Adapt & Thrive - Zoom

Charlie Lee joined NAR in 2018.  He has more than fifteen (15) years of association law and governance experience.  Prior to joining NAR, Charlie was with the Appraisal Institute since 2008, where he served as Associate Counsel and the primary legal counsel to 90 chapters and subsidiaries which included for-profits, charitable and insurance organizations. 

Charlie’s focus includes association and corporate governance, multiple listing services, litigation, not-for-profit taxation, cybersecurity, contracts, advertisement and antitrust matters.  His other professional experience includes commercial and employment litigation, intellectual property law and serving as an Illinois state’s attorney appellate prosecutor.  Charlie’s duties at NAR include serving as legal staff to the MLS Policy and Issues Committee, the MLS Emerging Tech and Issues Advisory Board, the REALTOR® Property Operations Committee and as the NAR ARELLO Liaison.

He received his B.S. degree in Business Administration and Management of Information Systems from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and graduated cum laude from the University of Illinois Chicago Law School.   Charlie is admitted to the state bar of Illinois and is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the U.S. Supreme Court.  He is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, American Society of Association Executives, the Association of Corporate Counsel, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association and the Asian American Bar Association. 

Andrew is the Managing Broker of Baird & Warner in Frankfort, IL.  He serves as a member of Mainstreet’s Young Professional Network Committee and Maintreet’s Grievance Committee.  As a licensed agent since 2005, Andrew has built a reputation as a highly skilled sales professional.  As a broker, he established a track record of increasing and surpassing sales goals – expertise he now applies to coaching and mentoring agents at all stages of their careers at the Baird & Warner Frankfort office. In addition to his industry experience, Andrew leads with professionalism, strong work ethic and a charismatic personal touch.

Alexia Smokler is the Director of Fair Housing Policy and Programs at the National Association of REALTORS®. Based in Washington, DC, she communicates NAR’s support for fair housing and homeownership opportunity to Congress and federal agencies.

Alexia also leads NAR’s ACT! initiative, which emphasizes Accountability, Culture Change and Training to advance fair housing in the industry. Before joining NAR, Alexia worked in fair housing enforcement at HUD, on a congressional staff and with nonprofit civil rights organizations.

Brian is the Managing Broker with EXIT Real Estate Partners in Downers Grove. His passion is developing strong, successful REALTORS®.  There is nothing more rewarding than seeing someone reach a level of skill and success that even they didn't know they were capable of.

He served as President of Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS® in 2020. He is also a Past President of Women’s Council of REALTORS® West Suburban and serves on committees with Illinois REALTORS® and the National Association of REALTORS®.

Chris Read is CEO of CR Strategies LLC. The company is designed to assist Real Estate Licensees, Managing Brokers, Owners and Associations by strategically pursuing growth and profitability for “success on purpose.”  Chris has 40+ years of experience in real estate sales, management, operations, and professional development training.  She is the Designated Managing Broker/Owner for CR REALTOR®, is a licensed Instructor, has authored numerous courses and education resources and has been a contributing Editor for a National publishing firm.

Chris brings to the classroom experiences from many leadership roles with the local, state and National REALTOR® Associations which include President of the Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS®, Chair of Illinois REALTORS® Professional Standards, Business Issues, Illinois License Law Rewrite, the Education Task Force, and Broker/Lawyer. At the National level she has been an NAR Director since 2007, has served on various committees and Presidential Advisory Groups, and was the NAR 2020 Chair of Conventional Financing Policy Committee. She has served on her local MLS Board and as well as 8 years as a member of the Illinois Real Estate Administrative Disciplinary Board. 

Chris is passionate about the need for agents to keep abreast with the ever changing skills and knowledge required to be the “Trusted Advisor” today’s consumers want and expect. Proactively positioning clients for……”Success on Purpose”….. is a predominant theme in her courses and presentations.

Danielle is responsible for developing and translating real estate trend data into consumer and industry insights. She also leads realtor.com®’s team of the industry’s top analysts and economists with the goal of providing deeper and broader housing insights to people throughout the home journey, industry professionals, and thought leaders.

Before joining realtor.com® in July 2017, Danielle spent nearly a decade as an economist and policy researcher at the National Association of REALTORS®. As managing director of housing research, Danielle oversaw the production of closely followed housing market data, including NAR’s monthly pending and existing home sales indices and quarterly home price reports. Danielle previously served as manager of tax policy research, leading research projects on topics including how federal, state and local policies impact the real estate market.

Prior to joining NAR as an economist in 2008, Danielle spent three years at the American Enterprise Institute, where she produced research and managed its executive office’s communications. Her work during that time included research contributions to Dr. Allan Meltzer’s A History of the Federal Reserve, Volume II (University of Chicago Press, 2010).

Danielle earned her degrees from Florida State University and calls the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC home.

John Barnak has been full-time in real estate for over a decade after stepping away from a full-time factory job. He rolled the dice on what could be possible with real estate and took off from the start!

John has helped hundreds of clients, learned to invest in Real Estate himself, worked with other investors and even helped rebuild communities. John has held leadership positions with Mainstreet through YPN and is involved in many other local and national organizations. His well-rounded knowledge base and experience have put him in a position to add value to every real estate situation.

John was the Managing Broker and a Partner in his previous firm in multiple states before creating the partnership with Real. His ultimate goal is to serve his clients and his agent partners the best way he can by helping them achieve their goals

A staff member with Mainstreet since 2003, Kate is the Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer. Kate’s responsibilities include providing strategic management for the Professional and Ethical Practices, Education and Member Outreach Departments. Kate develops and executes programs and services related to the mission of the Organization in accordance with the strategic goals set by the Board of Directors. Additionally, Kate focuses on finding and developing innovative resources and strategies primary to the operation of Mainstreet. Overall, Kate helps Mainstreet REALTORS® succeed in their business, while keeping them professional. Kate serves as the staff liaison to the Broker/Lawyer Committee, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, and Education Advisory Group. Kate also holds the CIPS and RCE designations.

Kate resides in the western suburbs with her husband and daughters and enjoys boating with her family. 

Kenya Williams, a seasoned professional in the real estate industry for over two decades, has been a licensed REALTOR® since 2014. She is recognized for her in-depth knowledge and experience, which she has further enhanced by actively participating in various committees at Illinois REALTORS® and Mainstreet for the last four years. Demonstrating her leadership and commitment to the field, Kenya currently serves as the Chair of the Broker Lawyer Committee for 2023-2024 and as the Vice Chair of the RPAC Committee for the same term. Additionally, her dedication to maintaining high standards in the profession is evident in her ongoing involvement with the Professional Standards Committee since 2020.

Kirsten Keller is a dedicated and accomplished real estate professional with @properties Christie’s International Real Estate. With a lifelong residency in the western suburbs, Kirsten possesses an exceptional understanding of the local community.

After spending five successful years in Early Childhood Education, Kirsten transitioned her passion for helping people and families to the real estate industry. Her expertise and commitment to excellence have earned her several notable positions and recognitions within the field. Kirsten was the Chairperson of the Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS® Young Professional Network in 2020-2021 and is an active member of the Global Committee, contributing her insights and expertise to enhance the international real estate market. In 2021, she was named one of Mainstreet's 20 under 40. She is also a proud member of the 2023 Illinois REALTOR® Leadership Development Program, further honing her leadership skills and industry knowledge.

Kirsten's commitment to professional growth extends beyond her local associations. She is an active member of the Woman's Council of REALTORS and the AIREE (Association of Illinois Real Estate Educators). She is a member of the Illinois REALTORS YPN Advisory Board and Policy and Program Group. Her involvement in these organizations reflects her dedication to staying at the forefront of industry trends and best practices.

In addition to selling, Kirsten is an instructor at Waubonsee Community College, where she shares her knowledge and passion for the field with aspiring professionals. Outside of work, Kirsten cherishes time spent with her one-year-old daughter, embracing the joys and challenges of motherhood.

Laurie Murphy was appointed Director of the Division of Real Estate (DRE) for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation effective April 1, 2021. In this role, Ms. Murphy has developed processes to increase efficiencies within the Division, leads the team in legislative and rule-making initiatives and works in collaboration with the

Department's advisory boards, auditors, legislators and trade associations. She currently serves as the representative for IDFPR on the Board of Directors for the Illinois Real Estate Education Foundation ("IREEF"), which administers the Division's minority scholarships program assisting those wishing to enter the real state profession or advance their careers.

Additionally, Ms. Murphy serves on the Board of Directors for the Association of Real Estate License Law Offcials ("ARELLO"). Previously, she served as the Deputy Director of the Division of Real Estate and started in state government as DRE's Chief of Boards and Complaints for Real Estate Brokerage and Community Association Management.

Ms. Murphy came to IDFPR with more than 20 years of real estate experience. She currently holds a Real Estate Managing Broker License and during her career served as the Designated Managing Broker for two different real estate franchise brokerages, as well as operating her own independent real estate brokerage. She is a lifelong resident of West Chicago, Illinois and received her Bachelor of Science from Northern Illinois University.

Proud owner and Designated Managing Broker of Lori Bonarek Realty. Lori started her career in 2005 and has established herself as a top producer in Grundy County. She is dedicated to providing her clients with impeccable service and has a reputation for customer care, honesty and loyalty. Lori prides herself by serving client’s best interests and gives each one her full attention to their specific needs. Her passion for helping buyers and sellers understand the real estate process is immeasurable. One of Lori’s main goals is to build life long relationships with every client. This dedication makes her a highly respected broker. When it comes to managing her office, the goal is to make every agent feel they are a part of the team, provide the best training and support. Lori values each and every agent in the office. Many of them have been with the office since it opened in 2017. Lori Bonarek Realty agents believe being part of a community means more than just doing business, it’s about giving back, supporting one another and making our community a better place to live.

Lynn is the owner of Lynn Madison Seminars, a full-service training and development company devoted to the advancement of professional in real estate.  Lynn has been a speaker at the NAR convention for over a decade and has spoken to REALTORS® in more than 30 states.  Lynn has been active in developing and delivering Illinois' continuing education programs since 1992.

As an instructor for REBAC's ABR program, Lynn not only conducts the program nationwide, she is involved in its development and instructor certification program.  Lynn wrote the REBAC BPOR course and co-authored the SFR Certification program as well.  In 2004, she was inducted in the REBAC Hall of Fame.

At the National level, Lynn has served on the following Committees:

• Cultural Diversity/EOH
• Risk Management
• Professional Standards
• Professional Development

At the state level, Lynn's involvement has included:

• Chair of the Political Fund Raising Committee
• Chair of the Illinois Professional Standards Committee
• Chair of the Illinois' GRI Committee
• Chair of the Illinois' Convention Committee
• Illinois License Law Rewrite Task Force
• License Law Scope and Structure Working Group
• Equal Opportunity Working Group
• Education Committee
• Strategic Planning Committee
• REALTOR® of the Year Committee

At the local level, Lynn's involvement with Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS® includes:

• Past President
• Director 
• Education Committee
• Strategic Planninig Committee
• Equal Housing Opportunity Committee
• Professional Standards Committee
• RPAC Fundraising Committee
• Nominating Committee 

Rebecca Jensen is president and CEO of Midwest Real Estate Data, which has grown to serve nearly 50,000 real estate professionals in Illinois and adjoining states. She is the board chair for the non-profit Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO) and she is the board vice chair of the Broker Public Portal.  She is the board chair of the MLS Grid, an MLS data initiative that powers over 65,000 apps and websites and includes MLSs across the country who jointly serve more than 325,000 licensed agents.

Previously, Jensen has served on the boards of the Council of Multiple Listing Services, and the California Regional MLS.  She has been a member of many committees and groups including those at NAR, Cove Group and MLS Roundtable.  Jensen holds a bachelor's degree in computer science and a master's degree in business administration/technology commercialization from Westminster College.

Tom Benedetto is the Director of Local Advocacy for Illinois REALTORS®. Before joining Illinois REALTORS in 2023, Benedetto was Government Affairs Director for the Chicagoland Apartment Association where he served as a lobbyist in Chicago, Cook County, and Springfield. Tom is a former government consultant, and has staffed, advised, and managed numerous political campaigns in Chicago and the suburbs.

He is a proud resident of Chicago’s Lincoln Square Neighborhood, and graduate of Butler and DePaul Universities. Benedetto oversees Illinois REALTORS’ Local Government Affairs Director Program – otherwise known as “the GADs.” GADs are situated across the state to help local associations and their members organize for or against public policy proposals that impact the industry or private property rights. The Illinois REALTORS® GAD program is an extension of the substantial public policy advocacy resources provided by Illinois REALTORS®. The GADs work with REALTORS® advocating for the protection of homeownership and private property rights.

The current President for Mainstreet, Tim was co-founder of Real People Realty, a multi-year Chicago top workplaces award winner. He’s been a REALTOR® for more than 20 years and at one point was the managing broker for nearly 600 agents. With a former corporate career, having honed his skills with AT&T and Restoration Auto, Tim’s strengths are business growth, technology and professionalism. On the volunteer side he has a long list of accomplishments but one of his passions is government affairs and advocacy, particularly in the rough-and-tumble southside of Chicago politics. Tim is also a proud family man, with a spouse in healthcare, son serving in the military, and daughter helping him in the family business.