45 Women Leaders In D.C. CRE To Be Honored Next Week
The D.C. commercial real estate landscape has shifted dramatically over the last year as a new administration leaves its imprint on the region's economy, putting industry leaders in the position of navigating their companies through choppy waters.
Dozens of those leaders will be honored next week at Bisnow's DMV 2025 Women Leading Real Estate Awards and Happy Hour event. The event on Nov. 18 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel will be the fourth annual awards ceremony honoring the top women in D.C.'s commercial real estate industry.
Women have continued to make incremental gains in representation across the industry despite companies this year facing political pushback for promoting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Bisnow's annual analysis this year found that across the 100 largest CRE companies, women hold 27.5% of C-suite jobs and 32.9% of board seats, up from 27.3% and 31.8% last year.
In the D.C. region, women hold leadership roles at major companies across all CRE sectors.
This year's 45 honorees were broken down into six categories based on their sector: Excellence in Ownership, Development and Operations, Excellence in Law and Accounting, Excellence in Construction and Engineering, Excellence in Architecture and Interiors, Best in Brokerage, and Rising Stars.
The winners for each category will be announced at the event, which will also feature a panel of women discussing their outlook for D.C. commercial real estate.
The winners will be selected by a three-member nominations committee: BlackChamber Group Chief Financial Officer Samantha Giunta, JLL Vice President Ella Adkins and Berkadia Managing Director Yalda Ghamarian Howell.
"As a member of the nominations committee for the Women Leading Real Estate series, I am thrilled to be part of an initiative that celebrates the remarkable achievements of women across various sectors of our industry," Ghamarian Howell said in a statement. "This event not only highlights the exceptional leadership and innovation demonstrated by women in in real estate but also inspires future generations."
This year's honorees are listed below by category.
Excellence In Ownership, Development And Operations
Amy Groff, chief operating officer at National Apartment Association
Dana Henson, vice president at The Henson Development Co.
Deborah Ratner Salzberg, partner at Uplands Real Estate Partners
Jennifer Tatum, vice president of capital markets and leasing at Skanska
Jodie McLean, CEO of Edens
Ruth Hoang, senior vice president of development at Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners
Samantha Mazo, vice president of entitlements for the East region at Prologis
Vicki Davis, president at Urban Atlantic
Excellence In Law And Accounting
Amy Serafino, principal at Friedlander Misler
Erin Blanding, partner at CohnReznick
Jackie Williamowsky, partner at Potkin, Williamowsky & Pillay
Jennifer Castrillon, general counsel at Skanska
Justine Fitzgerald, Tysons office managing partner at Hirschler Law
Kathryn Taylor, associate of land use and zoning at Walsh, Colucci
Kirsten Andrews Woelper, general counsel at The Bozzuto Group
Excellence In Construction And Engineering
Ashley Hayes, vice president at Southland Industries
Christina Lewis, associate principal at Langan
Jodi Paci, business development manager at DPR Construction
Kim Roy, CEO at HITT
Sherry Kissal, partner at Coakley Williams Construction
Tisa Clark, founder and CEO at The JD Clark Cos.
Shannon Mangiameli, leader of design and construction at Amazon
Excellence In Architecture And Interiors
Claudia Scozia, principal at Scale Architecture
Daniela Urazan, architectural designer at Van Metre
Joely Fischi, architect at Dwell Design Studio
Lisa Dorsey, principal at Interplan
Marnique Heath, principal and board chair at Studios Architecture
Melissa Hendrix, senior principal at Shalom Baranes Associates
Sarah Gabriel, partner at Washington Workplace
Rashmi Mehadia, associate principal at RDC
Best In Brokerage
Allison DiGiovanni, executive vice president and mid-Atlantic market leader at Newmark
Ani Paulson, senior vice president at Northmarq
Cathy Delcoco, vice chairman at CBRE
Kelly Crough, vice president at DSC Partners
Kyle Schoppmann, mid-Atlantic president at CBRE
Skylar Jones, leasing representative at Kimco
Victoria Abbasi, vice president at Colliers
Rising Stars
Anslee Krouch, senior associate at JLL
Arezou Wilson, development associate at Urban Atlantic
Emily Alexander, development manager at Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners
Hazel Mendoza, assistant superintendent at Coakley Williams Construction
Julianna Falzon, project manager at Southland Industries
Kristyn Dawson, branch manager at Community Title Network
Melanie Sunnerberg, investment associate at Saul Urban
Rachel Kenney, associate principal at Studios Architecture
