2025 Women in CRE: Samantha Karni, Brach Eichler LLC

What has been the most rewarding project or deal you’ve worked on in your career, and why? The most rewarding deal of my career was leading a $1.2 billion acquisition involving nearly 300 multifamily properties across 10 states. It was a complex, high-stakes project that demanded nonstop coordination, organization, and problem-solving.

2025 Women in CRE: Kimberly Barresi, Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman LLP

What has been the most rewarding project or deal you’ve worked on in your career, and why? A large part of my practice is SBA financing. During the pandemic, the CARES Act carried a huge benefit, with the SBA making loan payments for eligible loans. In some instances, borrowers saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in loan payments

2025 Women in CRE: Kelsey Johnson, EBI Consulting

What has been the most rewarding project or deal you’ve worked on in your career, and why? It’s too hard to pick just one! My most rewarding projects have been affordable housing and downtown revitalization properties in various cities. Being even a small part of the solution to the daunting housing crisis strikes a meaningful chord.

2025 Women in CRE: Pallavi Shrivastava, Arcadis

What has been the most rewarding project or deal you’ve worked on in your career, and why? Over my 20-year career, a standout project was a Workplace Strategy initiative for a technology client’s India HQ. It was so rewarding to collaborate with a visionary leader who set high standards, pushing us to elevate workplace strategy at every stage.

2025 Women in CRE: Krystyna Blakeslee, Gibson Dunn

What has been the most rewarding project or deal you’ve worked on in your career, and why? While there are many rewarding aspects within my career, the most rewarding would have to be the fact that the team has chosen to work with me, move firms with me, and have the trust in me to know I have their best interests at heart.

2025 Women in CRE: Ilana Ettinger, North Bridge

What has been the most rewarding project or deal you’ve worked on in your career, and why? The most rewarding deal of my career was working on North Bridge’s $1 billion partnership with The Carlyle Group last year. This transaction not only accelerated North Bridge’s growth but also elevated the profile of C-PACE from a niche financing

2025 Women in CRE: Amy Nemetz, King & Spalding LLP

What has been the most rewarding project or deal you’ve worked on in your career, and why? Representing the owners of the Hotel Chelsea has been a highly rewarding project. It’s a unique property with a rich history that the owners have sought to retain while making the hotel an experience available to everyone.

2025 Women in CRE: Carin McDonald, CMM Strategic Communications

What has been the most rewarding project or deal you’ve worked on in your career, and why? While CMM Strategic Communications handles a diverse portfolio of projects for our commercial real estate clients, some of my most rewarding professional experiences were as an in-house PR manager for an acute-care hospital.

2025 Women in CRE: Erin Flynn, Cooper Robertson

What has been the most rewarding project or deal you’ve worked on in your career, and why? As someone who has always believed deeply in the importance of community and the public realm, I feel fortunate that as an architect I’ve been able to devote the majority of my career to museum and cultural sector projects.

2025 Women in CRE: Kristen Anderson, AIA, Hoffmann Architects + Engineers

What has been the most rewarding project or deal you’ve worked on in your career, and why? For the restoration of Columbia University’s Low Plaza, I analyzed historical documents to depict the unique visible pattern utilizing brick pavers in various bonds and replacing concrete with limestone pavers