Tana Blair serves as Vice President of Operations for Highmark Residential’s Central region, with a focus on the Dallas/Fort Worth market. With more than 40 years of experience in the multifamily industry, Tana has managed operations, acquisitions, and dispositions across 13 states.

Tana has served on the Apartment Association of Greater Dallas Board of Directors and holds the Certified Property Manager (CPM) designation. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.

With over 20 years with the organization, Ms. Blankenship is responsible for implementing comprehensive strategies in all aspects of Human Resources. Working with a dedicated team of Human Resources and Payroll professionals, she brings three decades of HR expertise and associate-centric leadership to align the talent, motivation, and needs of our associates with the company's business goals and initiatives.

Before joining Highmark and its predecessor companies, Ms. Blankenship served as HR Manager for Hines Interests, an international commercial real estate developer and property management company based in Houston, Texas. Ms. Blankenship holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Houston. She has attained the national certifications of Senior Professional in Human Resources (SHRM-SCP and SPHR) with the Society of Human Resource Management and Human Resource Certification Institute.

Kyle Brown serves as Vice President of Operations for Highmark Residential’s South Texas region, overseeing communities in Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. With more than 35 years of experience in the multifamily industry, Kyle brings extensive experience in property operations, acquisitions, and repositioning across both conventional and affordable housing.

Kyle is an active member of the Houston Apartment Association and served as its President in 2017. He holds the Certified Property Manager (CPM) designation and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas Tech University. Outside of work, Kyle enjoys outdoor activities and spending time with his family.

Ms. Clark oversees the property operations on a diverse portfolio of communities from Atlanta to Maryland. Ms. Clark brings over 28 years of property management expertise to her role, spanning over 15 states and multiple markets. This experience encompasses the direct management of up to 8,500 units simultaneously, including lease-ups, new developments, and value-add renovations.

Before joining Highmark, Ms. Clark served as Regional Vice President for both TVO North America, then Landmark Apartment Trust. Shellie holds the Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor designation from the National Apartment Association and has served as a Board Member on the Apartment Association of Kansas City. She is a member of the Atlanta and National Apartment Associations.

Amy Cooley serves as Vice President of Operations for Highmark Residential’s West region, overseeing communities across Colorado, Arizona, and Utah. Since joining Highmark in 2020, she has led property operations across a diverse portfolio. With more than 25 years of experience in the multifamily industry, Amy brings broad expertise in operations, acquisitions, repositioning, and new development.

Amy holds the Certified Apartment Manager (CAM) designation through the National Apartment Association and the Certified Property Manager (CPM) designation from the Institute of Real Estate Management. Prior to Highmark, she held leadership roles with Pinnacle Property Management Services, Greystar, and The Laramar Group. Outside of work, Amy enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.

Mr. Cooper is responsible for external financial and management reporting, property and corporate accounting, corporate internal controls, corporate financial planning and analysis functions, treasury management, audit and tax coordination, and oversight of the Accounting Information Systems.

Mr. Cooper previously served as the REIT Controller for Highmark Residential, starting with the IPO in 2013 through 2017. Before joining Highmark Residential as a Controller in 2005, Mr. Cooper worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, assisting notable clients such as Invesco, Archon, and Goldman Sachs' Whitehall Funds.

In 1999, Mr. Cooper began his career at Walden Residential Properties, Inc., where he was responsible for the Corporate Accounting functions. Mr. Cooper received a BBA from Abilene Christian University.

Lauren Gummelt serves as Vice President of Marketing for Highmark Residential, overseeing brand execution, digital and demand marketing, and cross-functional initiatives that support the company’s growth and resident experience. With more than 20 years of experience in the multifamily industry, Lauren leads scalable marketing programs and supports high-performing teams while aligning marketing strategy with broader business objectives.

Lauren holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Texas A&M University with a minor in Business Administration. Outside of work, she enjoys staying active, reading, and spending time with her family.

Steven Hopkins is responsible for managing the job functions and training of the in-house legal team and risk management team. Mr. Hopkins oversees a high-volume caseload (including pre-suit matters), conducts factual investigations into resident complaints, drafts position papers to governmental or legal entities, and drafts and revises myriad legal documents (releases, policy updates, and settlement agreements). Mr. Hopkins is also responsible for identifying areas of potential risk and working alongside executive leadership to craft and/or revise policies to avoid unnecessary liabilities.

Before his involvement with Highmark Residential, Mr. Hopkins was a commercial litigator who built a broad practice encompassing civil litigation (representing plaintiffs and defendants), insurance defense, premises liability, personal injury, and employment law in state and federal courts throughout the country. He has extensive experience in commercial litigation and has handled a wide range of business and employment-related disputes.

Mr. Hopkins graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Business Administration. After graduating magna cum laude from the SMU Dedman School of Law in 2007, Mr. Hopkins served as a law clerk to the Honorable Barbara J. Houser (U.S. Bankr. N.D. Tex.), where he assisted with legal research and writing during a time frame (2008-2009) when bankruptcy filings occurred at a near-record pace. Before attending law school, Mr. Hopkins served as a fundraiser and outreach coordinator for several non-profit organizations, including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and the American Lung Association.

Kellie Jackson serves as Senior Vice President at Highmark Residential, where she leads property operations for a diverse portfolio of communities across Florida. With more than 30 years of experience in the multifamily industry, Kellie brings deep expertise in acquisitions, repositioning, and dispositions.

Kellie has served as President of both the First Coast and Florida Apartment Associations. After multiple years of active involvement with the National Apartment Association, she now serves as a Director Emeritus on various committees. She is a Florida Real Estate Broker, a graduate of the Lyceum Leadership Program, and holds the Certified Property Manager (CPM) designation through the Institute of Real Estate Management.

With more than 20 years of multifamily industry experience, Jon King has held leadership roles across several major markets nationwide. He began his career on-site with Archstone in Southern California before advancing to a Regional position with AvalonBay Communities in Washington, D.C. He later relocated to Texas, where he served as Regional Vice President with Mid-America Apartments. Most recently, Jon was Senior Vice President of Operations at Brookfield Properties, where he oversaw a diverse portfolio spanning markets across the country.

Jon earned his MBA from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Tech.

Jim Miller serves as Vice President of Operations for Highmark Residential’s Maryland, Washington, DC, and Virginia portfolios. With more than 15 years of experience in the multifamily industry, Jim brings operational expertise across value-add initiatives, new construction, and affordable housing.

Jim is an active member of the Maryland Multi-Housing Association and remains engaged in advancing industry standards. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking and exploring the natural landscapes of the Mid-Atlantic region.

Kristyn Ramsey brings more than 25 years of multifamily experience to her role as Vice President of Learning & Development at Highmark Residential. Her career has been anchored in creating engaging learning environments, developing talent, and championing people-first cultures.

Before joining Highmark, Kristyn served as Sr. Director of Learning & Development at D.R. Horton, where she supported both the Build-To-Rent and Multifamily platforms through innovative training programs and scalable talent initiatives. She previously spent over two decades with Willow Bridge (formerly Lincoln Property Company), advancing through several leadership positions in learning and development after beginning her career as a Leasing Professional in Dallas.

Kristyn earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Texas State University and holds multiple certifications in leadership and coaching. She is passionate about aligning associate development with company culture and business goals—equipping teams with the confidence, skills, and support to thrive.

In her role at Highmark, Kristyn leads the long-term vision for Learning & Development, guiding the strategy, programs, and tools that empower associates across the organization.

Mr. Sherman, Highmark Residential's Vice President of Information Technology, is responsible for the evaluation and implementation of technology to improve operations. His duties include day-to-day supervision of systems operations, business applications, user support, and on-going projects.

Before joining Highmark Residential, Mr. Sherman served as Vice President of Information Technology for Walden Management Company. Starting with WMC in 1989, Mr. Sherman gained years of on-site experience while playing an integral role in creating the company's information technology department and implementing its technical infrastructure and software solutions.

Mr. Weathers is responsible for Revenue Management across Highmark's conventional portfolio and internally supporting the due diligence and implementation of select technology initiatives. Previous roles at Highmark included financing, portfolio analytics, and equity fundraising.

Before joining Highmark Residential, Mr. Weathers served as an Investment Analyst at The PNL Companies, a Dallas based private equity firm. He was responsible for identifying, underwriting, and presenting acquisition opportunities related to the purchase of notes secured by distressed real estate. Before his tenure at The PNL Companies, Mr. Weathers served as a member of the asset management team at Crescent Real Estate Equities. Additionally, he worked at Stream Realty Partners, where he focused on modeling the cash flows of potential real estate acquisitions. Mr. Weathers holds an MBA from Southern Methodist University and a BS in Computer Science from Duke University.

Ms. Woodard oversees property operations for a diverse portfolio of communities in North and South Carolina. Mary Beth has been in property management for over 35 years in various capacities, including operations, construction, marketing, training, and human resources. Ms. Woodard has served as the President of the Greater Charlotte Apartment Association, as a Board of Director Member of the Community Housing Development Corporation, and as the first female Chairwoman of the National Apartment Association in 1999.

Ms. Woodard has earned a Certified Property Manager designation from the Institute of Real Estate Management and a Certified Apartment Property Supervisor from the National Apartment Association. She is also a licensed North Carolina Real Estate Broker and was named Charlotte Business Women of the Year by the Charlotte Business Journal. Before joining Highmark Residential, Ms. Woodard was Executive Vice President of Northwood Ravin and has worked with several other notable companies such as Lincoln Property, Summit Properties, Colonial Properties Trust, and Balfour Beatty.