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Brian has been in real estate media, marketing and technology since 1997. Before Co-Founding 1000WATT, Brian served as President of Inman, real estate’s leading trade media company.
Marc’s career began on Madison Ave at Y&R. His career spans 45 years of working with brands across numerous industries. As the Chief Creative at 1000WATT, Marc has challenged the real estate industry’s traditional approaches to marketing and brand development and has reimagined how brands connect, communicate, and create meaningful impact.
Jessica creates compelling brand strategies and messaging that connects. She has a nose for narrative that she developed in her years as a journalist, and a knack for finding the twist that helps brands stand out. Jessica was formerly Managing Editor and VP of Content at Inman, and has also worked in tech PR and content strategy across industries. She works with 1000WATT clients to express their truth clearly and powerfully.
Brandon A.F. Sonnier is a multidisciplinary designer and creative director focusing on brand identity, design strategy, and creative leadership. He creates detailed, imaginative, and holistic solutions to design challenges and brand building. Brandon has been with 1000WATT for 6 years working on identity systems for real estate brands of all sizes.
Kate has built her career driving effective communication and productive collaboration, while both shaping and executing on brand strategies and marketing efforts. She has managed brands in proptech (Vacasa), fintech (Simple), and mortgage (Umpqua Bank), and works with 1000WATT clients every day to develop breakthrough strategies.
Keith Robinson is the chief strategy officer for NextHome, Inc. and has an extensive background in real estate, including experience in national business strategy, operations, sales training, recruitment, motivation, and effective marketing. Before joining NextHome, Keith operated Prosper Marketing Inc. as the chief strategic officer. Previously, he was the COO of Better Homes & Gardens Mason-McDuffie Real Estate, the nation’s 19th-largest real estate company, where he oversaw operations for 35 offices and more than 1,300 REALTORS®. His business acumen is also built on earlier experience as a consultant at SmartZip, as a vice president at North Point Real Estate Investment Services, and a team leader for Keller Williams Real Estate. He co-hosts the Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered Podcast alongside James.
Diane proudly leads a nearly $5 billion brokerage with close to 1,400 brokers and 24 offices, as well as its family of homeownership services. Under Diane’s leadership, BHHS Chicago has been named No. 1 Top Workplace by the Chicago Tribune for two out of the last four years, something Glass feels is a reflection of the company’s strong culture and its people’s dedication to the real estate craft.
Matt Beall began his real estate career in 1998 at a small brokerage in Princeville, Kauai. By 2002, he was Broker-in-Charge at one of Hawaii’s largest firms. He also began acquiring and restoring distressed properties, eventually developing condominiums, estate homes, and private water systems.
Over time, his work expanded to include development, construction, and property management, shifting his perspective from practitioner to principal. As real estate marketing moved online in the early 2000s, he saw a need for better tools and experiences.
In 2008, he co-founded Hawaii Life with a focus on custom search technology, great design, and consumer transparency. HawaiiLife.com quickly became one of the most visited real estate websites in Hawaii. The company now includes 300+ brokers and agents in 20 offices statewide and is a leader in sales volume across the islands.
He currently serves as Chair of the Board at Forbes Global Properties, and sits on the Board of Governors at the Hawaii Community Foundation. He is a past President of the Kauai Board of Realtors and has held leadership roles across five Realtor associations statewide.
Shawn Jardine is a real estate broker, media entrepreneur, and founder of Southwest 55 Plus, a niche real estate brand built entirely through content marketing. Based in Arizona, she brings more than 35 years of experience and specializes in helping adults 55 and better relocate to active-adult communities across the Southwest. Shawn has generated over $100 million in closed sales directly from YouTube alone, separate from her broader career production.After pivoting mid-career, Shawn committed fully to long-form video, audience trust, and brand storytelling. That decision led to the creation of one of the most recognizable retirement relocation platforms in the region. Her YouTube channel and supporting media reach tens of thousands of viewers each month, attracting highly qualified audiences from across the United States who are planning their next chapter.
Known for her candid, no-fluff style, Shawn speaks openly about what actually works in modern real estate and personal branding. Her talks focus on building authority, monetizing attention, and creating scalable, defensible businesses through smart, intentional content strategy.
Prior to founding Courted, Sean was an Associate Partner and the co-lead for McKinsey & Company’s Residential Real Estate Practice in North America, where he advised leading brokerages, online listing portals and software companies. Prior to that, Sean joined Urban Compass (now Compass), when there were 30 employees with the company. He built and led the Expansion function for the company, launching and managing Compass’ first 40 offices outside of New York.
Sean won Inman’s Innovator of the Year Award in 2024 for his contributions to the real estate industry. He was named to T3 Sixty’s Swanepoel SP 200, which highlights the most influential leaders and visionaries shaping the future of the real estate industry. He has also been selected as a HousingWire Rising Star.
Heather is an expert in proptech - having built and scaled teams and companies in everything from property management and brokerage, to mortgage. She is passionate about the problems to be solved and is known for being candid about the ways the industry impedes its own progress at the expense of the consumer.
Heather is a third generation real estate broker (Harmon Real Estate), her first job in proptech was over 30 years ago (LandLord Protection Service), and recently she co-founded a venture backed proptech company (RedDoor) and sold it to Opendoor. Over the last year she has consulted and advised over 100 startups and serves as a partner to two VC’s. She also invests in small business turnarounds and is building her own real estate and angel investment portfolio.
Kevin Van Eck is Principal at Maverix Advisory Group, where he advises proptech companies and real estate leaders on adoption strategy, brokerage alignment, and revenue growth. Drawing on years of in-the-field experience, he helps companies design tech and engagement solutions that actually work for agents and brokers.
Previously, Kevin served as President of Affiliate Strategy at Christie’s International Real Estate and @properties. In those roles, he led initiatives around technology integration, training, and scale, helping brokerages adopt tools that supported real-world operations.
Kevin started his career as an agent, then became a managing broker and agent-performance coach, giving him a 360-degree view of how technology can enhance productivity. His hands-on industry insight informs every aspect of his consulting—from implementation planning to go-to-market strategy.
A recognized voice in real estate and proptech, Kevin has been featured in Inman News, RISMedia, REALTOR® Magazine, and Fox Business News. He speaks frequently on innovation, adoption, and how to build tools that meet the needs of today’s professionals.
Chris Kelly is the President and Chief Executive Officer of HomeServices of America, the nation’s premier provider of residential real estate services, encompassing brokerage, mortgage, title, insurance, and franchising. In this role, Chris sets the strategic vision for the enterprise and leads a team of seasoned practitioners—leaders with real-world real estate experience who understand the evolving needs of agents and consumers alike.
Christina Panos has served as chief marketing officer at Corcoran since 2004, where she has played a key role in shaping the company’s brand and marketing direction. She led a comprehensive redesign of Corcoran’s brand identity, resulting in the “Live Who You Are” campaign, which reflects the company’s focus on authentic, human-centered real estate experiences. This campaign laid the foundation for Corcoran’s growth beyond its original New York City base, helping the brand expand across the United States and internationally.
Known for fostering a culture of authenticity and community, Panos’ approach aligns closely with Corcoran’s commitment to building trust and meaningful relationships in real estate. Her strategic vision and dedication continue to support the company’s ongoing success and global expansion.
David is a British-born Realtor and Co-Founder of Compass Arizona, specializing in luxury homes across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, and Phoenix. With a mix of English humor and sharp market insight from 20 years experience, he makes buying or selling a home both seamless and fun.
He’s part of Compass’s Private Client Network, co-leads the Brits of Compass, and even hosts a podcast—Randomly Useful. When not helping clients, you’ll find him cycling, behind a camera somewhere, or mentoring students in urban development.
Matt McGee is a real estate marketing strategist and the founder of SEOSavvyAgent.com. He teaches agents how to build brands people remember, publish high-quality content that gets found, and create client experiences that lead to long-term loyalty. Matt works with agents, teams, and brokerages nationwide on trust-based marketing that attracts leads and converts them into clients. He also serves as Marketing Director for his wife, Cari, a multi-award-winning local Realtor® who's been recognized as the #1 RE/MAX agent in the Tri-Cities and a Top 1% national producer. Matt previously spent 3+ years as Head of Agent Content at HomeLight, where he hosted and produced their weekly podcast featuring guests such as Tom Ferry, 1000WATT's Brian Boero and Jessica Swesey, Glennda Baker, and more.
