Meet the team

Aaron Wagner

Training

Aaron Wagner operates as Senior Director of Organizational Development for New Home Star. In tandem with our Organizational Development team, Aaron oversees our Leadership Development Program (LDP), creates a wide host of training content and processes for sales associates and managers, and travels to New Home Star’s 30+ markets nationwide to assist with sales training and recruitment.

As one of the organization’s most successful leaders, Aaron has been recognized as the 2014 Salesperson of the Year (Colorado South Division), 2016 Sales Leader of the Quarter, 2018 Corporate Leader of the Year, and Pro Builder Top 40 Under 40. He finds it rewarding to watch individuals develop and grow both as leaders and as people, and, in his current position, he’s able to play a significant role in seeing and contributing to this growth on both the Corporate and Leadership levels.

He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communication from the University of Colorado - Colorado Springs and holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership with a Change Management specialization. Aaron currently resides in Florida but frequently makes his presence known in our markets across the nation. He plays a pivotal role in the continual development of our organization and continues to improve our processes and effectiveness year-round.

Achievements

• 2014 Salesperson of the Year - Colorado South Division
• 2016 Sales Leader of the Quarter
• 2018 Corporate Leader of the Year
• Pro Builder Top 40 Under 40

Chris Laskowski

Marketing

As the Director of Marketing for New Home Star, Chris Laskowski oversees a diverse range of projects and manages the Star Marketing team at the Corporate Support office. He works to ensure that overall marketing efforts are at the highest level possible for company operations, including recruitment and business development marketing as well as internal initiatives such as contests and events. Chris is also tasked with overseeing our in-house marketing agency that offers design services for team members and clients nationwide.

Since joining the organization in 2012, Chris has been an integral part of the development and growth of the marketing department and the company as a whole. He takes pride in leading the marketing team and enjoys the opportunity to create, develop, and collaborate on so many unique and challenging initiatives. His main goal is to help individuals realize their full potential each day, and because of his leadership and support, he was awarded the 2017 Corporate Leader of the Year award.

Chris received a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Illinois at Chicago, is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University, and has received a certification in Digital Marketing from the University of South Florida. He loves the outdoors and views it as his second home, and he also likes to say he has the best and sweetest dog of all the Corporate Support office members, but that notion is still up for debate.

Achievements

• 2017 Corporate Leader of the Year

Oren Jacobson

Market Strategy

Oren Jacobson serves as the Lead Market Analyst for New Home Star. Oren brings a combination of experience, education, and exposure to his role that is among the most unique in the industry. Over more than 15 years, Oren has had the opportunity to sell, market, and manage projects for every buyer profile, product type, and price point in the market across multiple regions. In this role, Oren focuses on driving systemic-level changes to improve organizational results.

In addition to this practical experience, Oren earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Strategic Management, a Master’s in Economics and Policy Analysis, and a Master's in International Relations from the University of Chicago. This blend of frontline, managerial, and educational insight has turned Oren into one of the most trusted analysts for New Home Star’s partners across the country.

Oren leverages deep empirical research and insight on consumer segmentation, microanalysis of local market trends, macroeconomic forecasting, and asset positioning comparisons to help builder partners identify how to best position their brand for success. He has also been a major contributor to New Home Star’s proprietary sales training processes, leveraging insights from the more than 20 markets he visits each year to identify trends and provide advanced proactive content to frontline employees. Oren is heavily engaged in civic work, serving on several non-profit boards and running his own non-profit organization.

Heather Dunwoody

Training

As a National Trainer, Heather Dunwoody travels around the country training and offering support to sales agents and sales directors in any way that she can. She is responsible for recruiting new agents, assisting with marketing efforts, executing one-on-one sales training, and building culture within each division.

Heather brings many years of experience in management and director-level positions in the real estate industry, including a ten-year period as a Sales Counselor at Pulte Homes. Her leadership abilities and mentorship qualities make her someone who team members throughout the nation look to for guidance.

On a daily basis, Heather’s main goal is to lead others to success. She most enjoys brainstorming to find solutions that help create change on both a community and nationwide level. Heather received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology specializing in Behavior Modification from Oakland University, and she was named New Home Star’s 2018 Sales Leader of the Quarter. She is a mom to a teenage daughter and a foster parent to three children, and is also a Florida Department of Children and Families Foster Guardian.

Achievements

• 2018 Sales Leader of the Quarter

Jamie Pugh

Training

As the Director of Field Training, Jamie Pugh develops, implements, monitors, and maintains both initial and ongoing training programs across the company. He spearheads New Home Star’s Mentoring and Educating New Sales Associates (MENSA) program aimed at developing future mentors and leaders. As one of New Home Star’s longest-tenured sales professionals, Jamie spends much of his time traveling around the country training sales professionals as well as assisting in the further development of the organization's training platform.

Jamie has been with New Home Star since 2010 and has consistently made his presence known throughout the company. He has been referred to as the quiet heartbeat of New Home Star for his unique, patient, and personalized teaching style for each individual. He strives to help others become the best version of themselves, which truly shows through his daily interactions.

Jamie believes that everybody is unique, everyone will learn differently, and it is important to meet each person where they are and work with them to get them where they need to go. He truly pours his heart into his work throughout all facets of the organization. In 2019, Jamie received the Corporate Leader of the Year award for his outstanding performance both on the Corporate and leadership level, and he continues to make large strides in improving the organization in many areas nationwide.

Achievements

• 2019 Corporate Leader of the Year

Corey McPherson

Training

As Field Development Manager, Corey McPherson’s main responsibility is to identify and generate promotable individuals within New Home Star. He works closely with our Vice Presidents to develop training curriculum for sales leaders around the nation as well as mentoring and developing current employees.

Prior to joining New Home Star in 2014, Corey worked as a Licensed Insurance Representative and Assistant Branch Manager for two well-known companies. In his current position, he most enjoys the ability to connect and work alongside many people with similar goals. Helping and mentoring others as they work through challenges and guiding them along the way is a rewarding experience for him. In 2017, he received New Home Star’s Sales Leader of the Quarter award.

Corey earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Fairmont State University. He is passionate about helping others and having the ability to change people’s lives for the better. Connecting with others, building relationships with them, and influencing them in a positive way is what he strives for every day. While not searching for top talent, Corey enjoys traveling, experiencing new places and cultures, and trying any new cuisine he can.

Achievements

• 2017 Sales Leader of the Quarter

Erin Clark

Training

As Organizational Development Coordinator, Erin Clark develops training content for sales associates nationwide and spearheads development and project efforts throughout the organization. Erin has been a main component in the creation of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, and serves as the producer of New Home Star's Real Estate Rockstars podcast. Additionally, she serves as the co-creator, co-host, and producer of the organization’s 15 Minutes of Wellness podcast.

Erin brings a wide range of experiences to her current position, receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Concordia College and a Master’s degree in Islamic Studies from the University of Chicago, with backgrounds in German and mathematics. She joined New Home Star as a Sales Associate in 2015 coming from her career in disability services, and worked her way up to Sales Manager, now having transitioned into a Corporate leadership role.

She most enjoys the opportunity to work across all departments to find common ground, enhance interpersonal experiences, and develop strategic solutions within the company. Being an initiator of change is a strength of Erin’s as she leads the charge in many organizational development initiatives. She is a certified dog trainer, can speak German and Arabic, and strives to immerse her and her team in learning in order to leave one another better than they found each other.

Victoria Ringhausen

Training

As Manager of Field Training Operations, Victoria develops, implements, monitors, and maintains both initial and ongoing training programs across the company. She also specializes in builder transition — as new partners come on board, she goes to their markets to transition into New Home Star processes, train and mentor new hires, and help managers create infrastructure and identify future leaders. Victoria spends most of her time traveling across the country to assist in the continued development of our organization's training platform. Her talent for mentorship and support is channeled in her additional responsibility of visiting struggling communities to reframe marketing strategies and adjust best practices in order to strategize and rebuild community operations.

Prior to joining New Home Star, Victoria worked in a retail sales role, eventually working her way up to a General Manager. There she learned effective sales and leadership techniques, which she has successfully put to use in her current role. Watching the light bulb go off when sales techniques click with associates for the first time is one of the most rewarding aspects of her current position.

Victoria realized her passion for the real estate industry after graduating with her Master's degree and fell in love with New Home Star through living its culture. Since joining the organization in 2016, she has worked her way up from a Sales Trainee and has been named New Home Star’s Rockstar of the Month, in addition to receiving several sales volume awards, including 2018 Top Sales Performer. Victoria has also worked with many of our builder partners, including Toll Brothers and Maronda Homes. She has sold in multiple markets across the country and has built processes for these builders that are still used today. You can catch her at any opera or musical that she has the opportunity to see or spending time with her golden retriever.

Achievements

• 2018 Top Sales Performer

Rachael DeMaggio

Training

As Field Training Manager, Rachael DeMaggio develops, mentors, and trains new hires at all levels across the company. Her specialties include helping create training programs and processes for new partnerships, onboarding new managers within builder transitions, and conducting field visits to strategize best practices for sales, community, and operations while training and identifying future leaders.

Having started at New Home Star as a Sales Trainee in 2016, Rachel quickly rose through the ranks, successfully completing LDP and MENSA before she joined the Organizational Development team. Her wide range of experience comes from working with five builders and six divisions. Rachael most enjoys watching her team grow — supporting each other, cheering each other on, and helping one another through challenges while working toward the same goals. Being able to motivate and inspire brings her joy every day.

Rachael is a member of the Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati and the NHS Wellness Committee. She previously managed a resort salon and spa in Vermont and is a certified health coach. When not working, you’ll often find Rachael traveling, running, doing yoga, or spending time with her two Labradoodles.

Carol Douis

Market Analysis

Carol Douis shares her experience and strengths on a broad range of special projects as well as supporting New Home Star’s builder and developer clients. Douis brings over 30 years of sales leadership experience to serve home builders and developers in the areas of new home operations, sales strategy, coaching, training, and organizational development.

Douis has a strong history of successfully maximizing sales effectiveness for both large regional and smaller division teams. In her current role, she enjoys consulting with her builders, developer, and other New Home Star leaders to structure data-driven sales strategies. Douis’ focus is on adding value to support all company efforts to become the best new home sales company in the world.

Carol is known to be the connector — fostering relationships and connecting people both personally and professionally. She is happiest when out in the field learning about the industry, walking homes, and watching developments take form. She is an inspirational leader who works to add value each day in an environment where she, herself, feels valued as well.

Dan White

Market Analysis

Dan White serves as Sales Director in our Hayden Homes Idaho market. While managing and leading his entire division, Dan specializes in new home sales and single-family new construction and provides his expertise to help his sales team grow and reach success. His purpose is to create an unparalleled building experience for his customers while helping builders sell more homes more profitably. His experience resides in sales management, team building, developing and building business relationships, and implementing and improving sales operations.

Dan finds enjoyment in unifying builder operations and field team members to create results greater than the sum of their parts, as well as positioning new land acquisitions strategically in order to maximize sales success. His efforts to support and empower those around him so they may realize their full potential and live their best life does not go unnoticed by his team members, and he received the 2017 Sales Leader of the Quarter award.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a focus on Positive Psychology, Organizational and Industrial Psychology, and Outdoor Leadership. While he’s not selling homes and leading his team, you may find Dan competing in Ultimate Frisbee tournaments internationally and throughout the country.

Achievements

• 2017 Sales Leader of the Quarter

Tiffany Smith

Business Development

As Business Development Manager, Tiffany Smith focuses on fostering new relationships with home builders while sharing New Home Star’s mission, vision, and capabilities. Her main goal is to nurture successful partnerships throughout the industry.

Prior to joining New Home Star, Tiffany worked in the real estate industry for a number of years with a focus on new home sales for some of the country’s most reputable builders among the Fortune 500, ranging from starter homes to fully customized luxury homes. She attended Drury University where she studied Psychology, Criminal Justice, and Human Services with an emphasis in Leadership. Tiffany has been the recipient of several awards, including the New Home Sales Exceptional Customer Experience award with 100% Enthusiasm and 100% Willingness to Refer, and New Home Consultant of the Quarter.

Tiffany is passionate about developing relationships with others and serving as a resource to help people live their most fulfilling, enriching, and purposeful lives possible. She strives to live her life with intentionality at the forefront of everything she does and works diligently to deliver exceptional service to everyone she encounters. Tiffany is a very involved member of her community for organizations such as Special Olympics, Alex’s Lemonade Stand, Miss America, VFW, and other local food banks and animal shelters. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and pups while experiencing all the joys that Texas has to offer!

Michael Coppers

Business Development

As Special Projects Manager, Michael Coppers works to promote and expand the New Home Star offering with new and existing clients. His primary responsibilities include showcasing the organization, developing tactics to continually grow the client base, and managing relationships across many levels.

Michael brings 15 years of experience working in educational leadership and nearly ten years in the real estate industry to his current position. He has a passion for working with education and compassion efforts worldwide along with teaching and mentoring others personally and professionally. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education and a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership.

Since starting his journey in the real estate industry, specifically new home sales, it has allowed Michael to create a life for his family that he’s always dreamed of. He received the Division Salesperson of the Year award in 2016, his first year on the selling floor with New Home Star, as well as being named a 2019 Top Sales Performer. Michael is an avid baseball fan who enjoys camping and traveling the world with his wife and two children.

Achievements

• 2016 Division Salesperson of the Year
• 2019 Top Sales Performer

Jessica Whiteman

Business Development

As New Client Implementation Manager, Jessica Whiteman coordinates with and manages multiple departments during the new client implementation process. By keeping constant and proactive communication with all new clients, she can ensure the highest level of customer service while executing all necessary meetings and training during the onboarding process.

Jessica joined New Home Star in 2017 as a Sales Assistant and has worked her way up to her management position — throughout this time, she has relocated with New Home Star across three different states. As a recipient of several awards, including the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Southeastern Michigan 2021 Sales Professional of the Year, New Home Star’s Rockstar of the Month, and numerous regional top sales volume and top net sales awards, Jessica’s dedication and success in the industry is apparent.

Jessica holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Communication from Arizona State University and completed New Home Star’s Leadership Development Program. Along with her extensive involvement with New Home Star, she is also a member of the Professional Women in Building Councils for both the HBA of Southeastern Michigan and the HBA of Greater Grand Rapids. Jessica is passionate about her family and strives to provide the best life for her children. She enjoys reading, traveling, and snowboarding, and she even lived in Western Canada for a period of time.

Achievements

• 2021 Sales Professional of the Year - HBA of Southeastern Michigan

Eric Ficke

Business Development

As Senior Business Manager, Eric Ficke is tasked with growing our business by developing new strategies, products, and services as well as building and promoting brand awareness within our industry. He is currently leading our efforts to grow our SaaS business portfolio and Consultation offerings. In addition, he works in close cooperation with numerous departments within our Corporate Support and Services teams, including assisting our Organizational Development team by providing sales and leadership training at a national level, supporting efforts in conducting competition and market analyses, and working closely with our SaaS clientele to provide solutions to their needs.

Since joining New Home Star in 2015, Eric has been on the sales floor and led sales teams in five different markets with four builders while working up our Career Path to his current leadership role. He enjoys coming up with creative solutions to make the most out of every opportunity as well as sharing who and what New Home Star is to potential partnership opportunities and anyone curious about the company.

Eric has received numerous sales performance and leadership awards throughout the years. His passion for our organization is evident each and every day, as his contributions have made significant impacts in every role he has held. Outside of work, Eric loves to travel and is a history and geography buff. He was born in Guam and has lived in seven states.

Erin Henderson

Marketing

As Marketing Manager, Erin Henderson leads the Star Marketing team at the Corporate Support office. She works directly on all experience-based marketing and oversees the internal and external messaging for New Home Star. Erin also spearheads the planning and organization of company-wide initiatives each year and is a key player in the success and execution of each of these events.

Erin’s outstanding leadership and communication skills were realized early on, and she has quickly moved along the organization’s Career Path after starting as a Marketing and Communications Intern in 2016. In 2018, Erin received the Corporate Leader of the Year award for her exceptional performance supporting the Corporate team and field staff nationwide. Erin’s true passions reside in helping others and making a difference. With a natural knack for people, Erin is able to do that in her day-to-day responsibilities through our experience-based projects in the organization such as contests, events, gifting, and the charitable giving and volunteer programs.

She received a Bachelor’s degree in Communication from Saint Xavier University. Erin enjoys spending time with her loved ones, taking weekend trips to the lake, and indulging in a great meal out — breakfast is her favorite type of food and brunch is her go-to.

Achievements

• 2018 Corporate Leader of the Year

Adan Chance

Marketing

As Senior Marketing Strategist, Adan Chance oversees Star Marketing projects with a focus on Sales Associate Marketing Initiatives (SAMIs). His primary responsibilities include improving SAMI processes, developing brand identities, and further developing all brand assets while supporting his team and builder partners nationwide. Adan started with New Home Star as a Junior Graphic Designer and worked his way through the organization’s Career Path up to his current managerial role.

In his current position, Adan most enjoys collaborating with his team of marketing professionals who are committed to consistent innovation and professional development. By being tasked with bringing agents’ creative marketing ideas to life, he noted that “the agents’ success is our success,” and he strives to assist his team and field members through marketing support and design initiatives each day.

Adan believes there’s always room for improvement and is always looking to push forward into new spaces and solutions. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design from Bradley University. He is passionate about art and design, and prior to working at New Home Star, his previous job involved designing Harry Potter merchandise.

Jessica Cuevas

Marketing

As Creative Manager, Jessica plays an integral role in designing the branding and collateral for all of the organization’s employee engagement initiatives. Her responsibilities include helping to brainstorm creative initiative concepts, creating a brand identity for each initiative, and designing or delegating all visual aspects of the project.

Prior to joining New Home Star, Jessica worked as a Designer for a major publishing company and also worked as a Professional Graphic Design Intern at Walt Disney World. In her current position, she enjoys being able to bring the team’s ideas to life through visuals and physical collateral displayed company-wide.

Jessica has a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design from the University of St. Francis. She is passionate about food and music and loves to try new restaurants throughout Chicago. She could spend hours in the Art Institute of Chicago and enjoys watching any kind of art history documentaries.

Erik Maranto

Marketing

As the Event Manager at New Home Star, Erik Maranto is an exceptional addition to the Star Marketing team, with wide-reaching experience in event facilitation and production. Erik plays a key role in overseeing company events, including site selection, vendor negotiations, event registration, travel logistics, on-site staffing, event marketing, and post-event reporting.

As a student at Elmhurst University, Erik played an active role in Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity, where he still serves as the Grand Chapter Advisor and mentors current undergraduate members. Erik received his degree in Business Management and Organizational Communication and has since earned certifications in Cvent Event Management and HubSpot Marketing Software.

Erik is a motivated worker with a team-first attitude and primarily aims to bring people together by providing memorable experiences and the opportunity to grow individual relationships. After many months of planning an original idea, he finds it incredibly satisfying to see an event fully come together and witness a real-world experience. In his spare time, Erik is an avid Chicago Bulls, Bears, and White Sox fan, and he greatly enjoys game nights with friends. He is a proud older brother to his three siblings.

Becca Lam

Marketing

As a Graphic Designer, Becca Lam balances a number of responsibilities: She creates high-level collateral for our directors and agents in the field, takes the lead on design for various corporate and national initiatives, and provides guidance to newer designers.

Becca's ultimate driving factor has always been to design for good and use her work to support and uplift others. She loves seeing reactions to her creative works, whether it be enthusiastic New Home Connect™ posts with unique collateral to assist agent campaigns or photos of coworkers having a blast at national events where she led the design direction. She also enjoys keeping up to date on design trends and staying active in the local design community as a member of the American Graphic Institute of Arts (AIGA).

She received a Bachelor's degree in Visual Communication Design and French from the University of Notre Dame. Before joining New Home Star, Becca worked as a Graphic Designer for Notre Dame's Gender Relations Center, interned as a Graphic and Web Designer for a California start-up, and freelanced for various other clients. When she's not designing, most of Becca's free time is spent on the dance floor, and you can find her performing on stage with two Chicago-based dance teams.

Megan O'Russa

Marketing

As a Graphic Designer at New Home Star, Megan O’Russa primarily designs print and digital collateral for Sales Associate Marketing Initiatives (SAMIs). Other day-to-day duties include creating logos and other assets for NHS events, designing t-shirts, or collaborating with the other designers on internal marketing initiatives.

Prior to joining New Home Star, Megan worked as a Graphic Design Intern for a non-profit organization and was also a student Graphic Designer for the University of Missouri Graduate School. Megan is a member of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), and she received a dual Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design and Mediated Communication Studies from the University of Missouri. She most enjoys getting to be creative while also helping others through the use of her designs, and she loves seeing the collateral she creates being put to use on New Home Connect™ or in photos.

Whether in her personal or professional work, Megan strives to do something meaningful every day as she strongly believes this can aid in a fulfilling life. When not at work, you might find her hanging out at a local coffee shop, playing with her cat, Cosmo, or buying too many plants at the local garden center.

Aleksandar Medenica

Marketing

As Junior Graphic Designer, Alek Medenica designs print and digital collateral that accompanies sales associate marketing initiatives (SAMIs). He also assists with designing New Home Star’s Corporate branding materials and other digital resources.

He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design from the University of Montevallo and was a full scholarship collegiate athlete. Alek most enjoys being able to collaborate with his fellow graphic designers while being part of a tight-knit marketing team. He strives to create designs that have a positive lasting impact on anyone who sees them.

Alek was born in Belgrade, Serbia, and lived there for 16 years before moving to the US. He’s bilingual and even played on the U15 and U16 national basketball teams for Serbia. His interests lie in space, general sciences, and gaming, and he’s a huge Marvel fan.

Elise Hayes

Marketing

As a Junior Graphic Designer at New Home Star, Elise Hayes plays an integral role on the Marketing team, creating engaging designs in a wide variety of contexts. Her responsibilities include working on Sales Associate Marketing Initiative (SAMI) requests, email campaigns, collateral orders, and exciting internal projects. Elise is a go-getter ready to help her marketing teammates at any turn.

While receiving her Associate's degree in Graphic Design from College of DuPage, Elise honed her skills as a Student Lab Aide for the graphic design department, where she maintained all design labs and equipment, tutored other graphic design students, and assisted faculty with day-to-day organizational challenges.

Elise lives an active lifestyle outside of work, where she enjoys working out and keeping creative by doing puzzles. Elise thrives on the creative environment and culture provided by her team. Her purpose in work, and in life, is to become as successful as possible in her career to give back to family, friends, and the world around her.

Alondra Romero

Marketing

As a Junior Graphic Designer, Alondra is responsible for creating innovative designs and a wide variety of marketing materials to meet the needs of sales agents and builder partners across the country. Additionally, Alondra provides design support and setup help for corporate office events, as well as larger company initiatives. She is a team player and always strives to create an inviting atmosphere for the entire team.

While attending Augustana College, Alondra double majored in Graphic Design and Psychology, and played an active role in campus life. She created marketing materials for the Office of Student Life, and while holding the role of Festival Creative Director, she orchestrated the largest on-campus event to date.

She is family-oriented, and always strives to set an ideal example for her younger brothers and to fulfil her lifelong dream of being an artist. When she is not making new designs, Alondra can be found keeping active at the gym, tending to her plants, getting lost in a good book, travelling to new places, and experiencing new restaurants.

Valbona Shameti

Marketing

As a Junior Marketing Coordinator, Valbona manages Sales Associate Marketing Initiative (SAMI) requests, ensuring brand consistency and quality for each content piece. On a daily basis, she collaborates with graphic designers on concept creation, consults agents on marketing practices, and assists in the creation of divisional and community marketing plans.

Valbona has always had a passion for marketing and loves the creativity and strategy in the industry. In her current position, she most enjoys the collaboration and support between her team members — someone is always there to lend a helping hand.

Valbona holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management from Elmhurst University, and she’s a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Delta Mu Delta. Her interests lie in fashion, blogging, and content creation, and when not working, she’s an avid gym-goer and loves being active.

Melanie Bateman

Marketing

As a Junior Marketing Coordinator, Melanie Bateman plays a critical role on the Star Marketing team — assisting agents in managing requests, working with designers, and carrying out consultations to advise on marketing efforts. She consistently works with our builder partners’ marketing teams to ensure brand consistency for each asset.

Melanie received her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from Northern Illinois University. To hone her craft and keep in touch with her creative and artistic side, Melanie also managed a number of social media platforms at her university. In her current position, Melanie especially enjoys the team she works with and seeing all the unique initiative ideas come to life.

Melanie is widely recognized as a people person and loves to connect with others throughout the organization. Her coworkers greatly appreciate the many baked goods she provides; she was even a finalist in a cupcake-baking competition at a pastry school she attended.

Zachary San Soucie

Marketing

As a Junior Marketing Coordinator, Zach’s primary responsibilities include project managing requests for agents, supporting builder partners, assisting with gifting requests, event coordination, and much more.

Zach greatly values teamwork and collaboration with the entire NHS team. From the beginning of his internship to now working full-time, he has trusted that the team will come together and support each other. He lives by the phrase, “Have courage, and be kind.”

Originally born in Germany, Zach earned his degree from the University of South Alabama. While not at work, his interests include cooking, going to the beach, playing video games and tennis, and enjoying a hot cup of coffee.

Derek Swanson

Marketing

As a Junior Marketing Coordinator, Derek is responsible for providing marketing support for agents around the country by completing Sales Associate Marketing Initiatives, as well as writing the Neighborhood Notes newsletter each month, and assisting NHS in a variety of copywriting and marketing initiatives as needed.

Derek is focused on always learning new marketing strategies and being the best professional version of himself. He thrives off of lending a hand and taking on supportive roles to see the entire team reach their goals. He enjoys the collaborative nature of his work and loves contributing to a team of other driven, hard-working, and creative individuals.

He graduated from Lewis University in 2021 with a degree in journalism. Having previously held roles as a freelance reporter, and later as a description writer for a home decor company, Derek is drawn to the art of writing and loves to create short stories. In his spare time, Derek is a guitar player and enjoys repairing old instruments. He is drawn to exploring the country on road trips, and lounging with his two miniature dachshunds, Oscar and Gromit.

Emily Check

Marketing

As a Junior Marketing Coordinator, Emily works with HubSpot utilizing B2B marketing strategies, publishes and edits content for the NHS website, creates personas, and helps publish various marketing campaigns through different mediums, namely social media and email.

Prior to working at NHS, Emily spent time as the Sales and Brand Growth Director for Chick-Fil-A Mount Prospect, and later as the CMO for Enactus, the President of Nexus, a business mentorship program, and was part of the Executive Team for the Habitat for Humanity club. She also worked as the Event Manager Assistant Intern for an international radio conference for Christian Music Broadcasters. Emily takes sincere joy in helping people through servant leadership and goes the extra mile to ensure needs are met.

Emily has a business degree from Liberty University. Her passions include singing, playing guitar, meeting new people, and organizing events. She aims to create a fun and engaging atmosphere to those around her.

Matt Jacobson

Technology

As lead of Product Design at New Home Star, Matthew Jacobson oversees the research, design, and usability of our technology solutions. With his understanding of UX, balanced with creative ability, and hands-on approach, he ensures our organization is getting the necessary tools to succeed in todays competitive marketplace.

His main responsibility is to ensure the company’s sales enablement platform, New Home Connect™ remains and continues to be a valuable tool for our operations here at New Home Star. He also enjoys leading the technology team and collaborating with other departments within the organization.

Prior to Joining New Home Star in 2014, Matt worked as an ambitious freelancer, striving to help small business’s succeed in todays competitive online space. You can often find him with his fiancee, either spending time outdoors or at one of their local favorite restaurants.

Achievements

• 2020 Corporate Leader of the Year

Christian Gomez

Technology

Christian Gomez serves as Technical Lead for New Home Star. His main responsibility resides in leading his team in the development and implementation of new features on the company’s sales enablement platform, New Home Connect™. He works closely with developers to ensure the proper direction and architecture of the code to create a user-friendly and innovative platform for team members nationwide.

Prior to joining New Home Star in 2012, Christian worked as a Junior PHP Developer and a freelance Web Developer. He has a passion for technology and programming, and enjoys building PCs and keeping up-to-date with the latest tech trends in the industry. Christian learned to program at a young age and, since then, has been interested in technology, automation, and building tools that make a difference and improve efficiency.

Christian most enjoys working alongside his talented team. Whether implementing a feed update or custom chat interface on the company’s platform, the variety and creativity that he’s allowed are two of his favorite parts about his position. In 2018, Christian received the Corporate Leader of the Year award. He loves experimenting with technology and learning how things work, and you can often find him playing guitar or video games in his spare time.

Achievements

• 2018 Corporate Leader of the Year

Kiana Greene

Technology

As a Front End Developer, Kiana Greene works to make the company’s sale enablement platform, New Home Connect™, the most interactive, unique, and user friendly as possible. She works closely with designers to recreate their designs in code on the web and is a Tech Coordinator for Corporate support and field leadership.

In her current position, she enjoys being able to do something different each day. She’s able to interact and help so many people while also doing one of her favorite hobbies — coding! She’s a people person and is passionate about making everyone she encounters feel loved, valued, and appreciated for who they are.

Kiana holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Mathematics with a minor in Web Design. She loves dogs, good food, and all things nerdy, and if you give her a puppy, a bowl of pasta, and some wine, she’ll be happy forever.

Xuhui Jiang

Technology

Xuhui Jiang is a Full Stack Developer who develops and maintains the company’s sales enablement platform, New Home Connect™. He works on both the front end and back end of New Home Connect™ products and services, working to make them the most effective and collaborative for team members throughout the country.

Xuhui has an interest in developing large-scale product software and is passionate about learning new technology. To go along with this passion, he received a Master’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology.

He enjoys seeing the positive impact the New Home Connect™ products and services have and how each offering helps individuals in the field. When not developing awesome new features for the company’s platform, Xuhui is a huge sports fan, and you may find him watching basketball nearly every day.

Amaan Khan

Technology

As Business Analyst, Amaan Khan works directly on the company’s sales enablement platform, New Home Connect™. He is responsible for working with team members to identify and resolve any technical issues with the platform, assisting with project management, and serving as New Home Connect™ tech support for individuals throughout the entire organization.

Amaan is a certified Scrum Master and is passionate about learning about new technology. He is an individual anybody can depend upon and is always willing to go the extra mile to help others. Amaan and his team work every day to ensure a smooth and one-of-a-kind user experience on the company’s platform.

He enjoys getting to work with technology in his position each day, and he loves collaborating with other teams in the organization. In the Corporate office, Amaan is the certified “candy man” and ensures that his candy jar on his desk is always filled for anyone who needs a sweet treat throughout the day.

Brett Scheller

Technology

As a Full Stack Developer, Brett Scheller focuses on improving the organization’s sales enablement platform, New Home Connect™. Some days she is writing SQL queries to manage the database, and other days she’s perfecting the front-end user experience in the browser. Most times, she works with the frameworks that live between the database and the browser.

Brett started her career in full stack development by working with a software team based out of Athens, Greece before joining New Home Star. She earned a degree in Mathematics from DePaul University, and she’s a member of MENSA and LearnedLeague, a trivia competition.

Brett views the world as her puzzle, and it’s her job to solve it. She loves riddles, poker, and trivia, and is always looking for any kind of friendly competition. When not working, you’ll often find Brett spending time with her cat, Dexter, and taking daily walks around her neighborhood.

Jared Mezquita

Technology

As a full-stack developer for New Home Connect™, Jared helps maintain existing features and develop new features that are required to meet the needs of our corporate and field teams. He works on both the front end and back end of New Home Connect™, learning different programming languages to contribute to our codebase and enhance every aspect of New Home Connect™.

Having earned tangible experience in his previous role as a software engineer and a degree in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Jared enjoys exploring new technological frontiers and finding creative solutions. He believes a positive attitude and willingness to go the extra mile will inspire everyone around him to succeed.

When he isn’t developing creative solutions to enhance New Home Connect™, Jared is an active cyclist, having biked over 1,200 miles in 2022. He loves trying new food and attempting to cook, trying different breweries, earning passport stamps through traveling, and spending time with his girlfriend and dog at home.

Melissa Garcia

Human Resources

As Human Resources Manager, Melissa Garcia partners closely with the HR team, Corporate team, and New Home Star employees to support the delivery of the organization’s mission to be the best new home sales company in the world while providing excellent careers for our people. She supports HR administrative functions, ensures compliance, and creates and implements HR strategies.

Melissa has over 15 years of leadership experience in roles that focused on HR process management and execution of business operations. In her current position, she most enjoys the rewarding feeling that comes with seeing employees grow and move through the career path within New Home Star. Melissa is committed to continually learning, developing, and evolving to be the best version of herself in order to best serve the organization.

Melissa is a member of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM). Outside of work, she can be found spending time with her husband, enjoying lots of time with family, summer boating on Lake Michigan, and hanging out in her favorite Indiana and Michigan harbor towns.

Michelle Smith

Human Resources

As Lead Talent Acquisition Specialist, Michelle Smith’s primary responsibilities include sourcing candidates, reviewing resumes, advertising open positions, creating and maintaining active communication channels with candidates and new hires, and building and maintaining relationships with hiring managers. Michelle works with the Human Resources department to communicate with team members throughout the country and collaborates on projects to implement procedures that continually improve the organization.

Michelle truly enjoys helping people find that same connection with New Home Star that she is grateful for each day and looks forward to being part of what could be a candidate's last interview ever. Seeing someone start and develop in the New Home Star Career Path and an equally pleased hiring manager who just landed a top performer is not only satisfying but truly amazing to her.

She is a member of the Northwestern Human Resource Council and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Illinois State University. Michelle is passionate about circus arts, dogs, and working out, and she even built a tiny home.

Laura Malee

Human Resources

As Wellness Coordinator, Laura oversees the Wellness Program company-wide, As Wellness Coordinator, Laura oversees the Wellness Program company-wide, committee, and Ambassador programs. Her core responsibilities include creating a robust wellness calendar each year, conducting wellness surveys, educating employees about available benefits, and working with benefit providers to get the most out of our contracts.

Laura strives to be the best version of herself every day. Her passions lie in helping others, making a difference, and looking after others, and she believes the skills she has honed in this role allow her to do just that.

She attended the University of Illinois at Chicago and currently volunteers with her children’s school committees. In her free time, she loves reading, exercising, socializing with friends and family, attending her children’s sporting and dance events, traveling, and going on walks with her dog Lucy.

Jean Arjes

Human Resources

As Talent Acquisition Specialist, Jean Arjes’s major responsibilities include sourcing and interviewing candidates for open positions in the Colorado, Florida, and Midwest regions. She actively searches for high-quality talent to help teams in the field build the strongest collaborations possible.

Jeanna enjoys getting to speak with people and match them to their dream jobs. She believes that if you love where you work, you'll never work a day in your life — and with great coworkers by her side, New Home Star makes that happen for her.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management from Illinois State University and is a member of the Northwest Human Resources Council. She loves to travel and spend time with her cat, Potsie, and she’d eat Buffalo Wild Wings every day if she could.

Natalie Janik

Human Resources

As Recruitment Coordinator, Natalie Janik creates job posts, screens resumes, conducts interviews, proactively reaches out to potential candidates via online job platforms, and connects with local hiring teams to determine staffing needs and recruitment efforts. Natalie also works to roll out HR initiatives and collaborates with other departments throughout the organization.

During her time at Elmhurst University, where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a focus in Human Resource Management, Natalie worked as an HR Intern and a Resident Advisor in the residence halls on campus. She has cited these experiences as giving her optimism for her future professional pursuits.

Natalie enjoys connecting with applicants and strives to give them the best first impression of New Home Star. She is passionate about being a resource to others and providing assistance whenever possible, which plays directly into her daily responsibilities. While not recruiting for the team, Natalie channels her creative personality through embroidering, drawing, painting, and crocheting.

Paola Nava

Human Resources

As Human Resources Office Coordinator, Paola Nava’s primary responsibilities consist of administering HR policies, procedures, and programs, establishing and implementing office practices, monitoring inventory, as well as providing excellent customer service to both internal and external members of the organization.

Paola believes that jobs play a huge part in an individual’s everyday life, and being able to help people find and provide them with better careers is at the heart of human resources and what she works to accomplish each day. Being able to connect with others nationally and guide them along the way is extremely rewarding to her.

Paola earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Elmhurst University and has a background in business and communication. She is always looking to improve, learn, and increase her knowledge in any area. Paola is a coffee lover and enjoys trying any new food she can, and you’ll often find her spending time with her husband and dog, Niko.

Sadiya Khan

Human Resources

As Human Resources Coordinator, Sadiya Khan is instrumental in the people side of New Home Star’s business operations. Sadiya helps oversee the onboarding process for new hires as well as processing promotions, terminations, and new policies and procedures for the company. She also focuses on maintaining compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, along with spearheading a variety of short- and long-term projects to enhance the department and company.

While earning a degree in Business Management from Elmhurst University, Sadiya worked as an HR Intern for all four years of undergrad. Currently, she is pursuing her MBA with a concentration in Managerial Leadership.

Sadiya holds forming genuine connections with others of the utmost importance. She strives to build effective workplaces that help grow the entire organization, and she is a proponent of taking one small step each day to inch closer to her lifelong goals. In her spare time, Sadiya enjoys quality time with friends and family, diving into a good book, binging TV shows and movies, and shopping.

Ryan Ralston

Human Resources

As a Recruiting Coordinator, Ryan Ralston’s primary responsibilities include sourcing potential candidates, managing the applicant tracking system, reviewing applications, and scheduling and interviewing candidates for positions primarily on the East Coast. He communicates daily with sales directors and field leadership as he helps to recruit talent for their teams.

In his current position, Ryan most enjoys meeting and collaborating with his team members every day and loves the team-oriented culture that New Home Star embraces. It’s rewarding for him to play a part in helping candidates find the right fit within their career paths.

Ryan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management with a concentration in leadership and managerial skills from the University of Illinois at Chicago. In 2018, he participated in the Disney College Program and advanced to be an Inventory Control Coordinator with Animal Kingdom’s Outdoor Vending department. Growing up, Ryan developed a love for basketball and is now a coach for both junior high school and AAU teams. Additionally, he’s an avid Chicago Cubs and Marvel fan and enjoys going on hikes, playing golf, and traveling to new places.

Payton Traylor

Human Resources

As a recruiting coordinator, Payton is responsible for finding top talent for our Corporate Division as well as sales divisions in Texas, Kansas, Alabama and for our remote Online Sales Teams.

Payton enjoys getting to meet new people everyday. She finds it very rewarding to find the right person for a role, as the company and the individual both win.

She earned her Master’s from Wichita State University and is passionate about learning about different people and cultures. She has travelled to 13 countries, and even spent a summer travelling 3,000 nautical miles through the Pacific Northwest. She is passionate about health and wellness, and enjoys long walks with Boots, her puppy.

Michelle Cabanas

Human Resources

As Recruiting Coordinator, Michelle’s primary responsibilities include sourcing candidates for open positions, moving applicants through the interview process, and scheduling and conducting interviews as the first point of contact. She networks and maintains strong relationships with sales leaders from Ohio, Kentucky, Colorado, and Florida to ensure their staffing needs are met.

Michelle is motivated to make an impact in the world, seeing every day as a new opportunity. She enjoys connecting with new faces daily, especially when she helps them find their perfect career match. She lives by the motto, “Every day, you have an opportunity to grow yourself. To become better. Work hard. Train harder and make each day count.”

Michelle holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Elmhurst University, where she joined the Sigma Kappa sorority and acted as their Public Relations chairwoman. She is a singer, a music lover, a jazz and hip-hop dancer, an avid fan of fashion and sports, an enjoyer of the gym and social outings, and she dreams of owning a furry dachshund someday very soon.

Ron Bell

Operations

As Director of Brokerage Operations, Ron Bell is responsible for ensuring each brokerage is in compliance with its state commissions. He oversees the managing brokers in each state and helps develop and implement policies and procedures that allow each brokerage to operate legally along set standards.

Ron is one of the longest-tenured team members in the organization and has been utilizing his over 20 years of real estate experience for New Home Star since 2009. He enjoys traveling around the country to visit sales associates in each area the organization operates.

Ron holds a certification in Strategic Leadership from Michigan State University. He is a member of the Housing and Building Administration of Colorado Springs and has been very involved with the HBA for many years. Ron has a significant interest in all things nature and astronomy–related, and he is passionate about providing as big of a contribution as possible to the success of New Home Star.

Keith Hall

Operations

Keith Hall works as the Controller/Finance Manager at New Home Star. He is responsible for overseeing all finance and accounting functions throughout the firm. Keith brings past experience in a Controller position to his role each day as he manages his responsibilities and assists team members throughout the country.

Keith received a Bachelor’s degree in Accountancy from Governors State University as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Alabama. He also holds a CPA license in Illinois and Indiana. In his current position, he enjoys ensuring the organization’s financials are complete and as accurate as possible.

Keith is an avid sports fan and enjoys playing various sports, including baseball, football, volleyball, and basketball. He is a member of the Indiana CPA Society and brings a vast range of knowledge to the organization each and every day.

Victoria Heinz

Operations

As Assistant Finance Manager, Victoria Heinz works closely with sales directors and leadership team members around the country to ensure key financial metrics are communicated effectively and payroll is accurate and timely. Vikki and her department strive to implement sustainable and efficient solutions that are scalable and promote profitability, helping to build the best new home sales company in the world.

Vikki loves that she gets to interact with different people across the country and create meaningful relationships with them, all while working towards a common goal in each separate location. She double majored in Accounting and Finance at Elmhurst University, local to our Corporate office.

Vikki has two sons that are her motivation each day, while also driving her crazy on a daily basis. She has been deemed Ms. Elmhurst and is passionate about sustainability, helping those in need, and spending time with her family. She’s a big sports fan and enjoys watching football — actively participating in the office fantasy league each year.

Olivia Glasder

Operations

As Finance Coordinator, Olivia Glasder assists with bi-monthly payroll for sales agents, provides financial reporting to agents and managers, processes incoming commission checks, and collaborates with various departments in the Corporate office.

In her previous positions, Olivia worked as a Project Manager and Accounts Payable Coordinator for companies in the Chicagoland area. In her current role, she enjoys being able to work with such a wonderful team who are so knowledgeable and also great teachers.

Olivia holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Development from Illinois State University. She’s passionate about learning something new every day and continuing to expand her knowledge and comfort zone. When not making sure all finances are in order, she loves to cook and create fun experiences for her young daughter.

Becky Demas

Operations

Becky Demas serves as Builder Operations Coordinator for New Home Star. She works on various builder responsibilities including new client onboarding, online sales concierge, organizational charts, and new business development, as well as assisting in the implementation of processes to ease fluidity and promote operational success throughout the organization.

Prior to joining New Home Star, Becky worked as a Sales Associate for a major home builder and spent over 12 years working in the marketing industry as a Media Consultant and Director of Marketing. She enjoys that her current position allows her to be part of many different aspects of the organization on a national level. Her responsibilities not only correlate to her areas of expertise, but they have also allowed her to learn and grow every day.

Becky received a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing with a secondary focus in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame. She loves to cook and experiment with different recipes, read, play soccer, and frequent the beach, although the Illinois weather doesn’t allow for that as much as she’d like. She’s passionate about her family and spends as much time as she can with her three children.

Hugo Dorsey

Operations

As a Junior Staff Accountant, Hugo Dorsey has a keen eye for detail and is always ready to lend a helping hand. Hugo brings forth an invaluable background in accounting and assists New Home Star in payroll processing, revenue recording, and auditing monthly financial reports for internal accounting and external reporting. Hugo thrives when working with data, as he is most focused and alert when crunching numbers.

After attending Briar Cliff University as an Accounting major, Hugo honed his craft as an Accounting Intern. Additionally, Hugo spent time as a Volunteer Income Tax Assistant (VITA), where he prepared income taxes for underserved communities. He has also spent time writing blog articles for small business owners on different accounting and financial topics.

Hugo lives by the phrase, "Life is not what happens to you, but how you react to it," and considers enjoying the process leading up to goal achievement incredibly valuable. In his personal life, Hugo enjoys the art of film and music, as well as watching Formula One races on the weekends. He is committed to learning new skills, such as acting, boxing, playing guitar, and even card and magic tricks, to keep his mind as sharp as possible.