2027 Board of Directors Election Information

Jamal has 20 years of well-rounded real estate experience in residential and commercial. Before becoming a Broker, Jamal has owned a real estate appraisal firm and various real estate investment companies. He has appraised thousands of dwellings and bought/sold hundreds of real estate properties in the Tampa Bay Area. Along with his two licenses, Jamal is a CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) candidate. He has been designated as a RENE (Real Estate Negotiations Expert) by the Real Estate Business Institute. He was also awarded a CIPS designation (Certified International Property Specialist) and an AHWD designation (At Home with Diversity) by NAR. In December of 2019, Jamal was appointed, by the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, on the Diversity Advisory Council to represent the Middle Eastern Seat, where he served for 4 years. He is also an active member of STAR, where he has served on several committees, as well as a Florida Director. He is very active in our local soccer community where he strives not just to guide children in sports, but to help players become leaders. His passion for the sport & coaching kids earned him Florida’s Youth Soccer Association’s Coach of the year award in 2014.

Barbara is devoted to serving the needs of real estate buyers and sellers throughout Tampa Bay including Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Manatee and Sarasota counties. She focuses on the highest level of client service and business integrity. With over 14 years of real estate experience, you can count on nothing less than the knowledge Barbara has of the market. Barbara has one son and is married to a real estate attorney. Additionally, Barb is currently a board member of the Palm Harbor Historical Society. Barb possesses a natural repertoire of dynamic qualities that set her apart and enable her to successfully procure the goals of the discriminating buyers and sellers she represents.

Aaron brings a wealth of leadership, deep local expertise, and a passion for real estate advocacy to his candidacy for the STAR Board of Directors. With a proven track record of guiding agents and serving clients in the competitive Tampa Bay market, Aaron understands firsthand the daily challenges and opportunities facing today’s real estate professionals. His commitment to advancing the industry is reflected in his extensive current leadership roles. A graduate of the prestigious District 6 Leadership Academy class of 2026, Aaron has honed the strategic skills necessary to guide large-scale association initiatives. He currently serves the broader real estate community as a 2026 Florida Realtors Director, bridging the gap between local market needs and statewide initiatives. At the local level, Aaron is deeply embedded in the committees that drive the future of our profession. He is an active member of the STAR Tampa Bay Global Business Council, helping connect local real estate to international markets, and serves on the 2026 Hillsborough Public Policy Sub-Committee, where he
advocates for property rights and smart local growth. Furthermore, his dedication to protecting the industry’s future is demonstrated through his active service on the STAR RPAC Fundraising Committee.

As a STAR Director, Aaron will leverage this powerful combination of brokerage management, legislative advocacy, and global vision to serve the membership. He is dedicated to fostering inclusivity, championing professional development, and ensuring that STAR remains at the cutting edge of industry innovation. Aaron would be honored to earn your vote and your trust to help lead STAR into its next successful chapter.

Angel is a community-driven leader committed to connection, collaboration, and equitable housing. Born and raised in New York City, Angel relocated to Florida in 2006 and has built his career through real estate, insurance, sales, leadership, and client advocacy. Angel’s approach to real estate and leadership is rooted in authenticity, trust, and helping others move forward. He is passionate about creating meaningful relationships, supporting fellow REALTORS®, and helping members see the value of being engaged in their association and community. He believes that strong leadership starts with listening, showing up consistently, and creating spaces where people feel welcomed, supported, and encouraged to get involved.

Angel currently serves as a 2026 Florida REALTORS® State Director for STAR, a STAR Foundation Trustee, Vice Chair of STAR’s Young Professionals Network, and Treasurer for the Tampa Chapter of the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance. He previously served as Social Media and Membership Director for the Alliance and has been involved in local networking, community events, volunteer efforts, and initiatives supporting fair housing, homeownership, and professional collaboration. He is a graduate of the District 6 Leadership Institute and holds the At Home with Diversity certification. Angel has also written for the NAR YPN Lounge, sharing perspectives on networking, authenticity, business growth, and navigating a changing market. In 2024, he was honored by the Tampa Bay Business Journal as a Business Leader in Pride for his work advancing fair and equal housing.

As a STAR Director, Angel would bring a grounded, thoughtful, and forward-thinking perspective. He understands the importance of member engagement, advocacy, professionalism, and building bridges between newer members, seasoned leaders, affiliates, and the broader community. His goal is to continue growing as a local leader while supporting STAR’s strategic plan, strengthening member connections, and helping shape a more inclusive and collaborative future for the association and the industry.

Outside of real estate and community leadership, Angel enjoys ballroom dancing, cooking, traveling, experiencing new cultures, and spending time with the people he loves.

Melanie has over 23 years of real estate legacy rooted in the Greater Tampa Bay area, and is one of the region’s most trusted and decorated real estate professionals. In 2024, she was honored as Realtor of the Year by Greater Tampa REALTORS®, the highest distinction a REALTOR® can receive from their peers. Melanie brings an unwavering commitment to the real estate profession. Her Tampa Bay leadership and experience extend far beyond her business and family life. She has enhanced her education by attaining a few of the most challenging designations including the CRS, CIPS, GRI, AHWD & C2EX designations. She has led RPAC advocacy, Fair Housing initiatives, and participated in international trade missions. She is passionate and dedicated, with a goal to make the real estate profession unstoppable!

Melanie brings a rare combination of family tradition, elite expertise, and genuine passion to every transaction, making dreams come true for every client, one at a time. Her Fair Housing work includes appearances at the HUD Fair Housing Conference and a Habitat for Humanity build, while her international trade missions have strengthened her global ties into the region. She has served on many important committees over many years and hopes to continue her passion to serve while sharing her inspiration, clarity and focus as a dedicated board member. Her forward thinking, enthusiasm, and energy hold a powerful value, in everything she does. Melanie leads every client relationship and every leadership role with five guiding principles: focus, integrity, commitment, passion, and fun. As STAR takes shape as one of the largest REALTOR® association in the nation, Melanie brings the governance experience, advocacy record, and cross-county relationships to help guide the organization’s founding direction on the Board of Directors.

Elena is a servant leader, REALTOR®, and association volunteer with nearly 30 years of experience cultivating relationships, delivering exceptional client service, and leading with integrity. Since earning her Florida real estate license in 2018, Elena has helped more than 140 families buy, sell, invest, and relocate throughout the Greater Tampa Bay area while strengthening the profession through leadership, education, advocacy, and volunteer service. Known for her collaborative leadership style, Elena is passionate about empowering others to become engaged within organized real estate and developing future leaders. She believes the greatest investment a REALTOR® can make is in serving clients, communities, and the profession.

Chris has been in the real estate industry for almost 30 years. Chris started in the industry in the mid 90s in a family-owned mortgage company as a loan officer and quickly realizing he really enjoyed appraising more than originating. Starting at the end of 1999 beginning of 2000, Chris became licensed as an appraiser and also helped create an online mortgage school that went on to pave the way of online education in the real estate industry. In 2012, Chris took the long and rigorous coursework through ASHI to learn more about homes and inspecting homes. He added this knowledge and experience to better assist his clients. In 2014, Chris became licensed in Georgia as a real estate agent and in 2019, he added Florida to his business as an Associate Broker. It wasn’t until the end of 2023 when he started his own brokerage Gulf Communities and is always looking at giving back and serving his community with his love and knowledge of real estate and the industry. In the past, Chris has served as a Director at the Cobb Association of Realtors and at the Cherokee Association of Realtors on the local level and also served as a Director on the state level at Georgia Association of Realtors.

Brian is a husband to his wife Jenafer, a father to their three children, a mediocre golfer, and an avid sports fan of Champa Bay. Since moving to the Tampa area in 2015, Brian and his family have been active parishioners of Hyde Park United Methodist serving the community through fellowship. With over seven years of experience in the Florida market, he has developed a deep understanding of the local trends, organic opportunities, and challenges that affect the real estate industry here. He holds the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation, which demonstrates his expertise in asset strategy, investment analysis, and market research.

Prior to starting a career in real estate, Brian spent 18 years in outside sales, primarily within the adult beverage industry, managing teams for both a global supplier and a national distributor across multiple states. He also served 10 years in the United States Army/Guard in various leadership roles within combat arms units, along with deployments in country and overseas, before exiting in 2010 as a commissioned officer. During his military service, Brian was a 2-time recipient of the Bronze Star Medal, one with Valor device, and was documented in a nationally published book chronicling his team’s mission in their deployment to Afghanistan. These experiences have enabled him to communicate effectively, negotiate confidently, and build lasting relationships with his clients and partners. As a testament to this effort, he has successfully closed several property transactions across various asset types, equating to over $155 million in property sales sold.

Brian is actively involved in several committees within the Tampa Bay Chamber & Leadership Tampa Alumni, the local CCIM West Coast Florida Chapter, STAR, current MacDill AFB Honorary Commander, a Board Member of the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County, and volunteers with numerous local non-profits supporting health and welfare initiatives across the state.