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Check out the 2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars Spotlight!
April 24, 2026
The New England Real Estate Journal is pleased to present Rising Stars, a special feature recognizing emerging professionals making an impact across the commercial real estate industry in New England.
2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Pamela Fourtounis, Davis, Malm & D’Agostine, P.C.
April 24, 2026
What inspired you to pursue a career in your industry, and what path brought you to your current role? In college, I was a journalism major and philosophy minor but became drawn to law because it combined the best of each of these disciplines.
2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Michael Hudner, Avail Project Management
April 24, 2026
What accomplishment or project so far in your career are you most proud of? In 2024, we completed the new facility for the Merrimack Valley Food Bank in Lowell. The MVFB was in a much smaller space, and we worked with AHP Architects and Avid Engineers to help design their new home.
2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Chris Reilly, Avison Young
April 24, 2026
What inspired you to pursue a career in this industry, and what path brought you to your current role? I grew up around commercial real estate, inspired by my dad, Chuck Reilly. Early exposure, from job sites to internships, shaped my interest, which I further developed at Endicott College, where I studied the growth of life science space in Boston.
2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Tiernan Godzik, Vantage Builders
April 24, 2026
What inspired you to pursue a career in your industry, and what path brought you to your current role? There is a real attraction to construction in the cycle of planning, executing, and completing a project, and then jumping onto the next one.
2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Michele Quinn Littlefield, CUBE 3 Architects
April 24, 2026
What inspired you to pursue a career in your industry, and what path brought you to your current role? The project-based approach to solving design challenges drew me to architecture. In my interview, CUBE 3’s CEO asked if I saw myself as a designer or technician – I said both, and that still holds true.
2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Devin Marrocco, Cummings Properties
April 24, 2026
What inspired you to pursue a career in this industry, and what path brought you to your current role? I’ve always been drawn to commercial real estate, following industry trends since college and regularly reading NEREJ.
2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Catie Medeiros, Cushman & Wakefield
April 24, 2026
What inspired you to pursue a career in commercial real estate, and what path brought you to your current role? Watching my father, a skilled tradesman, work tirelessly to provide for our family inspired me to pursue a career with longevity, the ability to create wealth, and support those I love.
2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Darren Metayer, Tecta America New England
April 24, 2026
What accomplishment or project so far in your career are you most proud of? I’m most proud of stepping into the general manager role here at Tecta and helping bring greater discipline to job performance and financial visibility. By improving how we track costs, forecast, and communicate across teams, we’ve been able to make more proactive decisions and avoid surprises.
2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Sinéad Khan, Elkus Manfredi Architects
April 24, 2026
What inspired you to pursue a career in your industry, and what path brought you to your current role? From a young age, I was drawn to creativity. I entered local art contests and crafted my own line of handmade greeting cards for family celebrations. That early passion for art evolved into a deeper interest in architecture and the idea of shaping spaces around human experience.
2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Mike Damigella, Erland Construction
April 24, 2026
What inspired you to pursue a career in your industry, and what path brought you to your current role? Being around construction projects early on sparked my interest in shaping the built environment and solving complex problems. I pursued that passion at Wentworth, earning a BS in Civil Engineering with both technical and hands-on experience.
2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Matt Kramich, CM&B
April 24, 2026
What accomplishment or project so far in your career are you most proud of? The accomplishment I am most proud of so far in my career is completing The Shops at Stone Bridge development in Cheshire, CT. The scale and complexity of the sitework made it both exciting and challenging, particularly managing daily logistics.
2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Alex Eastland, ICON Architecture, Inc.
April 24, 2026
What inspired you to pursue a career in your industry, and what path brought you to your current role? From a young age, I was drawn to design and STEM subjects, though my direction became clear as a teenager when I discovered architecture. In college I fell in love with architectural concepts such as sustainability, adaptive reuse, and affordable housing which shaped my professional focus.
2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Maria Risbara, Maine Properties
April 24, 2026
What inspired you to pursue a career in your industry, and what path brought you to your current role? Growing up in a family business in the construction industry, it felt natural to explore property management as a career.
2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Jake Michaud, M&R Development
April 24, 2026
What inspired you to pursue a career in your industry, and what path brought you to your current role? Working as a superintendent on major projects for Gilbane and Landry French, I thrived on the balancing act of earning respect from the field crew and gaining the trust of senior leadership. I learned early on that honesty and integrity translate across any role or industry.
2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Rosa Zhang, Keller Williams Realty/Keller Williams Commercial
April 24, 2026
What inspired you to pursue a career in this industry, and what path brought you to your current role? Real estate drew me in because it sits at the intersection of strategy, community, and opportunity. My background across multiple industries, along with advanced study in business and real estate investment, gave me a broad perspective on how property decisions shape families, businesses, and neighborhoods.
2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Louis Barone, DiPrete Engineering
April 24, 2026
What inspired you to pursue a career in your industry, and what path brought you to your current role? When I was a kid, large skyscrapers and structures would catch my attention. I have always been drawn to the built environment and watching ideas turn into something tangible people use every day. I enjoy problem solving, puzzles, and working with a team to accomplish tasks.
2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Jonathan Sheppard, DiPrete Engineering
April 24, 2026
What inspired you to pursue a career in your industry, and what path brought you to your current role? Throughout my life, I have developed artistic skills that I use to communicate ideas and concepts visually. Working in civil engineering feels like a natural extension of that. Land development is one of the more creative areas of the field,
2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Claudius Zorokong, Rockland Trust Bank
April 24, 2026
What inspired you to pursue a career in this industry, and what path brought you to your current role? Curiosity and a desire to change professions led me to real estate. I studied political science and worked in a congressional office for several years before deciding to pursue a career change. I entered the field through a real estate analytics firm
2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Ian Staber, SV Design Architecture + Interiors
April 24, 2026
What accomplishment or project so far in your career are you most proud of? At SV Design, I’ve had the privilege of contributing to an affordable senior housing project for Harborlight Homes: Maple Woods. I often immerse myself in the project details,