4 Female Leaders of NAA on the Transformation of Multifamily

In this latest episode, the four female chairs of the National Apartment Association board of directors sit down with Marcia B. to reflect on the biggest shifts in the industry. From breaking the glass ceiling at NAA to the top lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, these leaders explore where the industry has been and where it’s going. Join the conversation with Mary Beth Woodard, Alexandra Jackiw, Cindy Clare, and Ronda Puryear.

Minutes with Marcia B. is a series from Apartments.com. Whether you’re a property manager, owner, or executive, join multifamily expert Marcia Bollinger as she sits down with leaders across the industry to discuss their success stories, defining moments, and personal insights. Get the real stories behind the multifamily headlines, and help your career thrive.

Mary Beth Woodard, CPM, CAPS, is Highmark Residential’s regional vice president for the Carolinas region. With over 35 years of experience in property management, Mary Beth has served as the president of the Greater Charlotte Apartment Association, as a member of the board of directors of the Community Housing Development Corporation, and as the first woman to chair the National Apartment Association in 1999. She has also worked for Lincoln Property, Summit Properties, Colonial Properties Trust, and Balfour Beatty.

Alexandra “Alex” Jackiw, CPM, CAPS, C3P, is the chief operating officer of Hayes Gibson Property Services, where she oversees all corporate and property operations. She served as chair for the National Apartment Association in 2013 and president of the organization’s Education Institute in 2008 and 2009. She has also served as chair of the Residential Property Management Advisory Board at Virginia Tech and president of the Residential Property Management Advisory Board for Ball State University.

Cindy Clare, CPM, is chief operating officer at Bell Partners, Inc. With four decades’ experience in multifamily, Cindy serves on the Executive and Investment Committees and oversees the operations of approximately 82,000 apartments. She was named “10 Most Influential Women in Real Estate” by Multi-Family Executive in 2015. Past roles include president of the Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington, president of the Institute of Real Estate Management’s Northern Virginia chapter, and regional vice president for IREM’s Region III. In 2011, she was recognized with the Apartment Career and Education Award from NAAEI. The third female chair of the National Apartment Association, she was inducted into the NAA Fall of Fame in 2022.

Ronda Puryear, CAM, CPM, is the president of Landmark Property Services and previously served as president of residential management for Management Services Corporation. An active member of the Virginia Apartment Management Association and the National Apartment Association, she was the fourth woman to chair the National Apartment Association, beginning in 2023. She has also served as president of NAA’s Education Institute, chair of the Virginia Apartment Management Association, member of the Manufactured Housing Enterprises Board of Directors, chair of the Blue Ridge Apartment Association Board of Directors, and chair of the Virginia Tech Property Management Advisory Board.

Marcia Bollinger is the senior vice president of multifamily for Apartments.com. With over 40 years’ experience in apartment lead-generation tactics, Marcia was instrumental in building the Apartments.com Network into the country’s premier internet listing site. She is the recipient of the National Apartment Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Certified Apartment Supplier designation, and NSC Victor Award.

Looking for more Minutes with Marcia B.? Check out the rest: LuAnne Acton Ross (episode 1), Jamie Gorski (episode 2), Laurie Lyons (episode 3), Melissa White (episode 4), Jennifer Staciokas (episode 5), Tony Sousa (episode 6), Lisa Taylor (episode 7), Pat Hutchison (episode 8), Matt DeGraw (episode 9), Debbie Phillips (episode 10), Sharon Hatfield (episode 11), Robert Gasteiger (episode 12), Daryl Smith (episode 13), and Greg and Sloane Cerbana (episode 14).