Meet our powerhouse team

FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
Realtor PARKS/Compass RE, Owner SE Design + Studio

Born and raised in Nashville, TN, Stephanie received her BA in Organizational Communication with a focus on nonprofit management from Middle Tennessee State University with an MA in International Studies with a focus on global health, food, and housing security from the University of San Francisco. A former musician, hospitality worker, and creative by trade, she is currently a Realtor for PARKS/Compass RE and an Interior Designer with SE Deign + Studio.


As many of her real estate clients have been first-time home buyers attempting to compete with the ever-growing housing demand in Nashville, she and her fellow colleagues came up with a plan: to help fund those who make Nashville, Nashville to purchase their first homes. The organization offers educational courses and financial assistance to achieve realized goals.

CO-FOUNDER & VICE PRESIDENT
International Realtor, Broker/Owner EXIT Real Estate Experts

April Harrington is the co-founder of the Nashville Industry Fund, serving on the board of directors as well as the Fundraising committee. April is from Nashville with deep ties to the service industry. Being dedicated to building strong communities, she sits on the Professional Standards committee for the State of Tennessee, on the Board of Directors for New Horizons Corporation, and is an active member of the Community Involvement Committee for the Eastern Middle Tennessee Association of Realtors.

A highly accomplished and awarded professional, she is the franchise owner and Principal Broker with EXIT Realty, currently leading a real estate team of 25 agents with 60 million in sales in 2021 alone. She is an educator and mentor to many, creating highly effective Master Classes to help new realtors bridge the gap between Real Estate School and the real-world application of the job.

SECRETARY
Principal Broker/Owner at EXIT Real Estate Experts East

Elizabeth Lawson is the Secretary of the Nashville Industry Fund. She also serves on the board and is a member of the marketing committee. 

Elizabeth was driven to pursue real estate from her passion for helping people during life-altering times and has been working in the real estate industry since 2019. She is proud to serve on the Community Involvement Committee and is the Social Media Director of the Nashville Chapter of the LGBTQ Real Estate Alliance 

Elizabeth loves the Nashville culture and has been living there with her husband and two dogs since 2014. She enjoys spending her free time exploring the amazing walking trails with her dogs, trying new restaurants and taking in live music.

TREASURER
Financial Analyst

Kelly Eikum is a proven business consultant, project manager, and financial analyst with more than two decades of experience across the financial and software service sectors. As a principal consultant with ERA, based in Nashville, Kelly serves clients in Tennessee and Kentucky.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Attorney

Ross currently works as an attorney for Riggs Davie in Brentwood, Tennessee, assisting businesses with their legal needs. He also manages estate planning for individuals, which includes establishing Wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, powers of attorney, premarital agreements, and healthcare agent appointments. His background of helping businesses, building and preserving wealth, and assisting with the legal aspects of nonprofit corporations.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
DJ / Area Mgr. Notes for Notes

Kaylah Burris, affectionately known as TrueStarr, is a 10+ year experienced DJ hailing from Indianapolis, Indiana. True began her dj journey on the campus of Tennessee State University as she quickly took over the Nashville club scene as one of very few female DJ’s in the city.

She currently serves as the Tennessee Area Manager for the non-profit Notes for Notes, providing young creatives free access to recording studios and music industry guidance.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President, Tennessee Nations Title

DeLana Stevens serves as the State President of Nations Title, leading a team of dedicated and passionate title professionals. With more than 9 years of experience in the title industry and over a decade in lending, DeLana is committed to delivering an exceptional closing experience, ensuring every transaction exceeds expectations for all involved. Her focus on personalized, attentive service helps set Nations Title apart, consistently out-caring the competition.

A strong advocate for underserved communities, DeLana is passionate about making homeownership accessible and equitable for all, dedicating her efforts to closing the gap, and creating opportunities.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mortgage Lender

Joshua Montgomery is a seasoned mortgage lender with over 10 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, where he honed his passion for helping others and building meaningful connections. In his current role, Joshua specializes in assisting first-time homebuyers, going above and beyond to find creative solutions that make homeownership more accessible. His lively, personable approach ensures that every client feels seen and valued throughout the process.

Joshua is deeply committed to fostering relationships within the real estate industry, always seeking to collaborate and share knowledge to benefit his clients and colleagues alike. When he's not helping others achieve their homeownership dreams, Joshua enjoys spending quality time with his family, hiking in nature, creating engaging content for social media, and diving into a good book. His dedication to service and connection makes him a standout in the mortgage industry.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Financial Advisor, Northwestern Mutual

Mariah Phillips is passionate about activating the potential of others. As a Financial Advisor with Northwestern Mutual, she gets to do this with both her personal and business clients and with the many young people she mentors in the community. She loves building relationships, recognizing that money is complicated to talk about and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. To her, financial planning is like solving a puzzle - she will take the complicated pieces of your financial situation and help you put the pieces back together in a way that helps you reach your goals, filling in gaps along the way. There are so many tools and the rules are always changing so its good to have a guide through your financial journey.

Mariah’s primary clients are Creative Entrepreneurs, Women, and others often overlooked by those in the financial services industry. The heart of service leads her calling, believing that when you take care of people, your business will take care of itself.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mortgage Loan Officer, US BANK

Kacie Lynch is a Mortgage Loan Officer with U.S. Bank, proudly serving homebuyers in all 50 states. She specializes in working with first-time buyers, guiding clients through down payment assistance programs, and is passionate about increasing minority homeownership. Kacie is also deeply committed to networking and building meaningful relationships with her clients and partners—she thrives on bringing people together and genuinely loves that she gets to help others achieve the American Dream of homeownership.

Originally from Jackson, Tennessee, Kacie played softball and graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She now lives in Lebanon, TN, where she recently became a homeowner herself. She also serves as a board member of the Tennessee Mortgage Bankers Association, proudly representing the Middle Tennessee region as Director.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Principal Broker, Reliant Realty

Born and raised in Nashville, I’ve spent over 16 years helping people navigate the real estate market in the city I’ve always called home. Before stepping into real estate, I spent more than a decade in the restaurant and hospitality industry—an experience that sharpened my instincts for service, connection, and creating memorable experiences.

Today, I serve as the Principal Broker of Reliant Realty and sit on the Board of Directors for Greater Nashville Realtors, where I’ve proudly contributed to nearly every committee over the years. I’m also a dad to two incredible kids and a lifelong music lover who finds inspiration in the creativity and soul it takes to make something meaningful—whether it’s a song or a home.