2024 List of Most Influential Women in PropTech

The proptech industry has some of the strongest women leaders. These women have shown immense dedication and hard work to achieve their world-class status.

In this article, we will share the 9 most influential women in proptech who have made huge contributions to the industry. They are working smartly and diligently not just to win the game but also to change it. 

1. Laura Hines-Pierce

• Designation: Co-CEO
• Company: Hines

Laura Hines-Pierce is the Co-CEO of Hines and works with their Co-CEO and Chairman, Jeff Hines, to manage essential risks and develop a firm-wide strategy. 

Her contributions led to a $17.54 billion deal volume, and she has also raised $6.6 billion globally. She leads Hines’s innovative initiatives and emphasizes ESG and SEI efforts. 

Laura is a Duke University graduate in Economics and Art History and also holds an MBA from Harvard University. 

She started her journey with Hines in 2012 as a project manager, where she was managing River Point (a 52-story office tower in a 1.1 million square foot area) and a 1.5-acre park.

She was recognized as a PERE “Women of Influence” (2022) and was a part of Commercial Observer’s “Power 100” (2023). 

2. Marcela Sapone

• Designation: CEO & Co-Founder
• Company: Alfred

Marcela Sapone is the CEO of NYC-based startup Alfred. She co-founded the company in 2014 when she was in business school. She is not just an entrepreneur but also an advocate for pro-labor policies. She is a pioneer in emphasizing meaningful income for meaningful work in the sharing economy. 

Marcela is an undergrad from Boston University who created her own unique program as she used to take whatever class she found interesting. Later, she got an MBA with distinction from Harvard.

Sapone has an excellent track record of working with the Brookings Institution, the White House, and the Secretary of Labor. 

She received the prestigious Goldman Sachs’ “Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs” award. She was also a winner of TechCrunch Disrupt SF and was recognized as the Fast Company’s Most Creative People.

Before Alfred, she started her career as a consultant at  McKinsey & Company. She is also the co-founder of WHITESPACE, a seed-stage venture fund.

3. Jessica Beck

• Designation: Co-CEO & Co-Founder
• Company: Alfred

Jessica Beck is the Co-CEO and Co-Founder of the Alfred. Along with Marcela Sapone, she manages Alfred’s business expansion and strategy.

She is also a Co-Founder of WHITESPACE Ventures with Sapone. Under her leadership, Alfred has grown quite significantly. They have launched a national building management service platform that manages thousands of units.

Jessica has a BA in economics from Wilson College and also holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. She was also the captain of her rugby team in Wilson College.

Jessica has successfully expanded Alfred into 44 major cities by networking with some of the biggest real estate developers in the nation. 

4. Pamela Liebman

• Designation: CEO 
• Company: Corcoran

Pamela Liebman joined Corcoran in 1984 at the age of 23. Fast forward to 1990, she was a partner and, in 1995, a founder as she founded Corcoran Group Marketing. In 2000, she was promoted to the position of President and CEO of Corcoran. 

Her contributions expanded Corcoran to the Hamptons and South Florida. Under her guidance, Corcoran achieved record annual sales exceeding $23 billion. In 2019, Pamela was the mastermind behind Corcoran’s affiliate strategy that resulted in one of the industry’s fastest-growing franchises.

Pamela has been recognized by reputed publications, and she has been constantly listed among the Top 50 Most Powerful Women in New York by Crain’s New York Business. 

She studied at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and the European Business School in London. She’s also a member of various organizations, such as the Young Presidents’ Organization, and serves on various boards, including The Bass Museum and the Real Estate Board of New York

5. Thru Shivakumar

• Designation: CEO 
• Company: Cohesion

Thru Shivakumar is the CEO and Co-Founder of Cohesion. She ensures that the company sticks to its strategic vision while providing shareholder value. 

Thru has an MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a finance degree (B.S.) from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Thru has 15+ years of experience in finance, business strategy, business development, entrepreneurship, and M&A across public, private, and civic sectors. She started her career at Carson Pirie Scott’s shoe department. Later, she worked at Hyatt, GE Real Estate, Green Courte Partners, World Business Chicago, and GCM Grosvenor before co-founding Cohesion to revolutionize real estate with smart buildings.

Thru holds leadership positions at Current and Working in the Schools (WITS), demonstrating her commitment to community empowerment while fueling innovation. 

She was recognized in Crain’s Chicago Business 40 under 40.

6. Nikki Greenberg

• Designation: Founder
• Company: Women in Proptech

Nikki Greenberg boasts leadership experience in Fortune 500. She was a Head of Technology Strategy at QIC with a $70 Billion real estate asset under management. 

She is a leading global innovation strategist and futurist. She helps organizations prepare and become more digitally inclined with how users work and interact digitally.

She is the Founder of Women in PropTech and many similar ventures. For her achievements, she was recognized as one of CIO View’s “5 Most Influential Women in Real Estate.” Nikki’s international career spans the US, Asia, Europe, Africa, and Australia.

7. Mikki Ward

• Designation: SVP Technology and Innovation
• Company: EQ Office

Mikki Ward is the VP of Tech at EQ Office. She has 20+ years of experience in the technology field that she leverages to drive EQ’s AI, automation, and data analytics. She focuses on data monetization and providing an excellent customer experience.

Mikki is a Magna Cum Laude graduate from Washington State University’s College of Business and Economics. Working at Weyerhaeuser for 15 years, She led IT strategy for a $750M and 2,000-person multinational hardwood lumber manufacturer.

8. Caryn Seidman Becker

• Designation: Chairman & CEO 
• Company: CLEAR

Caryn Seidman-Becker co-founded CLEAR in 2010 and currently serves as the Chairman & CEO of the board. At CLEAR, Caryn leads a team of 2,000 team members. 

Under her leadership, CLEAR’s airport security program grew 48% in 2022 to 15 million people, contributing to a $437 million revenue. They went public in June 2021 at a $4 billion valuation. Caryn retains a 20% stake in Clear Secure.

Caryn holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Michigan.

Before CLEAR, Caryn was a former hedge fund manager. She also co-started Arience Capital, a $1 billion+ asset management firm.

9. Jodie W. McLean

• Designation: CEO 
• Company: EDENS

Jodie W. McLean is the CEO of EDENS, a major player in retail real estate. Jodie has been with EDENS for more than 25 years, and one of the key factors in its growth resulted in a valuation of $6.5 billion.

She holds a B.S. in Finance and Management from the University of South Carolina.

Jodie shapes EDENS’ strategy, focusing on major urban centers for community-centric assets. She started as a chief investment officer in 1997 and became the president in 2002. In 2015, she became the company’s CEO and oversaw the development, redevelopment, acquisition, and disposition of $20 billion in retail assets.

She emphasizes retail as a community hub and is a part of multiple boards, including the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and Cushman & Wakefield.

Conclusion

These were the 9 most influential and powerful women in proptech. Their journeys were different, yet you may find elements of similarity at some points.

All of them worked hard to achieve their positions and showcased smart planning and strategies for growth.