about companies and how they operate. There are so many neat industries and companies out there that make everyday products that most people have no clue about.

As property manager for Granite Properties, Natali Juarbe has taken on two of the company’s most challenging properties, become the point person for all Covid-19-related matters and been recognized with honors from the company’s own Exceeding Expectations Award and the Houston Building Owners & Managers Association’s Young Professional of the Year, both in 2017, to this year’s REDNews Property Manager of the Year.

Colleagues laud Juarbe’s ability to get things done, including managing more than 800K SF of Class-A office in the Greenway Plaza. For her part, Juarbe says it is all about building relationships, influencing others and affecting change. 

“All women are power women in some shape or form, whether it’s at home or work and if we lean into that, the sky is the limit,” she said, adding it isn’t about commanding the room or being large and in charge. “I love the quote that says ‘Build a team so strong you don’t know who the boss is.’” 

Most recently, Juarbe is making change and pushing the industry forward as a board member for Houston BOMA. Away from the office, she enjoys exploring new cultures and gaining new perspectives through travel.

Taking risks and finding opportunities others might not see has been key to Cushman & Wakefield Executive Managing Director Morgan Relyea Colt’s success.

“You will often hear ‘no’; however, use that as momentum to push yourself and outwork those around you,” said Colt, who also serves as a global board member for the firm, on what sets “power women” apart. “Never get too high on a win or too low on a loss.”

Colt, who represents tenants in the acquisition and disposition of office space, has plenty of experience turning a no around, and one of her proudest accomplishments is landing the representation of a large law firm she had pursued for three years after being repeatedly told the law office had a longstanding relationship with a competing firm. As her career progresses, she looks forward to continuing to challenge herself and learning from more experienced professionals while giving back by mentoring newcomers.

Outside of work, Colt relished spending time with her husband Walker and small children, 3-year-old Collins and 1-year-old George, often at the beach or visiting family members’ ranch animals. Little-known facts about Colt include her Professional Association of Diving Instructors certification for scuba diving and her eight years as a competitive tennis player.

Bijal Patel, founder and creative director of interior design and graphics firm LAUNCH has a reputation as a change-maker with a knack for creating experience-rich, authentic spaces and graphics that reflect the company’s commercial real estate clients’ brand, strategy and end users. 

With awards from the International Interior Design Association, the  Houston Business Journal and J.D. Power & Associates behind her, Patel is passionate about women being a force in the industry, stressing being a power woman is about how one feels inside, with energy “that exudes out like a radiant light.” Patel counts successfully branding and coaching clients to $8M and $9M figures as her highest achievement and seeks to become a household name in the future, with a LAUNCH valuation of eight figures by 2025. 

Patel was a successful computer programmer for several years and got a start in branding before getting a master’s in interior design. “So I’m left and right brained,” she said. 

Patel’s nominators called her firm “entrepreneurial, positive, and tenacious with a dash of humor,” noting her clients include the likes of JLABS of Johnson & Johnson, Southwestern Energy, Central Houston, Trammell Crow, CBRE and Hines.

When Anna Deans, Midway’s vice president of investment and development, began managing the company’s transformative East River project, the pandemic was in full swing, pre-leasing momentum had come to a veritable halt and the project was at genuine risk of not moving forward.

But the woman who joined Midway as a senior development manager in 2018, bringing with her a strong background in architecture and mixed-use development from previous stints at Thor Equities and Gensler, led her team in switching gears. Together, they developed a new strategy to deliver the project, comprehensively re-underwriting the project and setting a new goal of starting construction one year later with a minimum of 30% pre-leased. 

“It is now just over one year later, and I am incredibly proud that our team has achieved over 35% pre-leasing and we have just broken ground on the project,” Deans said of the 150-acre East River project set to transform Houston’s waterfront east of Downtown into a new economic center. “To me being a ‘power woman’ means not backing down from a challenge and persevering no matter what hurdles you encounter along the way. It means identifying and setting lofty goals for yourself and others and working alongside your teammates to achieve those goals.”

Deans hopes East River will become a benchmark of what inclusive development can look like, admitting the company still has a way to go in earning the trust of the community and making sure it, too, shares in the success of the project. 

When not at work, Deans spends time with her two kids, playing soccer, working on her 100-year-old house, gardening and visiting family in Galveston.

Rima Soroka was born in the central Asian country of Kyrgyzstan and moved to the U.S. in 1989 with her family as refugees. Now the director of leasing at Parkway Properties, she has brokered massive deals in New York City and Houston, living what she says is the American dream. 

“This business will ebb and flow, and I’m in it for the long haul,” Soroka said of her work in commercial real estate. 

“I’m committed to this industry for the next [30-odd] years, and I plan for various achievements along the way. I’d like to continue to work on high-impact projects, close lots of deals, surround myself with smart and dynamic people, and most importantly, have fun.”

Soroka was previously first vice president of office leasing at CBRE’s Houston office, and before that, senior financial analyst with CBRE in New York City. She’s worked with landlords like Skanska, The Trump Organization and Kushner Cos., and has created $1.4B in value for clients. She graduated from the University of Texas in 2006, and has received multiple awards, including the 2020 Houston Business Journal Heavy Hitters award and the 2018 Connect Media’s Next Generation Award. She was also named the 2012 CBRE Rookie of the Year. 

CORRECTION, NOV. 18, 4:06 P.M. ET: This story has been updated to correct Soroka's title while at CBRE, the dollar figure she has created for clients and to reflect her work with Skanska.

Only about 9% of people working in construction are women. For Karsten Interior Services Logistics Manager Nora Casanova, the desire to impact women working in the industry led her to create Women in Construction on the Go, which helps women network and connect. 

“I have been extremely fortunate to be provided with the opportunity to exemplify and amplify the advancement of women and share best practices through a multitude of construction organizations such as the National Association of Women in Construction and Associated Builders and Contractors Ladies Operating Growth, amongst many others,” Casanova said.

“I relish the opportunity to one day become a subject matter expert and be an inspiration for more women to join this incredible industry.”

It’s that aspect of building others up that Casanova thinks makes a power woman. 

When not working, Casanova is still planning, spearheading social events and travel. Born in Mexico, she still likes to travel to another country once a year to gain new experiences. 

Transwestern Vice President Katy Gragg doesn’t think a power woman necessarily “does it all.” Instead, they see the importance in community and giving the people around them the motivation to work hard. 

Gragg helped launch Transwestern’s Business Analyst Program and other mentorship programs. 

“I’ve been the beneficiary of incredible, generous mentorship by women and men ahead of me, so it’s important to me to pay it forward,” Gragg said. “I hope that this work has made a difference in the industry by empowering the next generation of commercial real estate professionals and by broadening the diversity of the industry by helping more women enter and thrive in this fun business.”

When not at work, Gragg is passionate about golf and local restaurants.

After Hurricane Harvey hit the Gulf Coast, Amegy Bank Senior Vice President of Commercial Real Estate Lending Natalie Garza was proud to be able to drive around town, noting her part in recovery efforts. 

“The banking industry is continually evolving, and if I can create an environment that empowers my team to consistently serve our clients, I’ll be very proud,” Garza said.  

For Garza, being a woman leader means empowering others, being resilient in the face of challenges and knowing limitations. 

Garza cites a five-day backpacking trip through the Grand Canyon as one of the most challenging experiences of her life. While it was an incredible experience, she says, she doesn’t plan on doing it again.

Cadence McShane Construction Project Manager Simran Khurana began at the company as a project engineer after graduating from Northwestern University in 2017. Since then, she’s risen through the ranks to become assistant project manager, then project manager. 

Khurana created a program to train employees on scheduling and started the Women’s Leadership Initiative at Cadence McShane. 

“Having lived across four continents I have realized the importance of recognizing and integrating diversity within both my personal and professional life,” Khurana said.

To that end, she loves traveling and dance, including Bollywood dance.

Midway Vice President of Strategic Leasing and Advisory Lacee Jacobs feels like her passion and dedication for retail has paid off in her Power Woman recognition. 

Formerly of CBRE, Jacobs was brought on at Midway last year to help a newly created in-house retail leasing arm. Since then, she has leased several tenants in the East River development. She worked for Midway before, previously working as a marketing and sales associate as well as a leasing associate in the early 2010s. 

“Becoming an expert in retail was not the easiest or most lucrative path I could have chosen but it was certainly the path that was most exciting for me. I think my peers recognize that passion and commitment; I hope it is contagious,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs traveled for most of her childhood; her parents both served in the U.S. Army. When not working, she likes to visit beaches with her husband and 4-year-old daughter.

In her career, Colliers Chief Marketing Officer of Houston Brokerage Crissy Nolen is most proud of designing a lease management dashboard tool, which won the 2018 Colliers Influencer Award for Driving Business Efficiencies & Effectiveness. Thanks to the tool, clients can access lease information, documents and reports in a secure system. 

“I absolutely love what I do," Nolen said. "I love getting to help others, solve problems, lift others up, and know the work I do positively impacts our city."

A power woman, for Nolen, is a woman who others can look up to and who has integrity. It's also someone capable of pushing back. 

Nolen hopes to take a global position at Colliers once her daughters finish school so that she can travel the world. In the meantime, she hosts Bible study at her home and spends time with her family. In 2018, Nolen served as a surrogate mother for her sister. 

Known to her peers as a rising star and an inspiration to young designers, Gensler Project Architect, Associate Rebekah Gandy modestly calls herself a hardworking team player who finds inspiration in working to improve people's daily lives through thoughtful design.

Gandy received her master's in architecture from the University of Texas San Antonio and worked her way up over nearly 15 years, first as an intern for Fisker Heck Architects in San Antonio, then as an architectural tech at Overland Partners. That led to stints as an architect at Flad Architects in New York and Perkins&Will in Houston before landing at Gensler in 2019.

"Her passion for design is contagious, she is growing our life sciences practice area at lightning speed, leads our Diversity Equity and Inclusion committee, is a terrific mentor and juggles mom duty on top of everything else with grace and laughter," nominator Stephanie Burritt wrote.

Gandy is LEED AP certified and has volunteered for the Junior League.

High Street Residential Senior Vice President Yewande Fapohunda’s experience spans the country. Fapohunda started her career as an analyst at Goldman Sachs in New York City before transitioning into multifamily both in NYC and Washington, D.C. Over her career, she’s overseen high-end multifamily projects in Maryland, New Jersey and other states. 

“[In the future], I hope to have the fortune to do more of what I do now. More residential communities in urban and suburban Houston. More mixed-use communities that lead to smart growth,” Fapohunda said.

Fapohunda says her goal is to leave every site better than she found it. She graduated in 2011 from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government with a master's in public policy and from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor's in economics in 2005.

HOK Director of Interiors Amy English thinks engaging the commercial real estate community when networking is important. Because of that, she has served in a number of board or committee roles over the years, including her current post as president of CoreNet’s Houston chapter. 

“Continuing to elevate my contribution to design and real estate, as well as serve as a mentor to younger generations, is of utmost importance to me in my career growth,” English said.

English thinks confidence measured with humility are traits for a power woman, and she says she is honored to be recognized among other Houston women. 

English admits she doesn’t always get to relax around her work schedule, but when she can, she likes cooking and traveling.

 SVN-J. Beard Real Estate in Greater Houston Associate Advisor Sobi Qazi counts leasing office space at Midway’s East River among her proudest recent accomplishments. 

“I define a “power woman” as someone who is confident, ambitious, a doer and an independent woman,” Qazi said. “She puts no limit to what she wants to accomplish. I think my peers see these qualities in me with my experience as a businesswoman and in the real estate industry.”

SVN-J. Beard Real Estate is a new merger between Limestone Commercial Real Estate and J. Beard Real Estate Co. Qazi hopes to have more international deals as part of this merger. 

Qazi had an atypical path into real estate. For 15 years, she worked as a wedding and event planner. When she helped a pair of clients buy their home, it led her to commercial real estate. She loves to try new restaurants, supporting small businesses in the process.

Laura Denkler manages all industrial development efforts for the Hines Southwest region and has overseen the development of millions of square feet of industrial space in Texas markets, all while not yet having celebrated her 40th birthday.

A seven-year veteran at Hines, who worked her way up from associate, Denkler's previous experience includes a two-and-a-half-year stint as an investment banking analyst at FBR Capital Markets & Co. 

Over Denkler's tenure with Hines, she has been directly involved with the acquisition, development, financing, leasing and disposition of almost 14M SF of industrial space totaling more than $1B. While nearly 4M SF of that comes from industrial acquisitions, she's also been an active player in the development and leasing of spec buildings, build-to-suits and design builds.

Vigavi Realty principal Christen Vestal has been working since 2005, but she still feels like she has only just started her career. Vestal says she is one of the only female industrial developers in Houston, and she hopes to complete the 1M SF in the works for next year. 

Being a woman in a sea of male industrial developers gives her a unique position in the market, she says, and it took time and work to gain trust. 

“The brokers in our industry have been a huge contributor to my success and I would not be where I am without the opportunities they have provided me,” Vestal said.

For Vestal, being recognized as an influence in the industry means that she works hard, is consistent and does not let circumstances control her.

Radom Capital Director of Leasing Sarah Starry has one phrase in mind for the meaning of power woman: “Empowered women empower women.” She credits her female friends in the industry for becoming a support system. 

At Radom Capital’s M-K-T Heights development, she worked with organization Fresh Arts and facilitated art installations around the space.

“I smile every time I see someone interact with one of the pieces or share a snapshot on social media," Starry said. "This type of community engagement helps distinguish a project while simultaneously bolster[ing] local talent."

Starry has a personal interest in multifamily and hospitality. Her accomplishments include a bed and breakfast, Starry’s Studio, in her hometown of Fredericksburg, as well as the birth of her first baby in June.