Agenda
Presented By:
Experience The Only LGBTQ+ Real Estate &
Housing Industry Conference!
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Board of Directors meeting (Invite Only)
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm (Room open for move in at 10am)
EXPO Open
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
Chapter Presidents Lunch Meeting (Invite Only)
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Policy & Advocacy meeting (Invite Only)
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Mortgage Advisory Council Meeting (Invite Only)
2:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Alliance Certified Ally Course (Open to Public)
OPEN TO PUBLIC – Conference registration not required to purchase a ticket to attend the ACA course.
Visit the Vegas ACA event page for tickets and more information.
This thought-provoking, interactive, Ally-focused session will help you develop a better understanding of the LGBTQ+ community and provide you with knowledge on how to work with potential home buyers and sellers who identify as part of the community. Intended for straight Allies, this course will open your eyes to discrimination issues LGBTQ+ clients face and help you start your journey in building cultural competency.
3:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Conference Registration Open
3:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Silent Auction Display
4:00 pm – 4:45 pm
Strategic Networking/University of Phoenix
Jessica Milazzo, National Account Manager
Do you think networking is too time-consuming, too manipulative, or just not a fit for your personality? Let’s change these misconceptions! Join us for Strategic Networking where you’ll learn how to adopt a networking mindset, develop a networking strategy, and better understand how to tap into your own networks to help drive personal and professional success.
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Speed Networking Event
Hosted by 2023 Alliance Officers
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Reception
Invite Only
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Sponsor Thank You Reception
Invite Only – Rose Rooftop
7:00 pm – 10:00PM
Welcome Reception
Rose Rooftop
Morning Schedule
7:30 am – 9:00 am
Continental Breakfast
7:00 am – 10:00 pm
EXPO
7:30 am – 9:00 am
Registration
7:00 am – 1:00 pm
Friend of Bill/Bob Room
8:00 am
Silent Auction Display
9:00 am
Welcome
– Carson Kressley & Ryan Weyandt
9:15 am
President’s Address
– Dave Gervase – Alliance 2022 National President
9:30 am
Beyond Intersectionality
– Lenny McNeil – EVP, U.S. Bank
Why representation matters internally and externally, how segments need to work together where they can for fair housing and fair lending.
9:45 am
Brad Inman presents “My Story”
– Brad Inman, Owner/Founder of Inman Media
Brad Inman, award-winning journalist and publisher and the owner and founder of Inman Media, will share his personal story and experience as a key Ally to the LGBTQ+ community inside and outside the industry. You won’t want to miss this rare opportunity to hear directly from Brad about this journey.
9:55 am
Do You Know Dorothy?
– Anthony Hitt, CEO of Engel & Völkers
A story told and a strategy to winning the long game.
10:05 am
CEO to CEO
Sherry Chris, CEO – Expansion Brands
Whether you are a real estate broker or agent, you are an entrepreneur who is the CEO of your own business. Sherry Chris, president and CEO of Expansion Brands, which includes Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate and ERA® Real Estate, will reveal how you can adopt a C-Suite approach to shape your business and your continued success. From strategies to stay ahead of the competition to tips on managing your reputation, you will discover how to truly embrace the entrepreneurial spirit that defines the real estate industry.
10:20 am
Why Your Relationship with Your Lending Partner Matters
Tim Wilson, CEO Prosperity Home Loans
When the market tightens and deals are harder to get through, the knowledge and skills of your lender become a competitive variable.
10:35 am
How to be an Agent for All Seasons
Christy Budnick with Teresa Palacios Smith
Christy Budnick, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, shares her perspectives with Teresa Palacios Smith, Chief Diversity Officer of HomeServices of America, on the changing landscape for residential real estate and her holistic approach she recommends to agents who want a thriving business in every market cycle.
11:05 am
NAR and RPAC – Finding the Right Balance
Shannon McGahn
11:20 am
The Power of Community & Collaboration in the Metaverse
Introductory Remarks by Michael Valdes & Jason Gesing – eXp Realty
Learn why it is critical to create equal access to company workspace where all agents can benefit from personal development training, mentorship, and social engagement with a strong network that they can learn from, grow with, and give back to.
11:55 am
Conversations in Courage
Tanya Reu-Narvaez & Bradley Nelson
Join Tanya Reu-Navraez and Bradley Nelson for a bold conversation about the courage it takes to bring your whole self to work – and the responsibility of companies and leaders to create an environment where LGBTQ+ team members feel safe, supported and included. Listen in as Tanya and Brad share their personal stories and perspectives on both the power of authenticity and the need for psychological safety in the workplace.
12:10 pm
The Power of Education
Greg Gorman
Don’t allow the past to define your future. COVID, closet skeletons, age, origin, gender, attractiveness…what others hold opportunities from you because of these realities might be real…just make sure that person doesn’t reside in your mind. If you are read AND open to change, the teachers are here.
12:45 pm
Luxury Lunch: How I built this
Moderator:
Bradley Nelson
Panelists:
Feroza Syed
Gregg Lynn
Lauren Holleran
Join us for a panel discussion that takes a candid, inside look at how three top luxury agents from our community built their businesses, the obstacles they overcame, and the changes they are making today to remain successful tomorrow in a normalizing market. Presented by Sotheby’s International Realty and moderated by its CMO Brad Nelson.
1:45 pm
The Right Thing: Our Drive for Ethical AI.
Brian Stucky
Artificial Intelligence and machine learning algorithms have the possibility of intensifying inequalities in healthcare, employment, criminal justice and finance because of how they work at scale. We believe that machine learning models should target and eliminate biases rather than exacerbate discrimination. We’ll discuss efforts at the Rocket Companies to build an ethical framework that can understand, define and measure AI risk to both minimize the potential for doing bad while striving for data and technical equity.
Afternoon Breakout Sessions
2:15 pm – 3:05 pm
Session #1
Roadmap for fabulous: 4 habits that will change your business & your life
Julie Nelson
It is not the stuck or stalled that is remarkable, it is the ability to get your juju back quickly that makes life & this business work at a high level. Top producer & industry best-selling author Julie Nelson will lead you on a fast-paced, action-packed, & entertaining roadmap to gain (or regain) leads, momentum, & joy in your business, your bank, & your life! Whether you need direction, clarity, accountability, hope, encouragement, a wake-up call, or a little kick in the pants, Julie delivers the goods!
Session #2
Remote Online Notarization (RON): The Smarter, More Convenient Way to Close
Sally Taylor – Digital eClosing Manager, First American Title
Discover why Remote Online Notarization (RON) is a convenient option for buyers, sellers, and real estate practitioners and how it differs from traditional wet signings. In this session, you will learn about basic RON terminology and features like KBA, ID scans, tamper-sealed documents, and much more. You will also hear testimonials from customers explaining why they enjoyed the RON closing experience.
Session #3
Wealth Building Strategies – Remodeling, Flipping and Cashflow Properties
Greg Gorman & David Burke
Buying and selling investment properties are not for the timid! Whether you are prospecting for your investor clients or yourself, Greg and David will share their strategies for selecting properties to hold for cash-flow, remodel-and-rent, and those to return to the market. They will share the reality of acquiring property to remodel and flip you will never see on today’s Reality TV! In this session, you will enjoy lots of before and after photos and the stories that go along with them. Strap in, this will be fast and furious!
Session #4
Build a Memorable Brand to Create the Success You Desire
Angie Javier – Realtor.com®, Industry Relations, National Presenter, She / Her / Hers
If you were to ask someone to describe your brand in three words, what would they say? Building your brand as a real estate professional is much more than marketing and promoting. It is being intentional about the mindset, personality and values that represents your business. We’ll share tips and easy-to-use tools so that you leave feeling empowered to apply lessons learned, to retain and delight existing and prospective clients.
Session #7
Our Gay History in 50 States
Zaylore Stout
LGBT+ History Is American History In 2014, Zaylore Stout took a drive across the country. State line after state line, he found himself detouring to landmarks of the LGBT+ heroes and history in each new place. And so, like a travel guide through the LGBT+ past and present, Our Gay History in Fifty States was born. Our Gay History is American History and its a story worth telling and hearing.
3:15 pm – 4:05 pm
Session #8
4 Empowerment Steps to Impact Change
Ashley Brundage
Empowering Differences is the intentional action of using power and authority for yourself or others while positioning ways in which you are not the same as the people around you. Leveraging your differences, what makes you unique, to empower yourself and others to make real change happen not just in the real estate industry but our world. Founded as a 4-Step Process of Empowerment, Ashley will cover how to use these steps as well as preview three of the Empowering Actions found in the final step. Be prepared to have takeaways on how we can use Access, Inclusion, and Empower as key actions to help drive empowerment for others. This session will focus on leadership development, sales skills development, and community driven empowerment programming based on 8 years of research.
Session #9
Grindr or eHarmony – Who defines your brand?
Valerie Crowell
When we don’t define ourselves one of two things happen, we become bland and fade away into the pack or our client base defines us. How do you control your messaging? Are you just another boring agent who talks about integrity? Or do you live it to the point that your clients assimilate and echo your brand back to you?
Session #10
The Right Questions to Ask to Get Success
Ben Laube
During this session we’ll listen to recorded calls between customers and agents to dissect how questions could have been phrased better to get better results. The answers we received are mostly part to the way our questions are worded. This deep dive into sentence structure and phrasing, will open your eyes on how you can simply change your questions to build a stronger relationship to close more deals.
Session #11
What to Think About Before Starting and Operating a Successful RE Team
Mike Zinicola
The are many initial decisions you must make before deciding to start a team. Without a solid base of value, operations and compensation, your team will not thrive. We will go over the 6 most important questions that you need to address before bringing agents on. This is not a one size fits all discussion. There are many successful teams that run very differently from one another. By answering these 6 questions, you will be able to form the foundation to create a Team that will not only create more success, but will make you the happiest.
Session #12
Building Brand Awareness
Chris Heldoorn
Opening a new brokerage and getting brand awareness in a tight market. Cheap ways to get your marketing everywhere. Marketing to the right farm & getting into the proper networking channels.
4:15 pm – 5:05 pm
Session #13
How Not To Be A Robot in a Digital World
Heather Haase
Have you ever felt just the blahs when it comes to social media? It seems more like a chore than enjoyable? Have you ever reflected back to why? In this session let’s change up your social media strategy to learn to connect with others, no matter the platform.
Session #14
Making The Most Of Your NAR Membership!!
Roger Lundy
Most members of the National Association of REALTORS are only aware of discounts on car rentals and computers. In this breakout, learn the real benefit of NAR’s data and resources and the impact it can have on your business…especially during a shifting market. As the market changes, utilize the hard work that has already been done for you to be the expert in the market.
Session #15
Memorable Marketing Mastery
Russell Bryant
Learn the Importance of systematic Quarterly Client Events. Excelling at leveraging unique co-brokerage relationships. Being consistent with your marketing, planning it in advance.
Session #16
Pricing with Confidence in a Changing Market
Gonzalo Mejia
Pricing can be a difficult task, and even more complex during a changing market like the one we are dealing with. A CMA should be more than a list of comparable sold properties. It should allow sellers, buyers and agents understand how market trends affect pricing so they remain competitive in the market. During the session will share tips and tools to become a pricing guru. Learn to leverage your NAR benefits as the market shifts. Identify the resources and statistics you can use immediately to build your credibility with consumers. Discover the world’s largest real estate library as you find ways to do more with less expense. Benefit from the research and innovation provided by your dues dollars.
Session #17
The Power of the LGBTQ Consumer
Jonathan Lovitz
Ready to tap a $917 BILLION dollar consumer base eager to invest in real estate and its related industries? How can our communities, and our allies, put our money to work – in the marketplace, in the workplace, and in the political arena—to move closer to the equality we deserve and generate unprecedented new business for our industries? You’ll learn how to take these invaluable strategies home from Las Vegas and put them to work for your company. D, E, and I aren’t just corporate buzzwords or academic talking points, they are the difference between innovation and failure in a modern, diverse, and globalized economy. Is your company leaving money on the table and trailing behind your peers in real estate?
Session #17
These Girls are On Fire in America’s Most Challenging City – Detroit’s In The House!
Towanna Jackson & LaShawn Peterson
Grow your Business, Team, and Net Worth through Service Leadership
Evening Schedule
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Top LGBTQ+ Agent List Reception (Invite Only)
Lily Ballroom Veranda
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Evening Reception
Lily Ballroom
Expo Open
Live Auction – Net proceeds will benefit two local charities, Gender Cool and The LGBTQIA+ Community Center of Southern Nevada
Entertainment by Comedian Shann Carr
Food & Beverages Available
Morning Schedule
EXPO
7:00 am – 10:00 am
* Please note that all exhibitors will need to break down and pack up their expo space by 10:30 am due to the fact that another event is moving in that afternoon.
Registration/Hospitality Desk
7:30 am – 9:00 am
8:00 am
The Egguitable Breakfast – Now It’s Personal
MODERATOR
Laurie Benner
PANELISTS
Fee Gentry
Teresa Palacios-Smith
Ivonne Furneaux
Allyship is a deeply personal journey and commitment. Our panel of executive-level diversity officers will get personal about their own experiences, share how to embed authenticity in DEI strategies, and ways to embrace mistakes that further our own journeys as allies.
9:00 am
General Session Begins
Jasmine CDEF
9:00 am
Best Practices for Growth in Market Shifts
Marc King, CEO – Keller Williams
9:15 am
Three Things You Can Do Immediately to Break Into Luxury
Michael LaFido
9:30 am
L.O.R: Language of Real Estate
Natalie Davis – Residential Real Estate Council
The landscape of real estate is diverse and the responsibility of an agent is changing. Now more than ever, agents must education themselves on the language of real estate. The language of real estate expands beyond the transaction and into the diverse layers of working with different generations, cultures, sexual orientations, and disabilities. Agents must be equipped to communicate, engage, and foster a positive environment that serves all clients and we do that through the language of Real Estate.
10:00 am
PANEL – How to Help Your Buyers Navigate Higher Mortgage Rate Environments
MODERATOR
Dave Gervase
PANELISTS
Kathy Cummings – Bank of America
Max Koziol – Chase
Vanessa Montanez – U.S. Bank
In 1981 during the height of a recession, mortgage interest rates reached a record 16.63%. While the number of home sales dropped that year, nearly 2 million people still bought homes. Today’s combination of forces pose a similar challenge but it’s housing prices and lack of inventory, not unemployment, that challenges hopeful buyers. Success-minded agents pivot and adjust. This discussion will focus on the market forces and what lenders are doing to help your buyers still have access to affordable mortgages despite record prices.
10:30 am
A Conversation with Dominique Jackson
Dominique Jackson & Feroza Syed
11:20 am
Intersectionality: Turning Adversity into a Win
Tim Hur
Turning Adversity into a Win: A gay man deals with homophobia. An Asian man deals with racism. But an Asian gay man has to deal with discrimination on both fronts. AREAA President Tim Hur shares his personal story about he deals with bias and discrimination and turns his differences into wins.
11:30 am
You’ve Got This!
Matthew Ferrara
An inspirational and energizing message on remaining confident and committed to turning caution into calculated risk in a changing market. Get energized with an optimistic strategy to share with yourself, colleagues and clients every day. Join Matthew in counteracting anxiety and nurturing growth with this #Alwaysinspiring personal success session.
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm
LUNCHEON KEYNOTE
Economic update: What’s Coming? Recession? Downturn?
Introductory Remarks by:
– eXp World Holdings
Odeta Kushi – Deputy Chief Economist, First American Title
Record-breaking house price growth and fierce competition defined the housing market in 2021. Yet in 2022, higher mortgage rates have reduced affordability and cooled the market. Join Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist for First American Financial Corporation, as she discusses the state of the nation’s economy and housing market. The session will focus on the supply and demand dynamics in the housing sector, affordability challenges, and where the housing sector goes from here.
Afternoon Breakout Sessions
1:30 pm – 2:20 pm
Session #19
ANYWHERE EXPLORE EVENT: You’ve Got This – Even More!
Matthew Ferrara
An inspirational and energizing message on remaining confident and committed to turning caution into calculated risk in a changing market. Get energized with an optimistic strategy to share with yourself, colleagues and clients every day. Join Matthew in counteracting anxiety and nurturing growth with this #Alwaysinspiring personal success session.
Session #20
PANEL – Innovative Solutions to Help Close the Homeownership Gap
Moderator
Laurie Benner – NFHA
Panelists
Farah Wilder – CAR
Lisa Wise – Flock DC
Vanessa Montanez – US Bank
Melinda Nypen – Chase
The homeownership and wealth gaps are larger today than they were when housing discrimination was legal. Join lending, Realtor association, and nonprofit industry experts to learn about solutions to increase equity in the housing space.
Session #22
IDX & SEO – Why Your Site Can Be a Goldmine
Bob McCranie
Most people have a website that doesn’t earn them the money it should. I want to cover the basics of Search Engine Optimization, how to use the IDX to it’s fullest potential, how to use your site on your social media, and also a basic comparison of IDX companies
Session #23
Building Your Empire
Courtney DeMarco
The session Building Your Empire is step by step to ensure attendees have a-ha moments, feel engaged, even laugh and walk away ready to build and grow.
Session #24
Black LGBTQ+ Housing Experience
Moderator
Monica LaCrue
Panelists
Angie Wilen, Telebah Woods, and Derek Lee
Hear from industry experts about the LGBTQ+ housing experience, exploring barriers to financing, discrimination in the housing process and ways industry leaders are advocating for access to LGBTQ+ friendly housing
2:35 pm – 3:25 pm
Session #25
Using Out-of-the-Box Live Event & Content Creation to Enhance your Real Estate Brand and Generate More Business
Jeff Goodman
In this competitive landscape it’s more important than ever to think WAY outside the box of how to differentiate ourselves as agents who stay top of mind within our Sphere of Influence, not just for enrolling people we already know to choose us as their agents but also to refer us to people they know, which actually can have a bigger source of business from them individually. In this session you will see how I created a unique event series – 9 years and running. I have also integrated the subject matter into a radio show, podcast and production of digital content. Participants will also see how being passionately engaged in something related to our business generates more real estate business and more referrals, not to mention makes working in our business more fun!
Session #26
4 Steps To Overcome Any Objection
Dr. Portia Ryan
Join Dr. Portia Ryan in experiencing how to positively guide anyone through their objections to finding the right YES. This is founded in years as a therapist, in easy going situations and in actual hostage negotiations. What?! How does hostage negotiation have anything to do with this? Come find out!
Session #27
PANEL – From Independent Broker to Franchisee: The Benefits of Becoming a Licensee
MODERATOR:
Mike Reagan – RE/MAX
PANELISTS:
Dan Holt – Regional Director for the Mid-American region/KW
Chris Slinker – Owner, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Metro Wisconsin
Brandon Prewitt – Owner, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Metro Wisconsin
Juan Sanchez – Owner, Century 21 Bear Facts Realty Denver, Colorado
This panel of industry veterans will provide insight to the value of franchising, competitive advantages, collective power of a brand, impact on industry and community and growing your business in a peer-based network of professionals.
Session #28
30 Deals From a 300-Person Database
Anthony Vulin
This session will prove to you its more than possible to get 30 closed transactions from a 300 person database. We will discuss simple systems to put in place to ensure your database thinks of you first when they think of real estate. This session is for the experienced and newer agent. We will cover who should be in your database, where to find them, and how to communicate with them to ensure their business and referrals.
Session #29
Accessibility and Streamlined Collaboration in Real Estate Transaction Management
Luc Maney
Dotloop is raising the bar on digital transaction management across the United States today. This presentation will provide a preview of Dotloop 2.0, Dotloop’s most intuitive and collaborative experience yet, which went into beta testing earlier this year and will continue to be rolled out in phases through 2023 with new functionality revealed at every stage. The new transaction experience will support other languages like Spanish and French as well as design elements that accommodate the visually impaired, empowering users everywhere to transact digitally with less friction, greater accessibility and streamlined collaboration.
Evening Schedule
3:35 pm – 3:45 pm
Ally of the Year & Beacon of Light Awards
Ryan Weyandt & Dave Gervase
3:45 pm – 4:00 pm
Top 250 LGBTQ Agents
Dave Gervase & Anywhere Exec
4:00 pm – 4:15 pm
Closing and 2023 Preview
Ryan Weyandt
Dave Gervase
7:00 pm
“PRIDE All Year” Gala
Featuring: Kristine W
Zouk Nightclub
Have something to add to the show?
Limited breakout session speaking/presenting opportunities are available for the convention. All applications submitted by May 1, 2022, will be considered and evaluated. Selected speakers will be notified no later than June 1, 2022 to confirm. Speakers are responsible for their own travel and accommodations. Click here to submit an application!
Vendor? Exhibitor? Or, just have some cool stuff to share?
Expo booths are selling fast – Please contact immediately.
Limited expo vendor registrations are still available for the 2022 Expo. Additionally, limited 2022 Convention sponsorships are still available, but cannot be held nor guaranteed due to the pace at which they’re being spoken for. Please contact conferencesponsor@