Kristin Lewis

As Events Coordinator for the US Events team I assist with the coordination and implementation to plan and produce corporate events for Colliers.  With nearly 10 years of experience in commercial real estate, I started my career at Colliers’ Greater Los Angeles – Irvine office in 2010, and quickly worked my way up to supporting a Top Producer as their Marketing Coordinator.  In this role I gained my experience planning client events by coordinating Colliers' L&T Conferences in Panama, Dallas, Newport Beach, and Houston. 

My professional experience includes over ten years specializing in finance, accounting, and business administration.  Prior to joining Colliers International I was a cash flow manager at a financial advising boutique working directly with high net worth clients and professional athletes on their personal cash flow and budget management.  I also worked as a marketing coordinator with Oltmans Construction Co., a top full-service general contractor in Southern California. 

I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from California State University – Fullerton, and hold an active real estate license in the State of California.

Kelly is the Marketing Manager for the U.S. Brokerage Services team. She serves as a strategic partner for the U.S. Healthcare Services and U.S. Office Agency Services platforms by leading operations and business development initiatives, organizing industry events and supporting national practice groups and the U.S. Executive Leadership Team. 

Kelly joined Colliers in 2016 as a Project Coordinator on the US Brokerage Services team and worked strategically with the service lines and practice groups. Prior to joining Colliers, Kelly served as a Graphics Coordinator at HFF in Washington, DC working with regional teams on all platforms to create and execute the marketing and pitch materials. 

A resourceful, innovative and passionate marketing professional with a proven successful track record who has more than 15 years of experience in commerical real estate. As an accomplished marketing leader, I am highly regarded for accomplishments in planning and leading comprehensive marketing strategies, managing complex projects, and delivering superior client service. I am currently the marketing and operatoins manager for retail services at  Colliers, servicing more than 550 retail professionals.

Piror to Colliers International, I was the senior communications point person for CBRE San Diego where  I develop and execute superior marketing strategies that aligned with business goals across traditional and non‐traditional media; create/distribute press releases with a record average coverage rate of 98 percent. Before accepting the CBRE role, I was  at ICSC for seven years as their research services manager where I over saw global and national events. I also managed managed all creative aspects of the department’s products, services, and programs as well as providing strategic marketing direction for the products through social media, electronic newsletters, e‐mail blasts and other services.

In her role as Director of Business Development & Strategic Resources | Southwest Region for Colliers, Vanessa Williams oversees a talented team of marketing and research professionals across Arizona, Nevada, Greater Los Angeles, San Diego, Texas, Utah and Hawaii. Serving as business partner and advisor to the regional president, division leadership and local markets across the Southwestern Region, Vanessa is tasked with developing a highly effective salesforce to achieve organic growth and continuously increase market share for Colliers.

Collaborating with regional and local leadership teams and brokers, Vanessa is focused on developing and implementing marketing and research strategies to position the region as a leader in the commercial real estate industry through innovative and measurable tactics. Her goal is to elevate marketing and research teams to operate as strategic partners to Colliers’ brokers.

Working closely with key support functions, Vanessa assists in managing the business development process, the identification and qualification of opportunities, and the assignment of new opportunities to local or regional pursuit resources and/or the national Business Development Center. She is accountable for developing the structure and resources required to execute business development plans for the region.
 
Regional team:
The Colliers Regional Strategic Projects Team comprises the most talented and experienced professionals across the region. The team serves as strategic advisors to Colliers’ brokers and clients and partners with national marketing and research leaders to cascade regional initiatives and objectives to local markets.

Under the direction of the Director of Business Development and Strategic Resources, the regional team leads a network of marketing experts to develop actionable marketing initiatives, champion the adoption of new technology, and identify and implement best-in-class marketing processes and practices. The team is responsible for developing avenues to strategically partner with business line leaders to target and win new business.

The team’s approach blends the insight and imagination of incredible people who see endless possibilities. We foster a culture of innovation and collaboration that informs, connects and advances the interests of our clients and professionals through business development, property marketing, digital engagement, research and public relations. Our fully internal regional team takes advantage of a comprehensive set of tools and resources, with expertise in all areas of commercial real estate marketing. We create high-quality content that tells a story and is useful, relevant and thought-provoking.

Background:
Previously Vanessa served as marketing director for Colliers in Arizona and regional marketing ambassador for Colliers’ Southwest Region, where she fostered a culture of innovation and collaboration that informs, connects and advances the interests of clients and professionals through business development, property marketing, public relations and digital engagement.

As marketing director for Arizona, Vanessa led an innovative marketing team strongly focused on business development. Her young and innovative approach resulted in new strategies for commercial real estate marketing, focused on the growing influence of social media and the changing landscape of the new economy. As a vital client-facing professional, Vanessa has been actively involved with brokerage professionals in pitching new business. Throughout the creative process, she worked hand-in-hand with brokers and staff to develop highly effective marketing concepts and strategies.

As regional marketing ambassador for the Southwest Region, Vanessa partnered with regional and national marketing leaders to cascade regional initiatives and objectives to local marketing directors, managers and Colliers Centers of Excellence leaders. She guided a network of marketing experts to develop actionable marketing initiatives, champion the adoption of new technology, and identify and implement best-in-class marketing processes and practices. Working with local marketing managers and directors, Vanessa found avenues to strategically partner with business line leaders to target and win new business.

Her work with Colliers has allowed Vanessa to combine her passion for growing the company’s business through marketing with her commitment to values and ethics. She joined Colliers in 2015, with enthusiasm for the company’s unique value-based culture and is dedicated to moving that mission forward.

Vanessa demonstrates exceptional skill and expertise in several core components of marketing, including business development, branding, asset positioning, property-marketing campaigns, public relations and advertising. She brings more than 14 years of extensive experience and knowledge in all aspects of marketing, business development and graphic design.

Her tenure in the commercial real estate industry began in 2007, when she served as a graphic designer at Grubb & Ellis. Vanessa left the commercial real estate industry for a few years to hone her skills at Campbell Fisher Design (now known as Fisher). She returned to commercial real estate in 2013, joining Cushman & Wakefield as manager of its marketing department for Arizona.

A marketing and communications professional, I am experienced in leading the overarching strategies for commercial real estate marketing and brand management. With a strong background in business development, team leadership and stakeholder management, I  bring a proactive and innovative flair to my work while integrating as a team player to achieve common objectives. 

My role as Business Development & Strategic Resources Director | Northwest/North Central Region,  is to strengthen business development pursuits and client strategy by sourcing efficiencies and driving initiatives to grow market share through our unique marketing and research capabilities.  

With experience founded in the Colliers International Australian market across both the corporate marketing and the Retail agency teams, I am a dedicated brand ambassador for Colliers, familiar with developing strategies to enhance client campaigns, brand dominance and brand consistency both internally and externally. 

My passion is finding creative solutions to complex problems and producing best in class marketing materials  and content that work to enhance the relationship between brand and client. Adaptive to digital technologies, and curious to explore 'what's next', I am  experienced in implementing new processes, templates and developing client facing platforms and collateral to enhance brand positioning. 

From corporate communications strategy, digital & social content management, creative design and campaign management, I pride myself on versatility and competency across a wide range of areas within the marketing & communications field.  Working alongside the Retail agency team in Australia, I project managed property marketing and communications strategies to effectively tailor campaigns for market penetration as well as devising market leading retail asset class campaigns to drive conversion across multiple product and service lines. 

With a broad background in law, corporate communications  and digital & social media management, I bring a unique problem solving skill-set and analytical approach to marketing strategy and find myself seeking out digital solutions to captivate and engage stakeholders. 

As the Director of Business Development & Strategic Resources for the Northeast Region, I serve as a business partner and advisor to the regional president, division leadership and local marketing and research experts for all offices throughout the northeastern United States. In my role, I bring management and oversight to the local office marketing and research teams, striving to deliver tools, resources, and best practices to optimize processes and final deliverables, all resulting in first-class client service. Whether it is bolstering creative collateral, preparing impactful content, or focusing on strategic business development, I am a team player truly energized by the opportunity to bring the right people and tools together for any given project.

Prior to commencing my regional role in October 2020, I served for five years as the director of marketing for Colliers in Boston, working alongside the brokerage, marketing, research, and operations teams to support business development pursuits, execute property marketing campaigns, drive public relations and team positioning efforts, and encourage internal communications for the benefit of enhancing workplace culture and relationships. Before the director of marketing role, I spent another five years working directly with Colliers Boston's suburban leasing team in a hybrid role that spanned a diverse array of marketing, research, brokerage, and operations type responsibilities.

Before Colliers, I spent four years as an associate with a real estate brokerage firm in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, working with an elite industrial brokerage team in a true distribution hub market. I developed an interest in and appreciation for supply chain decisions and logistics management, learning that there is much more than meets the eye with what most would perceive as “gritty” warehouse buildings. This experience also afforded me opportunities to learn about different aspects of real estate above and beyond just leasing and disposition, including, but not limited to, property management, development, marketing and research – all invaluable exposure as I now interact with departments within Colliers specializing in each of these disciplines.

In this high energy, competitive industry, I strive to maintain a strong work ethic and calm temperament in my pursuit to provide the highest level of service and support to clients and colleagues. Beyond the office, I enjoy relaxing with family and friends, traveling, and tackling an endless list of home improvement projects.