Innovate 2025: Women's Leadership Edition Event

Keynote Speakers:

Cindy Clare, CPM,Chief Operating Officer at Bell Partners

Cindy Clare, CPM, is Chief Operating Officer at Bell Partners in Greensboro, NC. As COO, Ms. Clare oversees the operations of 90,000 apartment homes in 300 apartment communities across the nation. She is responsible for all aspects of property operations and maintenance, lease-ups, relationships with third-party owners, Learning and Development and Marketing.

Ms. Clare has served as President of the IREM Northern Virginia Chapter, as well as Regional Vice President for IREM’s Region III. She is currently a national faculty member at IREM. She is a Past President of AOBA, and in 2017, Ms. Clare was Chairman of the National Apartment Association.

Ms. Clare received her degree from the University of Virginia. She has over 35 years’ experience in the multifamily industry and was honored in 2015 as one of the “10 Most Influential Women in Real Estate” by Multi-Family Executive. In 2022, Ms. Clare was inducted into the National Apartment Association’s Hall of Fame.

Alexandra S. Jackiw, CPM®, CAPS, C3P

Hayes Gibson Property Services, LLC Chief Operating Officer

Alexandra (Alex) is the Chief Operating Officer at HGPS and in that capacity, she manages and oversees all corporate and property operations for a diverse portfolio of 100+ assets in a tenstate area. Active in professional organizations, Alex served as Chairman of the Board of the National Apartment Association (NAA) in 2013 and President of the NAA Education Institute in 2008 and 2009. She is a respected industry speaker and has presented programs to industry trade groups throughout the U.S. and Canada. Alex has also served as an adjunct professor in the Residential Property Management program at both Virginia Tech and Ball State University. In 2013, Alex established the Alexandra Jackiw Diversity & Inclusion Scholarship to increase diversity and inclusion within the multifamily property management industry. Alex received the NAAEI Apartment Career and Education (ACE) Award in 2011 in recognition of her commitment to training industry professionals. In 2012 Real Estate Forum Magazine named Alex a “Woman of Influence in Real Estate” and in 2013 the Institute of Real Estate Management named her as one of the “Women Changing the Face of Property Management.” She was honored in 2015 as a “Woman of Influence” by the Indianapolis Business Journal and she was inducted into National Apartment Association Hall of Fame in 2018. Alex is a graduate of the University of Rochester and received her M. Ed. from Ohio University.

Ronda Puryear, CAM, CPM, President, Landmark Property Services

Ronda Puryear, CAM, CPM, of Landmark Property Services, is the 2024 National Apartment Association (NAA) Immediate Past Chair.

For more than 30 years, Puryear has served across the rental housing industry and has extensive experience in property management, marketing, and development. As President of Landmark Property Services, which has been in business for more than 25 years, she oversees multifamily operations.

She has been involved with NAA for more than 20 years, having served as a Regional Vice President, a member of the Governance Committee and Chair of both the Student Housing and Apartmentalize Committees. In 2020, Ronda served as the President of the National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI).

She also served two terms as Chair of the Virginia Apartment Management Association. Further, Puryear is a past member of the Blue Ridge Apartment Association Board of Directors, where she also served two years as Chair. She currently serves as a member of the Virginia Tech Property Management Advisory Board, where she was Chair in 2019 and 2020.

Panelist:

Breaking Barriers - enjoy a dynamic conversation with leading women in multi-family property management about trends and opportunities for women leading the future of the industry

Kubie Edelen-Davis, Director of Residential Management at Quest Management Group, LLC

 Kubie Edelen-Davis brings over 20 years of leadership to the management of 6,000+ units in the D.C. Metro and Baltimore areas. Her strategic approach, honed through extensive experience in commercial, retail, and multi-family residential communities, consistently delivers results: increased occupancy, enhanced resident retention, and optimized property value. Known for her unwavering commitment to excellence, Kubie holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from California State University, San Bernardino, and dedicates her free time to mentoring, writing, and professional singing

Keisha began her career in Property Management with AIMCO as the Director of Marketing Operations for 2,907 apartment homes. In 2000, she joined Home Properties and held several positions including Director of Marketing in the Washington, DC area and Regional Manager for 14 years. In 2016, she was promoted to Area Vice President until the company was sold in 2019. In 2019, she joined Edgewood & Vantage Management as the Vice President of Operations. Keisha has been an active member of the The Maryland Multi-Housing Association for many years and was the President of the Board in 2015. She attended the University of Maryland at College Park, studying Business Administration. Keisha is also a Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor, accredited through the National Apartment Association.