The National Association of REALTORS® is busy equipping the next generation of industry leaders. On Thursday, NAR announced the names of those entering its 2027 Leadership Academy class.
The 10-month program, which begins in January, is designed to support and train experienced local and state REALTOR® association leaders who aspire to serve on the national level.
More than 300 individuals have graduated since the academy began in 2008. Of those, more than 160 have chaired an NAR committee or volunteer group, 39 have served as a regional vice president and 98 have become their state association’s president. NAR’s President-elect Christine Hansen completed the program in 2009.
Here is this year’s roster:
- Melissa Atchley (Texas)
- Michelle Braat (North Carolina)
- Robert Carney (Virginia)
- Keianna Carty (Florida)
- Annie Caruso (Indiana)
- Joel Cooke (Texas)
- Jade Crow (Arkansas)
- Tiffany Harris (Maryland)
- Katey McGrath (Pennsylvania)
- Theresa Miller (California)
- LaurieAnne Minoff (Florida)
- Tamar Myers-Moffatt (Virginia)
- Lisa Nguyen (Colorado)
- Kyla Niewinski (New Jersey)
- Aline Pitney (Colorado)
- Brian Sharp (Ohio)
- Christopher Tanner (New Mexico)
- Wendy Uzelac (Minnesota)
- Carrie Vos (Michigan)
- Robin Wallace (Montana)
The cohort includes a mix of geography, years in the business (with the average at over 13 years) and real estate specialties, such as those with residential, commercial, land and resort expertise.
NAR President Kevin Brown congratulates the incoming class.
“Through the Leadership Academy they will build on NAR’s proud tradition of service by preparing to lead at the local, state and national levels,” Brown says. “The REALTORS® in the 2027 class bring valuable experience and perspectives from communities across the country, and we look forward to them applying those strengths to serve our members, shape the association’s future, and strengthen the industry.”
My NARLA Experience
California broker Jennifer Higgins, C2EX, SFR, wanted to follow in the footsteps of colleagues she admired. That’s what drew her to join the academy in 2025, after seven years of experience as an NAR member.
“I knew that it wasn’t an easy program—that I would be challenged,” she recalls. “And I was.”
Higgins says she gained a “stronger voice” to be an advocate for the national association and the industry, by better understanding what NAR offers and how to relay feedback from local members. She also grew personally.
“I have become a better human through knowing my class who both challenged and championed me,” she says. “I have a NARLA family now.”
Higgins is also devoting time to making the program all that it can be, by serving on Leadership Academy Advisory Group.
“[Going through the program] you will be amazed at what you didn’t know—especially for being as engaged as our group was,” she says. “The consensus was definitely that we need to communicate better what is already here and established for us, that the average NAR member would appreciate NAR all the more.”
