Linda Padilla-Smyth
Linda Padilla-Smyth is the Director of Real Estate and Property Management for
Chapman University. She provides leadership in increasingly complex management and
operation of University residential homes and commercial tenant leased properties in and
out of state, oversee real estate portfolio consist of office buildings, apartments,
condominiums, duplexes, bare lots, ground leases, educational use, easement
agreements (local and outside California). Linda manages Chapman University Real
Estate portfolio and ongoing requirements including transaction management, facilities
management, and corporate services.
In total, real estate and property management oversee 170 properties. She leads their
workforce housing program in academic village in Old Town Orange. She oversees the
Faculty/Staff Rental Program of meticulously restored homes that reflect their own unique
character. She has assisted Chapman University with the structuring, initiating
negotiation, due diligence, purchased and closing over $80 million dollars of real property.
She works closely with University Advancement to analyze, provide opinions, values,
conducts due diligence, and liquidates real estate assets gift to the University by donors.
She serves in a key leadership role at the University interacting with staff, faculty,
President, Provost, senior leadership, and trustees in various capacities. She collaborate
on campus wide initiatives such as the Diversity and Inclusion Plan, the Chapman
Experience, and the I’m In Campaign. She is Executive Board Member on the Chapman
University LatinX Staff and Faculty Forum which promotes aims to provide support to
LatinX students, staff and faculty by developing connections and building a bridge
between students, parents, alumni, community organizations and the Chapman
community.
She has over 24 years of experience in land use, development, and real estate. Prior to
Chapman, the majority of her employment was in public sector working in redevelopment
agencies doing redevelopment, economic development, and housing. She has a law
degree from Western State University, College of Law. Her law degree has proven to be
an essential asset in acquisition and disposition of real property, personnel issues, and
compliance with state and federal requirements.
Outside Professional Organization
She the current President for CREW-Orange County Board and served as the former
Chair of the biggest signature event, SPIRE (Superior Performance in Real
Estate) Awards
Ceremony for the CREW-OC (Commercial Real Estate Women). The purpose of the
SPIRE Awards is to recognize and honor top industry performers during 2017 in their
respective market segment. these are the people who are making deals happen. The
event typically draw 300 people and is highly publicized in the OCBJ, Globe St, BizNow
and other industry publications as well and several social media channels. The 8
categories of awards are Women in Real Estate, Leasing, Sales, Lending, Building
Renovation New Construction, Tenant Improvement, and Philanthropy.
Linda sits on the Council of Academic Workforce Housing which is a coalition of
universities and colleges who provide housing for their workforce which consists of a
group of non-profits, foundations, and University departments. The coalition manages
affordable housing programs for employees of the University. The Council is a forum
for education, networking, and sharing best practices in Workforce Housing.
She is a current board member for McCoy Rigby Conservatory of the Arts.
She was formerly a board member on the La Habra Chamber of Commerce.
As part of the CREW-Orange County, Linda has donated to Wiseplace and participated in the Summer Part to raise funds for Wiseplace. Wiseplace transforms the lives of approximately 90 women each year, by providing safe, affordable transitional housing, healthy meals, financial-empowerment curriculum and employment assistance, to help women move from homelessness and hopelessness to self-reliance. Case managers provide personalized counseling to help each woman overcome issues that led to unemployment and homelessness. Further, Linda donates to the CREW Network Foundation annually.
Linda has supported the McCoy Rigby Conservatory of the Arts No Limits Program giving children with special needs a place to learn performance skills and have an education in the arts by donating generously at the annual gala. She encourages others to attend the gala in order to raise awareness for children with special needs having an outlet to be kid.
She has supported the LatinX Programs at Chapman University with include: World Café, LatinX Graduation, LatinX Student and Staff Programs. Linda’s passion is to pass on to
the younger generation what has been given to her. She is passionate about advocacy for Latino’s in higher education.
In 2006 and 2007, Linda served as Chair of the Computer Genius Program for Hope Worldwide in which low income eighth grader completed an 8 week training in the summer of various computer programs taught by volunteers and the end took home their own personal computers donated from Ingram Micro.
Linda is an active member of the Orange County Church of Christ for over 25 years where she has donated time, money, and hard work for various programs and needs for people within the church and outside the community.
Chapman University
Director of Real Estate