Presenters
Mel Black
Mel Black has been a real estate appraiser since 1991 and currently holds a Certified Residential appraiser license in North Carolina. His teaching style is an engaging combination of wit, expertise, and student discovery. Mel specializes in USPAP and case law classes. Mel is an attorney and former Executive Director of the NC Appraisal Board.
Kathy Carpenter
With 38 years of residential real estate experience, Kathy Carpenter is a respected leader in the Greensboro community and beyond. She holds key designations, including CRS, C2EX, SRES, and ABR, and is a graduate of the NC REALTORS® Leadership Academy. Kathy has been honored as GRRA REALTOR® of the Year, received the GRRA Ronald J. Smith President’s Award twice, and was the 2020 NCR Region 5 Service Award recipient.
Her leadership roles include serving as GRRA President (2006 & 2019), Chair of Triad MLS (2022), and on the Board of Directors for Affordable Housing Management, Inc. since 2008. At the state and national levels, she has chaired the NC REALTORS® Annual Convention and contributed to committees for the North Carolina and National Associations of REALTORS®.
Kathy’s long-standing dedication to the industry and her community makes her a trusted and influential figure in real estate.
Gloria Chan Packer
Speaker
Recalibrate
Gloria is an international mental health and wellness speaker, TED Editor’s Pick speaker, and founder of Recalibrate, a workplace mental wellness company helping organizations build healthier, more sustainable approaches to work and leadership. Through Recalibrate’s modern, science-backed approach to mental wellness education, Gloria has supported more than 30,000 employees worldwide.
Her TED Editor’s Pick TED Talk became one of TED’s most-viewed talks of 2022, earning more than 5 million views across TED’s platforms. Gloria has spoken for organizations including Bank of America, Microsoft, Meta, Chevron, and Whole Foods Market, and has shared stages with leading voices such as Brené Brown, Esther Perel, and Dr. Becky Kennedy.
Before founding Recalibrate in 2018, Gloria worked in management consulting, leading technology strategy initiatives for Fortune 500 companies. Following a personal experience with burnout and a major medical battle, she shifted her focus toward helping professionals approach mental wellness with practical, realistic, and research-driven strategies.
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Marcella Coley
Appraiser | Broker | REALTOR®
Coley Appraisal Company
Marcella D. Coley is a North Carolina appraiser and broker with more than 30 years of experience in the real estate and appraisal professions. She holds two designations from the Appraisal Institute, SRA and AI-RRS, as well as two NAR credentials, AHWD and C2EX.
Marcella has been actively involved with the REALTOR® organization at the local, state, and national levels. She currently serves on the NC REALTORS® Appraisal Committee and Professional Standards Committee, and is a Region 6 RPAC Trustee. She is a Sterling R® and President’s Circle RPAC investor.
At the national level, Marcella serves on NAR’s Multiple Listing Issues & Policy Committee. She is also an NC Speaker appointee to the North Carolina Appraisal Board.
Her previous leadership roles include MLS President of HCAR and Chair of the NCR Appraisal Section.
With experience working across the appraisal, brokerage, REALTOR®, MLS, and regulatory sides of the industry, Marcella brings a broad perspective to issues affecting real estate professionals and the valuation profession.
Abbie Currens
Senior Business Recruitment Manager
Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC)
Abbie Currens is a Senior Business Recruitment Manager with the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC), where she recruits companies to establish operations in the state, creating jobs for North Carolinians. Based in Raleigh, she manages projects across all industries, sizes and geographies. Her work has contributed to wins representing 18,729 projected new jobs and $5.99 billion in capital investment in the state. Prior to joining EDPNC, Abbie was a technology consultant at Ernst & Young, advising financial services firms on technology and business challenges. An NC State University graduate, she is passionate about helping companies discover the opportunities and resources available to grow and invest in North Carolina.
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Christine Roz Davis
Strategic Marketing Professional | Owner
What’s Up Wilmington
Christine Davis is a corporate marketing strategist and founder of What’s Up Wilmington, Wilmington’s go-to social media platform for discovering the people, places, and experiences that make the community unique. With more than 15 years of corporate marketing experience, Christine brings a strategic, data-driven approach to building brands and connecting with audiences.
Through What’s Up Wilmington, she has grown a highly engaged audience and developed partnerships with businesses, organizations, and destinations across the region. Christine combines her corporate marketing expertise with real-world experience as a creator to help brands and real estate professionals understand how to leverage social media to build credibility, grow their audience, and turn online engagement into meaningful connections.
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Jon Fletcher
Broker/REALTOR®/CRS®
RE/MAX United
Jon Fletcher is a REALTOR® with RE/MAX United, serving the Triangle area of North Carolina. He is an active leader in the REALTOR® organization, having served in numerous local and state leadership roles, including President of the Durham Regional Association of REALTORS®, Region 4 Vice President, and currently Chair of the NC REALTORS® Residential Forms Committee and the DRAR New Member Orientation Committee. Jon is passionate about professionalism, education, and helping fellow REALTORS® succeed.
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Peter Gallo
Peter Gallo is a broker associate with Premier Sotheby’s International Realty and a certified residential appraiser in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and New York. He founded HomeSight Appraisal, which grew into Charlotte’s largest residential appraisal firm, and has extensive experience valuing luxury, historic, and complex residential properties. Peter has held leadership roles with the National Association of REALTORS®, NC REALTORS®, and Canopy REALTOR® Association, including chairing NAR’s Real Property Valuation Committee and Forum.
Craig Grant
CEO
The Real Estate Technology Institute
As the lead Subject Matter Expert (SME) of NAR’s upcoming rebuild of ePro, 2023 RIS Media Newsmaker as an Industry Futurist, over 150 in-person & virtual speaking engagements around the world each year, including sessions for NAR, several state conventions, franchises, CRS, & other key industry events, Craig Grant is considered one of the most sought-after technology, marketing & cybersecurity speakers around.
Whether it be at an industry event, in the classroom, or online via Zoom or the RETI.us portal, one thing that fuels Craig is to help today’s real estate professionals embrace and get over their fear of technology so that it can work for them and not against them.
As his motto, “Advanced Real Estate Technology & Marketing Instructed at a Pre-K Level” states, Craig is able to take extremely complicated topics & present them in a way that the average non-technical person not only understands but is able to apply & improve their business.
In addition to being the CEO of the Real Estate Technology Institute and RETI.us, the Real Estate Industry’s Home for Online Technology Education, Craig Grant is an avid sports fan & music lover who can be found watching and/or participating in events and concerts with friends.
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Tony Harrington
Tony Harrington brings more than 30+ years of real estate experience and industry leadership to the REALTOR® community. He served as 2020 President of Cape Fear REALTORS® and 2024 President of NC REALTORS®, providing leadership and advocacy at both the local and state levels.
A strong advocate for the real estate profession, Tony is a RPAC Platinum President’s Circle and Hall of Fame Investor and has been actively engaged in real estate at the local, state, national, and global levels, giving him a broad perspective on the issues, opportunities, and challenges impacting REALTORS® and the future of the profession.
As Managing Broker of Corcoran HM Properties, Tony continues to focus on strengthening the profession, supporting REALTORS®, and advancing the industry through leadership, collaboration, advocacy, and market-driven experience.
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Brenda Hayden
NC REALTORS® 2026 President
BDH Realty Advisors / Keller Williams
Brenda Hayden serves as the 2026 President of NC REALTORS®, bringing decades of experience and a deep commitment to the real estate profession. Throughout her career, Brenda has been a champion for fair housing, professionalism, and innovation, working tirelessly to enhance opportunities for REALTORS® and the communities they serve.
Her leadership journey includes significant contributions at the local, state, and national levels. Within Canopy REALTOR® Association, Brenda was honored as the 2022 REALTOR® of the Year and served as the 2019 President of the Association, MLS, and Housing Opportunity Foundation. She has also led initiatives to expand housing opportunities, earning recognition as the 2017 Housing Opportunity Foundation Chairperson of the Year.
At NC REALTORS®, Brenda has been a dedicated leader, serving on the Executive Committee, as Regional Vice President, and on key committees focused on advocacy and industry advancement. Her national contributions include serving as a Director for the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), participating in the Leading Edge Advisory Committee, and advocating for critical housing policies on various NAR committees.
Joshua Hearst
Joshua Hearst is a proud North Carolina native from Jacksonville who has also lived and/or worked in Greenville, Chapel Hill, Winston-Salem, and Sneads Ferry. After a decade away, he returned to his hometown in late 2019. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Hospitality Management from East Carolina University and brings years of client-focused, cross-functional management experience—including but not limited to, a strong background in real estate. He is a 2024 graduate of the William C. Bass NCR Leadership Academy.
In addition to his work as an NC Realtor, Joshua serves as vice chair of the North Carolina Realtors® Young Professionals Network (YPN) committee, chair of Jacksonville’s YPN committee, and sits on the boards of the Jacksonville Board of Realtors®, the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, and Aspire: Reaching Beyond the Obvious, a children’s mentorship nonprofit. He also volunteers as a youth football coach & on the Chamber’s Business Diversity Counsil.
When he isn’t working or serving the community, Joshua enjoys self-development and exploring the deeper meaning behind life’s big questions.
Brandon Johnson
Brandon Johnson is a high-energy speaker, real estate leader, and growth strategist who helps agents, brokers, and owners build thriving businesses through smart marketing, leadership, and recruiting. Known for his humorous storytelling and engaging presence, he inspires audiences with actionable strategies that lead to big results.
Since earning his real estate license in 2013, Brandon and his wife, Abby, have grown their brokerage from a single location to six offices, generating over $5.6 million in GCI and earning a spot on the Inc. 5000 list. As CEO of the #1 Coldwell Banker affiliate in Minnesota, his leadership is driven by a mission to “Impact Lives Through Real Estate.”
Brandon has spoken at events like TriplePlay, Florida Realtors, and Coldwell Banker Leadership Summit. A former local association president and NAR committee member, he brings real-world insights on growth, leadership, and navigating the evolving real estate landscape. When he’s not on stage or leading his company, he enjoys making memories on the lake with his wife and four children.
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Katherine Kirchner
Education Director and Lead Instructor
That’s My Instructor
Katherine Kirchner is a dedicated real estate educator with roots across North Carolina that stretch back to 1985, when she first moved to Wilmington. Beginning as a high school English teacher, Katherine transitioned to real estate in 2015 and, shortly thereafter, briefly joined the North Carolina Real Estate Commission to redesign and deliver the 12-hour Broker-In-Charge course. From there, Katherine began writing electives for other states while teaching Pre- and Post-licensing classes, before starting her own school, That’s My Instructor, in 2023. Since that time, she has been teaching virtually, and crossing the state to bring Updates, REALTORS’ courses, and her own exclusive North Carolina Electives to the brokers who need them. Now, she is excited to bring that expertise back to her first hometown in North Carolina.
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Sheila Knight
Consultant
SK Strategies, LLC
Sheila Knight is a commercial real estate and economic development professional with more than 30 years of experience. After owning successful residential and commercial brokerage firms, she served as Economic Developer for Jacksonville and Onslow County for a decade. She is the founder of SK Strategies LLC, specializing in economic development and commercial real estate consulting across North Carolina.
Sheila serves on the Board of Directors for the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, where she chairs the Advocacy Committee, and has held numerous leadership roles within the REALTOR® organization. She is also a North Carolina Real Estate Commission-approved instructor and teaches her self-authored course, The Impact of Economic Development.
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Vic Knight
Vic Knight is an NC Certified General Appraiser, issued on December 22, 2009, with his previous Certified Residential Appraisal License issued on July 10, 1992. Vic was the 2005 Past-President of the NC Association of REALTORS®, the founding chair of the NCAR Appraisal Section, a Past-Chair of the National Association of REALTORS® Appraisal Committee, and a previous member of the Board of Trustees of The Appraisal Foundation. Vic has been an active real estate Broker since July 1983. Vic is a graduate of the National Association of REALTORS® Instructor Training Institute and a DREI Candidate. Vic has authored and taught numerous real estate brokerage CE courses since 1998 and teaches Pre-licensing and Post-licensing classes. Vic holds a BS in Civil Engineering Construction Management from NC State University and was a practicing professional engineer with the Bechtel Corporation, prior to entering the real estate industry. Vic was a Governor’s appointee to the NC Real Estate Commission in 2009 and served as Chairman from 2013 through 2014. Vic recently served a 6-year term on the NC State Bar’s Board of Legal Specialization.
Stephen Long
Stephen is a 15-year veteran of real estate. Over the years, he has added a Property Management Division to his company and co-founded The Carolina Crew, Inc. a real estate team affiliated with Keller Williams Realty Elite in Winston-Salem, NC.
Stephen teaches Pre & Post License, CE, and owns his own real estate school, Crew Academy of Real Estate (CARE). With a renewed love for education, Stephen spends many days of the year teaching and speaking, all the while nursing sales and putting out property management fires.
Kelly Marks
Kelly Marks is an active REALTOR® with experience in residential sales, residential and commercial property management, and commercial transactions. He has served the Greensboro Regional REALTORS® Association in leadership roles since 2002, including as president and treasurer, and has also served as president of Triad MLS.
Kelly’s leadership with NC REALTORS® includes serving as an RPAC trustee, regional vice president, treasurer, and 2021 president. He served on the NAR Board of Directors from 2016 through 2025, chaired NAR’s Risk Management Committee in 2023, and was inducted into the 2024 class of the NAR RPAC Hall of Fame.
Kelly enjoys mentoring fellow REALTORS® and sharing what he has learned through his years of service.
Juanita McDowell
Professional Speaker and CEO
InMotion Consulting, LLC
Juanita is a former Electrical Engineer and Georgia Tech graduate with a wealth of experience from General Motors and AT&T, where she led teams in Engineering, Operations, and Sales. Today, she leverages these experiences to inspire thousands, delivering keynotes on Achievement and Communication across the globe.
Juanita has been interviewed by Fast Company magazine, The Investor’s Business Daily, and she was featured on the Australian podcast “5 Minutes for Me.” As an Achievement Researcher, she was invited to contribute to an industry study in Munich, Germany, which explored the link between distinct personalities and goal achievement.
Juanita is a YouTube Partner with over 3.5 million views on her videos, and she’s a proud member of the National Speakers Association. Juanita volunteers with 21st Century Leaders, a nonprofit that grooms high schoolers for leadership, and she reserves time for her passion project: The Fayette Samaritans food bank and clothes closet.
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Shannon McKinstrie
Social Media Mentor & Strategist
Shannon McKinstrie is a social media strategist, mentor, speaker, and host of the Social with Shannon podcast, known for helping business owners simplify content creation and market their businesses with confidence. With a community of nearly 350,000 followers on Instagram, Shannon has built a trusted online presence by sharing practical, relatable strategies that make social media feel more approachable and sustainable. Through her down-to-earth teaching style, she empowers entrepreneurs to create engaging content, connect authentically with their audience, and grow their business online without burnout.
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Jonathan Moore
Jonathan “JT” Moore is a REALTOR® with Water Street Real Estate Group, serving Northeast North Carolina and the Outer Banks. He’s built his business on strong relationships, community involvement, and a commitment to helping clients navigate every step of the buying and selling process with confidence and clarity.
JT currently serves as Legislative Committee Chair for the Albemarle Area Association of REALTORS® and as an RPAC Trustee for Region 1, where he works to strengthen local housing opportunities and support policies that protect homeowners and small businesses. He also serves as Vice Chair of Membership for the Elizabeth City Area Chamber of Commerce, helping foster growth and engagement among local business leaders.
Known for his practical, people-focused approach, JT combines local knowledge with a genuine passion for connecting others—whether that’s through real estate, community projects, or professional development within the REALTOR® organization.
John Poltrock
A Top Producer for almost two decades, John Poltrock has been voted the Cherokee Scout Reader’s Choice “Best Real Estate Agent” Award twelve times, and the Poltrock Team has been voted “Best Real Estate Company” four times. He and the team have also received RE/MAX International’s Pinnacle Award four times and the Diamond Award six times, putting them in the top 1% of Realtors in RE/MAX. John spearheads The Poltrock Team, a dynamic fifteen-member team that is a dominant real estate market force.
When John has some downtime, he takes every opportunity to get outdoors, and he especially enjoys hiking, camping, riding ATV’s, and more. John and his wife Jessica have been married since 2005, and they have two wonderful children, Katie and Collin.
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Keith Rhodes
Chef/Owner
Voyce Bistro
Chef Keith Rhodes grew up in New Hanover County and attended Laney High School. He became interested in cooking by way of his grandfather, who had a private bartending service. It was helping him in the back bar service where he learned firsthand how food brought people together. He opened Catch Restaurant in 2006 in hopes that diners would catch his passion for North Carolina seafood. He was recently (January 2003) nominated for the second time by the James Beard Foundation as a finalist for Best Southeast Chef. He’s also well known for participating on Bravo TV’s Top Chef season 9. And when he’s not running a kitchen, he’s partaking in outreach projects that serve local children, as well as mentoring up-and-coming young chefs.
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Valerie Rivers
Vice President of Training and Programs
Realtors Property Resource® (RPR®)
Valerie Rivers is RPR®’s Vice President of Training and Programs. She has been with RPR® since 2012. Her team is responsible for creating, maintaining, and delivering an extensive suite of RPR® classes offered to members across the country. The team also manages the RPR® Certified Trainer program, which provides trainers with resources to educate members on the vast array of tools available within the RPR® platform.
A Maryland native, Valerie was previously the Chief Executive Officer at the Frederick County Association of REALTORS®. Prior to that, she worked as the Professional Services Director for the Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS® and as the Marketing Manager the Metropolitan Regional Information Systems (MRIS.)
She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Frostburg State University and a Master of Science degree from the University of Baltimore.
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David Small
The son of a career Air Force Pilot and a mother who were native to Wilmington, David was born in Panama, Central America, but has called Wilmington home since 1970. Having lived in Europe and several places in the United States, David has a unique view of Wilmington and the area’s warm southern environment. He says, “There is truly no place on Earth like it, so special in so many ways.”
A REALTOR® since 1990, David has enjoyed a career as a sales agent, business owner, Broker in Charge, Corp Trainer/BIC for Prudential and most recently with Intracoastal Realty Corp. as Broker in Charge for the Lumina Station office, supervising some of the top agents in our area.
Happily associated with Intracoastal Realty Corp. since 2015, David enjoys the company’s warm culture and its number one status in the local area. With a strong focus on customer/client service, market awareness, technological vision, national trends and unparalleled agent support, no other local company offers this full package.
David supervises 225 agents and sees his role as Broker in Charge of the Lumina Station Office as that of a business development coach. However, his years of experience in agent training, negotiating, and problem-solving play a large role for agents in the office.
On the personal side, David has been married to his wonderful wife, Mary Hazel, since 1986. Together they have 3 exceptional children, Billy, Leah and Joseph. His passions, besides tinkering around the house, include gardening, boating, inshore fishing, overseas and US travel, history and teaching.
Russell Smith
Branch Partner & Senior Mortgage Loan Officer
Dream Team at Alcova Mortgage
Russell Smith, known as “The Mortgage Strategist,” is a Branch Partner with ALCOVA Mortgage and has more than 32 years of experience in the mortgage industry. Licensed in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, Russell specializes in creative financing strategies and helping clients, business partners, and real estate professionals achieve their goals. A UNC Wilmington graduate, he is a lifelong learner, business builder, and professional problem-solver who believes in working hard, treating people right, and building relationships that last.
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Meg Sparks
Meg Sparks is a dedicated REALTOR® who is passionate about leadership, professional growth, and strengthening the real estate industry. She is honored to serve as Chair of the NC REALTORS® Young Professionals Network (YPN) Committee this year, where she looks forward to empowering the next generation of REALTORS®, creating meaningful connections, and advocating for continued professional development. Meg believes in leading with purpose, building relationships, and giving back to the industry and the communities she serves.
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John Wait
General Counsel
NC REALTORS®
John Wait joined NC REALTORS® in 2015. He previously worked solo at his own firm and clerked for several judges at the North Carolina Court of Appeals. When he’s not answering Hotline questions, he practices law at Martin & Gifford and enjoys playing soccer, mountain biking, road cycling, triathlons, and spending time with his family.
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Robert Wolf
Partner
ClaytonWolf
Rob Wolf is a partner at ClaytonWolf, a national M&A and consulting firm serving the residential real estate industry. He is the co-creator of FIJIapp.com, a patented, breakthrough technology platform for the residential real estate industry. Rob has also built multiple tech companies across different industries with successful exits.
Rob has operated his own residential real estate brokerages and is an active Realtor. He has a personal, ground-level understanding of the many challenges involved with owning, operating and selling real estate brokerages and with being a real estate agent. Rob holds 15 patents for his inventions and is a Certified Public Accountant. Rob graduated from U.C. Berkeley in Biology and Accounting, and completed the Data Science program at M.I.T.
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Nykia Wright
Chief Executive Officer
National Association of REALTORS®
Nykia Wright is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of REALTORS®. Before assuming the role in November 2023, she served as CEO of the Chicago Sun-Times, where she led the newspaper through a major digital transformation and merger with WBEZ, Chicago Public Media.
Nykia brings more than 15 years of experience in strategy, business transformation, organizational growth, and operational improvement. She has advised leading institutions and Fortune 500 companies, including MIT, Duke University, Dartmouth College, McDonald’s, Tyson Foods, and Toll Brothers. She also co-founded SonicMESSENGER, a software-as-a-service startup focused on audience engagement and measurement.
Nykia serves on the boards of the American Cancer Society and the Better Government Association and is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Finance from Carnegie Mellon University and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
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