Announcing the 2021-2023 Agent Advisory Board Members

Abel Gilbert

Abel is the broker-owner of ONEPATH Realty in Miami, Florida. In Abel's 15 years of experience, he has gone from being a seasoned real estate investor, to a year-after-year multi-million dollar-producing agent, to leader of one of Miami's top real estate teams. His obsession is creating the necessary positive impact on his agents so they can help families realize their dream of owning a home.

What does partnership mean to you?
“Partnership is an opportunity to complement each other and become better together. Partnership is a commitment enforced by respect, clarity and mutual alignment.”

Becky Garcia

Becky runs an all-female team based in the Phoenix, Arizona, market. She prides herself on building a “culture first” team that continues to grow and helps hundreds of families a year transition to new homes. The Garcia Group stays on the forefront of emerging technology to guarantee a top-level experience for its clients.

What does partnership mean to you?
“A partnership is encouraging one another to bring out their very best to meet a common goal.”

Bic DeCaro

Bic DeCaro is the founder of Bic DeCaro & Associates of eXp Realty, a top-producing real estate team ranked in the top 1% of agents in Northern Virginia. Bic received her Bachelor’s of Science degree in psychology from the University of Mary Washington, and is on the Board of Directors for Cape Ivy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides medical ponchos to children receiving treatment for chronic illnesses. Bic lives in Great Falls, Virginia, with her husband, two children and two dogs. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling and playing tennis.

What does partnership mean to you?
“A partnership is a group of individuals that come together to collaborate and work towards a common goal and vision that mutually benefits all parties involved. Good partners understand and value the relationship; they are open, honest and willing to share ideas and feedback to help everyone grow.”

Brett Jennings

Brett Jennings, owner and founder of Real Estate Experts, is a Harvard-trained negotiation expert, real estate investor and award-winning home marketing specialist. These skills, combined with his steadfast commitment to serving clients as a trusted advisor and true fiduciary are his formula for producing exceptional results. In 2017, 2018 and 2109, the Wall Street Journal recognized Brett's team as one of the top 250 real estate teams in the U.S.

What does partnership mean to you? 

“To build a partnership requires a shared vision, mutual respect and accountability. Forget a relationship. Make it a partnership, and build an empire!”

Chris Speicher

Chris Speicher and his wife Peggy Lyn, based on Maui, own and lead the Speicher Group, an award-winning real estate firm operating in Delaware, Hawai'i, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Chris’ focus includes growth strategy, financial management, operational excellence, marketing, transactional management and recruitment, and he’s a sought-after speaker and respected thought-leadership resource.

What does partnership mean to you? 

“Working together as a cohesive team to achieve a shared goal.”

David Ness

In 2006, Dave founded Thrive Real Estate Group in Denver. Thrive is composed of a powerful, diversified and top-rated group of real estate “advisors” — which is what Thrivers are known as. Dave is married to his amazing wife, Megan, and is the proud father of three beautiful (and hilarious) kiddos: Addison, Bridger and Bennett. Addie is already getting into position to be the next chief at Thrive. In his downtime, Dave loves exploring Colorado, mountain climbing, skiing and whiskey.

What does partnership mean to you? 

“Partnership for me is when people or groups of people choose unity over uniformity, commit to a common goal, and put that goal ahead of personal agendas.”

Elmer Morales

Elmer Morales is the owner and founder of ehomes based in Chino, California, with teams servicing clients in Los Angeles, Riverside and Orange County. In 2020, ehomes helped nearly 500 families purchase or sell real estate, with over $205M in sales volume. Ehomes turns the traditional real estate sales model on its head by integrating it with emerging technologies, working with people of integrity and character and harnessing the power of social media and digital marketing. Elmer’s passion for the business of real estate, his sales abilities and integrity translate to the highest level of customer service. Elmer has been featured globally by Inman, RE/MAX and the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals.

What does partnership mean to you?

“Partnership to me means that like-minded groups have identified common interests and have come together as one to build on a strategy meant to achieve results for the greater good. Partnerships offer opportunities for us to collaborate at the cross section where innovation meets implementation by blending our strengths, setting aside what divides us and reimagining the traditional rules that define our business and enable growth.”

Erin Catron

Erin has been in real estate for almost 15 years in Florida and Oklahoma. She runs a fantastic team of individuals who thrive on helping each other be successful. They are heavy on systems and accountability.

What does partnership mean to you? 

“People and organizations helping each other be more successful!”

George Laughton

Since establishing the Laughton Team in 2007, George Laughton and his team members have aided thousands of Phoenix families in buying and selling their homes. The Laughton Team focuses on relationships rather than transactions. They operate under the core beliefs that complete honesty builds strong client relationships, excellent service and unwavering care creates client advocates, and total competence exceeds client expectations. These core beliefs, along with referrals from friends and family, have allowed George and his partners to build one of the country's most successful real estate teams, and serve our communities for over 13 years.

What does partnership mean to you? 

“A partner is a highly valued relationship. Ultimately, it is individuals who think independently but are dependent on their partner to be successful. Taking the relationship to the level of a true partnership requires more; more trust, more openness, more tolerance and more faith.”

Gina Vis

Spring Lake, Michigan-based Gina and her husband have been in real estate for over 20 years on the Lakeshore. They have two children and enjoy boating, golfing, traveling and spending time with family.

What does partnership mean to you? 

“My husband and I are the true definition of partnership in business and life. Working as a team, we definitely achieve more! Having partners in business is the most valuable tool to excel in productivity and success. With the real estate business constantly evolving, having partnerships is crucial to grow, learn and prosper.”

Hao Dang

Hao is dedicated to coaching his team and helping them gain the same skill set that he has achieved through his 17+ years of real estate experience and his marketing background. He also brings powerful negotiation skills, a strong reputation, thorough market knowledge, and his passion for helping people to each transaction he's involved in.

What does partnership mean to you? 

“Zillow partnership is about collaboration and helping all of us create a safe environment to share ideas.”

Jeremy Larson

Jeremy is an award-winning team leader for Larson Real Estate Team, located in Santa Cruz and Monterey, California. Jeremy is a three-time Inc. 500 CEO. His team has more than doubled in volume each of the past two years. Jeremy loves helping others grow and become successful.

What does partnership mean to you? 

“Partnership means the ability to collaborate and share to collectively become better.”

Joy Kim Metalios

Joy Kim Metalios is the team leader of the Metalios Group, based in Greenwich, Connecticut. The team closed $100M in 2020 and has been recognized by The Wall Street Journal as the #1 team in Greenwich. Joy is a graduate of Columbia University, where she studied engineering, but soon learned her interpersonal skills and business acumen could be used successfully in real estate. Joy is incredibly passionate about delivering the best home buying and selling experience to her clients, and at home she is mom to three amazing kids!

What does partnership mean to you? 

“Partnership means working and learning together to achieve greater things.”

Laurie Reader

Laurie is the CEO of Laurie Finkelstein Reader Real Estate, a trusted brokerage in South Florida with more than 1,100 five-star Zillow reviews & over 2,000 reviews across all platforms. Laurie has more than 23 years of experience in the real estate industry, and is the leader of one of the fastest growing real estate companies in South Florida. She is passionate about leadership, the power of community and providing outstanding customer service to her ‘“North Star,” the consumer.

What does partnership mean to you? 

“When selecting the right partners for our organization, Zillow was a no brainer for me. Who we align ourselves with is and always will be critical. Constantly evolving and perfecting this experience for our consumers is what matters. Zillow and I regard the consumer as our North Star. I want to make sure that my company is positioned and in business with the BEST! I am obsessed with evolution as it relates to the consumer experience and the agent experience. My partnership with Zillow is very important to me, as it allows me to bring a lot of opportunity to others.”

Levi Rodgers

Levi Rodgers is a Combat Wounded and Retired Army veteran who has transitioned into an accomplished real estate team leader. He has grown his team into a nationally leading real estate team and, most importantly, created an environment in which team members can grow, thrive and have impact.

What does partnership mean to you? 

“Partnership is a shared experience between two entities or people that share common goals, values, risk, liabilities and rewards.”

Lillian Montalto

Lillian is the broker/owner of Lillian Montalto Signature Properties International (LMSPI) in Andover, Massachusetts. She has almost 40 years of real estate experience and just completed building her new 10,000 sq. ft. office building, a long-held dream of hers after she developed her brand. LMSPI is celebrating its 22nd anniversary, and finished 2020 closing over $41M in Zillow transactions, with an overall closing total of over $205M.

What does partnership mean to you? 

“Working as a team to support each other, while capitalizing on our knowledge and experience in order to achieve the most successful outcome for current and future Zillow clients.”

Matt Patulski

Matt has been a part of the real estate industry for 10 years as a top-producing agent, coach, executive, founder and board member. He currently serves as the President of The Heyl Group, one of the Wall Street Journal’s top real estate teams in the country, and one of Inc. 5000’s fastest growing private companies in the U.S.

What does partnership mean to you? 

“A committed relationship of two or more people that is uniquely able to bolster each other's strengths, support each other's weaknesses and achieve their goals faster together than alone.”

Mercy Lugo-Struthers

Mercy began her career in marketing and business development for AOL Latino, DIRECTV en Espanol and Ameritech. While she thrived in an environment that was revolutionizing industries, bridging the digital divide, empowering consumers and constantly innovating, she saw an opportunity in real estate, and in 2009 pivoted to implement her skills in a new industry. Since then, she has gone on to create Casals, Realtors®, and to form The Mercy Lugo-Struthers Team, a premier real estate group in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. She lives her purpose by meticulously selecting, coaching and supporting her team, as well as constantly structuring her business to set everyone up for success in a transforming industry.

What does partnership mean to you? 

“To achieve great things by harnessing the strengths and abilities of powerful minds with common goals in order to solve complex challenges and scale innovation.”

'One man may hit the mark, another blunder; but heed not these distinctions. Only from the alliance of the one, working with and through the other, are great things born.' - Antoine de Sainte-Exupery

Micah Harper

Micah is an attorney, broker & real estate developer in San Antonio, Texas. He proudly manages a team of 24 real estate professionals, helping over 350 families each year. Micah proudly serves on many boards, including the Building Standards Board for the City of San Antonio and the Zillow Premier Agent Advisory Board.

What does partnership mean to you? 

“A partnership is a promise between two parties to work together, succeed and fail together, and to pick one another up and help them push forward along the way.”

Philip Lang

Philip Lang is the co-founder and COO of Triplemint, a tech-enabled real estate brokerage based in New York City. He oversees finance and operations of the 250+ person company and has raised over $20M from leading real estate VCs. Philip has a BA in Economics from Yale.

What does partnership mean to you? 

“Partnership is a mutually beneficial relationship where the cooperation of two or more parties can result in achievements greater than would be possible individually.”

Sarita Dua

Sarita Dua is based in Portland, Oregon, and has been selling real estate for 17 years, after 14 previous years in high tech sales and marketing. She manages a small but powerful team of buyers agents and administrative coordinators that is focused on big results. She has an innovative approach to selling real estate that is strong with buyers, works her database for referrals and employs a unique combination of high tech and high touch. In 2019, Sarita was named the exclusive listing broker for the Ritz-Carlton Residences coming to Portland, Oregon (estimated completion in early 2023). In addition to this, she is an industry speaker, trainer and coach.

When she is not working, she enjoys photography, spending time with her family, is an avid traveler, and loves NBA basketball. She holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Kettering University, an MBA from Boston University, and completed an Executive MBA from MIT Sloan in May 2020.

What does partnership mean to you? 

“Partnership means two parties that communicate well, that add value to each other, and succeed much more as a result of the partnership versus on their own. It is a two-way street and it is give-give, win-win.”

Sean Der

Sean is the owner and team leader of Alpha Realty. An agent for seven years, Sean’s previous experience includes time as a registered financial advisor, CFO of an internet tech company that positioned for sale and sold, and CFO telecom startup and real estate investor.

What does partnership mean to you? 

“Two or more parties working together, agreeing to perform specific tasks in order to achieve specific goals that are mutually beneficial to all parties involved.”

Shelly Salas

Shelly is an Army veteran who has been in real estate since 2004. She’s helped thousands of families buy and sell real estate, and is a mother of three and a wife to her amazing husband of over 21 years.

What does partnership mean to you? 

“I believe that a true and successful partnership is when all partners collaborate with one another, push each other and value each other’s strengths in an effort to achieve their common goal together.”

Stephen Aust

Stephen has been in the real estate industry for 14 years. After operating as an independent brokerage for eight years, he and his wife, Marion, purchased a Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Franchise in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Prior to entering the real estate industry, Stephen worked for more than 15 years in the high-tech field, leading both sales and operations teams.

What does partnership mean to you? 

“Open, honest, transparent, two-way communication.”

Teresa Stephenson

Teresa Stephenson is the President of Platinum Properties, downtown Manhattan's premier luxury boutique brokerage. With a background as a professional actress and extensive experience as a corporate facilitator for such firms as Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank, in addition to her nine years in Manhattan real estate, Teresa has a high-touch approach to working with clients, agents and colleagues, based on strong communication skills and transparency.

What does partnership mean to you? 

“Partnership is about trust and working towards the same goal with a generous spirit.”

Treasure M Davis

Treasure has been a Zillow Premier Agent for over a decade in beautiful Colorado. Treasure is honored to have assisted over 450 families in making their dream of homeownership a reality while keeping everyone safe in 2020. Her team also received a “Best Workplaces” award in 2020 by living their core values, mission and vision in all that they do.

What does partnership mean to you?

“Partnership means that both parties have a mutual respect, common vision, mission, goals and direction for the future partnership. Zillow invests in partnerships, research and products that impact people’s lives for the better. I know that is a mission I can be proud of, and I’m so honored for the opportunity to partner.”

Veronica Figueroa

Veronica Figueroa is known for her vivacious personality and is the Team Lead of The Figueroa Team, a nationally recognized team serving Central Florida. Her contributions to the industry as well as her passion for teams and real estate innovation have led her to become a thought leader on motivation. Veronica regularly engages with other team leaders to share her unique techniques that fuel her team’s success. The Figueroa Team served 750+ homes in 2020.

What does partnership mean to you? 

“Collaboration, communication, contribution, transparency and opportunity to grow together!”