NextGen Leadership Development Mentor Roundtable
On June 18, 2025, the NextGen Committee hosted a highly successful Mentor Roundtable event. This year's gathering exceeded attendance from previous years, reaffirming its place as NextGen's premier event. Mentees had the valuable opportunity to engage with industry-leading mentors, asking thoughtful questions about professional development and growth. We extend our sincere gratitude to all who attended and especially to the mentors for generously volunteering their time and expertise.
"I attended the Mentor Forum as a new leader in the industry, eager to ask questions one-on-one with seasoned leaders from various aspects. I was reminded that the multifamily housing industry is fluid and changes swiftly, which requires necessary pivots in leadership styles. My biggest takeaway was that even with market changes and client demands, a large part of being a leader is being a people person and having the emotional intelligence to connect with your peers and provide constructive criticism to your team to achieve necessary goals for both the property and clients." Jasmine Mech, Nova Apartments
"I find a lot of value in speaking with people who are seasoned and successful in our industry. There is so much value in speaking to someone who is on the other side of what is the beginning of our professional journey. The biggest take away I gathered from all six speakers is building / strengthening your relationships with others in your industry is crucial, beneficial, and very much necessary for your success. Support is huge and we need to build our network of peers so we may lean on one another for support when we need a referral, sound board, advice in a situation we have yet to encounter, introduction to new connections/ partnerships. I love making new connections, so this solidified the importance of connections and encourages me to continue to put time / effort into strengthening my professional relationships." Tyffani Rivera, Loma Palisades & Loma 21
"At this year's mentorship roundtable I found it very valuable to learn from industry leaders how each of them have expressed the most critical skill they have developed professionally has been mentorship and leadership. Each mentor expressed a slightly different mentorship style or strength that they have. I learned there are different learning styles mentors need to keep in mind (visual, auditory, and "kinesthetic"). One mentor suggested asking a colleague which style they think they are, and then delivering information in that way. Simple but not something I ever have thought to do." Cameron N. Stewart, CIC, PWCA, Crest Insurance Group
"As someone who is just getting started in the industry, the opportunity to connect with industry leaders in such an intimate setting was invaluable. The mentorship roundtable was the first time I've had an up close and personal view into how each mentor got to where they are today. Even though the mentors played different roles in the industry - owners, operators, lawyers, regional managers, etc. - the one thing that they had in common was that they didn't get to where they are today by themselves. The mentors shared what qualities they look for when building their teams and how to manage people effectively. Regardless of their role in the industry, the best leaders are able to anticipate what their team needs to succeed and bring everyone together to find a solution when things go wrong. It was a refreshing take that came together from such different perspectives!"