Rebecca Donatelli

By Rebecca Donatelli

The latest YPN Advisory Board meeting looked a little different as the annual REALTORS® Legislative Meetings in Washington, D.C.—led by the current National Association of REALTORS® Leadership Team—was shifted to a completely virtual conference in May due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Piper Knoll, the YPN Advisory Board’s current chair, led the virtual meeting and shared that 100% of the advisory board’s members have donated to RPAC, including nine Major Investors and eight President’s Circle investors.

Advisory board member Brad Lois then gave a report on a recent survey sent out on behalf of YPN that asked members about their path into leadership after YPN involvement. Many of the respondents reported that they produce at above-average levels in sales volume and transaction sides, and continue to participate in association leadership roles.

The YPN Advisory Board’s Zoom meeting during the 2020 virtual REALTORS® Legislative Meetings. Photo by board member Heather Haase.

Josh Woodward followed the discussion with an update on advocacy reporting. To date, 571 YPN members have taken the YPN Pledge, and we continue to recognize them on the NAR YPN Facebook page.

Next, YPN Advisory Board member Lacy Browne led a discussion regarding which associations currently do not have a YPN network. We also talked about how the board has pivoted from traveling to instead hosting virtual solutions that allow us to continue educating and supporting YPN networks nationwide. This has eliminated the use of the board’s travel stipend until regular travel is able to resume. We are proud to have presented to more than 600 REALTORS® nationwide since March.

I also gave an update in regards to YPN Advance, an event for YPN chairs, vice chairs, and staff liaisons that takes place during NAR’s Leadership Summit regularly scheduled for the end of August. This year’s Advance will now be virtual, with specific details to follow.

Georgia Stevens, the advisory board’s current vice chair, finished off the meeting with a presentation on NAR’s ACT program, which stands for accountability, culture change, and training. The initiative focuses on strengthing fair housing awareness and education. Georgia also expressed the importance of agents and brokers including fair housing in their business plan.

Meet the 2020 NAR YPN Advisory Board members:

• 2020 Chair Piper Knoll, Denver, CO, Region 11
• 2020 Vice Chair Georgia Stevens, Bellevue, WA, Region 12
• 2020 Immediate Past Chair Tommy Choi, Chicago, IL, Region 7
• Alan Stewart, Trumbull, CT, Region 1
• Kristyn Martin, Waynesboro, PA, Region 2
• Harrison Beacher, Washington, D.C., Region 3
• Michelle Doherty, Alexandria, VA, Region 3
• Amanda Lott, Memphis, TN, Region 4
• Christopher Ayers, Birmingham, MI, Region 6
• Rebecca Donatelli, Solon, OH, Region 6
• Heather Haase, Xenia, OH, Region 6
• Brad Lois, Burlington, WI, Region 7
• Josh Woodward, Owasso, OK, Region 9
• Jef Conn, Lubbock, TX, Region 10
• Krista Knight, San Antonio, TX, Region 10
• Lacy Browne, Bozeman, MT, Region 12
• Angela Gibson, AE Rep, Boise, ID, Region 12
• Felicia Mares, Oakland, CA, Region 13

Rebecca Donatelli, C2EX, ABR, SRS, is a residential agent and team lead of The Rebecca Donatelli Team with McDowell Homes Real Estate Services in Cleveland, Ohio. She was honored in REALTOR® Magazine’s 2019 class of 30 Under 30 and has been honored as a top real estate professional in Northeast Ohio by Cleveland Magazine since 2018. She also received the Lake & Geauga Area Association of REALTORS® 2020 REALTOR® of the Year. Rebecca has built a large online presence through social media, specifically Instagram. Follow her @rebeccadonatelli.REALTOR.