Claire Aufrance, MAI, SRA
CFO, Aufrance Valuations
2025-2026 Chair, NC Appraisal Board
Claire M. Aufrance, MAI, SRA, has been appraising real estate for over 20 years, having begun her career in the Triangle area of NC in 2002. Aufrance Valuations, LLC is a full-service appraisal and real estate consulting firm, whose client base includes property owners, banks, attorneys, investors, and others. Claires’ varied appraisal experience and leadership positions in the appraisal field and beyond have helped Aufrance Valuations, LLC grow and gain a strong reputation for producing high-quality work.
Claire is an active member of multiple professional real estate organizations and has served in an array of leadership roles in each. Most recently, she was elected to serve as Chair of the NC Appraisers Board in 2025 – 2026 following her service as Vice Chair on the board in 2024 – 2025. Claire also served as a member of the Appraisal Institutes national board of directors representing Region V between 2019 and 2022, and served as President of the North Carolina Chapter of the Appraisal Institute in 2016. Claire has also served on multiple national and state committees for the Appraisal Institute and the National Association of Realtors.
In 2022, she was awarded the Appraisal Institutes’ Presidents Award, Volunteer of Distinction Award and the Women’s Initiative Spotlight Award. She has been a frequent speaker and panelist covering real estate trends for a variety of organizations.
Kelly Davids
President, The Appraisal Foundation
Kelly Davids is the current President of The Appraisal Foundation (TAF). She started her time at TAF as a Senior Vice President in 2013 and solidified her leadership by guiding special projects and implementing strategic initiatives. Kelly draws from her early municipal service experience as a former Mayor, Director in the Ohio Department of Education, and Superintendent in the Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing at the Ohio Department of Commerce. Kelly is an experienced leader with a transparent, collaborative, and team-oriented approach, actively listening and supporting cross-collaboration efforts. Leveraging deep expertise in the appraisal profession, she promotes inclusivity, driving strategic initiatives to uphold high standards and public trust.
“The appraiser regulatory system promotes cooperation and a true understanding of different perspectives. My vision for the Foundation is to champion unity and drive collective growth through strong partnerships and purposeful collaboration.” - Kelly Davids, President of The Appraisal Foundation
Debbie Gallimore, CCIM, CIPS
Principal & Broker in Charge, Gallimore & Associates Real Estate
2026 President, NC-CCIM Chapter
Debbie Gallimore epitomizes the essence of a serial entrepreneur, boasting a diverse portfolio spanning childcare, architectural drafting, construction, real estate investing, and development, as well as commercial and residential real estate brokerage. Hailing from a lineage of hardworking individuals, with her father being a skilled tradesman, Debbie imbibed the values of diligence and perseverance from an early age. These foundational principles form the cornerstone of her approach to business, which is evident in her leadership at Gallimore & Associates, a real estate company she founded. Specializing in commercial brokerage and development facilitation, Debbie collaborates closely with investors, developers, and business owners, offering not only brokerage expertise but also serving as a trusted advisor on development projects.
With a keen understanding of the importance of staying abreast of industry trends, Debbie holds licenses as a Real Estate Broker in North Carolina and Georgia, along with being a certified architectural drafter and a Realtor. She is an active member of professional organizations such as the National Association of Women in Construction and has earned notable designations like Certified International Property Specialist and Certified Commercial Investment Member. In 2022, Debbie was recognized as the CCIM of the Year by the North Carolina chapter.
Despite her myriad professional pursuits, Debbie remains grounded in her roots, maintaining dual citizenship in the USA and Jamaica while residing in Raleigh, North Carolina. As a mother of an East Carolina University graduate, she understands the importance of education and community engagement. Consequently, she dedicates her time to mentoring and speaking engagements within various professional circles, contributing to the growth and development of her peers.
Ashley Johnson, MAI, SRA, R/W-AC
President, First Appraisal Group, Inc.
2026 President Elect, Appraisal Institute
Ashley Johnson, MAI, SRA, of Bloomington, Indiana, is the 2026 President Elect of the Appraisal Institute. She will serve as president in 2027, and immediate past president in 2028. She will also serve on the Appraisal Institute’s Executive Committee and on its policy-setting Board of Directors through 2028.
Ashley is President of First Appraisal Group, Incorporated, a role that began in 2009, when she took leadership of the business her father established in 1988. The company provides real estate valuation and consulting services throughout Indiana, specializing in assignments for right-of-way acquisition, lending, estate planning, and litigation. Ashley graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in public affairs and is currently pursuing an MBA, expected to graduate in May 2026.
Ashley’s involvement with the Appraisal Institute spans two decades, starting as a Trainee in 2006. She earned her MAI Designation in 2013 and SRA Designation in 2022. From 2015 to 2017, her involvement in the Leadership Development and Advisory Council renewed both her passion for the Appraisal Institute and her commitment to the appraisal profession. Ashley served as president of the Hoosier State Chapter of the Appraisal Institute in 2019.
She has been involved with the Women’s Initiative Committee since its launch in 2020, progressing from committee member to vice chair (2020-21) and later chair (2023-24). Her additional service includes the Governance Structure Project Team (2018), University Relations Panel (2018-19), and Region V Chapter Services Chair (2021-22).
Chandra Mast, CGA, BCA, GRI
Principal Owner, Red Rose Appraisals
Board Member, Lancaster Commercial & Industrial Council
Secretary, Pennsylvania State Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers
Instructor, Lancaster County Association of Realtors
Chandra Mast, CGA BCA, is a Certified General Appraiser in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia, and a Business Certified Appraiser. She specializes in using econometrics and trend analysis to assess various property types and going concerns, catering to a wide variety of client needs. Chandra’s background is in real estate, data analysis, and equine studies. Following her Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and minor in anthropology from Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA, Chandra completed numerous courses from the Appraisal Institute, McKissock, and Wall Street Prep. Chandra is passionate about architectural styles and history. In her spare time she volunteers and chairs Ephrata Borough’s Shade Tree Commission where she enjoys working with Borough administrators to support the local ecosystems and hit annual achievement goals for Tree City USA designation.
Her firm, Red Rose Appraisals, is a professional real estate appraisal company that offers expert real property valuation services for residential, commercial, industrial, equestrian properties, farms, and land parcels, as well as, going concern valuations, market trend analysis, and detailed highest and best use studies. Red Rose Appraisals specializes in complex valuation challenges, especially those involving special purpose properties and nuanced appraisal scenarios. With expertise in econometrics and trend analysis for each report, Red Rose Appraisals excels in valuations intended for market value, mortgage underwriting, insurance determinations, and property tax appeals. Tailored consulting and private coaching is available for professionals navigating estate tax planning, ad valorem tax assessments, zoning and land use issues, and litigation support. The firm integrates Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for high-resolution aerial imagery, supporting both site-specific and market-wide evaluations.
Heather Placer Mull, MAI, SRA, ARA, CCIM, ASA
Principal, Placer Realty Advisors
Featured Presenter, 2026 AI Annual Conference
Heather started her career as a residential appraiser nearly 30 years ago, and transitioned to commercial real estate over 20 years ago. Her work is focused mostly in the Richmond, Virginia region. She specializes in various forms of retail, office, land, multifamily, and specialty-use properties. She has also performed market commercial rent analysis, marketability and feasibility studies, and various consulting assignments. To date, Heather has completed over 1,500 commercial appraisals and over 4,000 residential appraisals. Heather has earned professional designations from multiple real estate organizations, including: the ASA-RP accreditation for real property valuation from the American Society of Appraisers, the ARA designation from ASFMRA , Certified Commercial Investment Manager designation from the CCIM Institute., and is working towards the ASA-GC (going concern) accreditation.
Heather holds a Master’s Degree in Real Estate Valuation from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master's in Business Administration from Old Dominion University. She teaches in the real estate department at VCU as an adjunct faculty member.
Heather has spoken before many groups, including the 2019 National Association of Realtors conference and is scheduled to be a featured presenter at the Appraisal Institutes’ national conference in Nashville, TN in April 2026. Among her many accomplishments, Heather served as the 2020 Mid-Atlantic CCIM chapter president, was appointed by the governor of Virginia to the Virginia Real Estate Appraiser’s Board for a three-year term in 2020, served as Chair for the Commercial Economic Forum for the 2023 National Association of Realtors conference and was the 2025 Vice Chair for the Commercial Leadership Forum.
Heather is very involved with the Appraisal Institute and served as a member of the National Board of Directors, Chair for Region V, The Appraisal Journal Editorial board member, Diversity Panel member, Professional Standard and Guidance Committee member, AI Relief Foundation member, and President of the Virginia Commonwealth Chapter in 2018, and Chairman of the Board for Appraisal Institute Holdings. Heather is the Past President of the Richmond Women’s Council of Realtors, along with serving on committees for RAR, VAR and NAR.
Megan Oglesby
Senior Advisor, The Earl & Kathryn Congdon Family Foundation
Principal Investor, Carolina Core FC
Founding Board Member & Investor, WPSL Pro
Advisor, Grant Philanthropic Advisors
Mentor, High Point University Women’s Leadership Program
Megan Oglesby earned a Master of Business Administration from High Point University and a Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communications from Elon University. She was hired in 2018 as the inaugural Executive Director of the Earl and Kathryn Congdon Family Foundation and now serves as Senior Advisor.
Through her leadership, the Foundation has advanced its mission of creating access to opportunity and driving economic development in High Point and the greater Carolina Core region of North Carolina. Megan’s passion for community impact also inspired her to launch businesses for good, including serving as the Principal Investor of Carolina Core FC, a professional men’s soccer club competing in MLS NEXT Pro, and as a Founding Board Member and Investor in WPSL Pro, a new Division II women’s professional soccer league. Both initiatives extend the Foundation’s vision of building strong communities through job creation, youth development, and civic pride.
Beyond her work with the Foundation, Megan serves as an Advisor with Grant Philanthropic Advisors, supporting families in aligning their wealth with purpose. She also mentors emerging leaders through the High Point University Women’s Leadership Program and other individual and group mentorship initiatives. A native of High Point, Megan lives there with her husband and three children.
Erica Butler, MAI
Executive Vice President, Partner Valuation Advisors
2026 President Elect, Appraisal Institute North Carolina Chapter
Featured Presenter, 2026 AI Annual Conference
Erica Butler, MAI is Executive Vice President for Partner Valuation Advisors for North and South Carolina. Licensed in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, she has experience appraising industrial, multi-tenant office and retail buildings, adaptive reuse properties, easement valuation, childcare centers, shopping centers and special use properties such as religious facilities, schools and racetracks. She currently serves as President Elect for the North Carolina Chapter of the Appraisal Institute and was the 2024 William T. Anglyn Award winner at the Appraisal Institutes’ Leadership Development and Advisory Council. Erica was also awarded the 2025 NCAI Innovator’s Award for her contributions to the North Carolina chapter. In April 2026, Erica will be a featured presenter at the Appraisal Institutes’ Annual Conference in Nashville, TN, and will be addressing distressed assets in real estate.
In addition to her work in the appraisal field, Erica has taught dance-inspired fitness in Charlotte for 17 years. She is the founder of THE JAM: CLT, an inclusive community which combines music and movement with the goal of instilling confidence in women.
Vanessa Hall, MAI, AI-GRS
Senior Valuation Services Director, Colliers International
2025 – 2026 Chair, Appraisal Institute WIN Committee
With over 25 years of appraisal experience, achieving the MAI Designation from the Appraisal Institute (AI) in late 2014 has been one of the greatest accomplishments of my professional career and in 2023 I achieved the AI-GRS Designation. I hold the AI in high regard and have been heavily involved with the North Carolina Chapter (NCAI) for 15 years. It was my honor to serve as 2022 President of the North Carolina Chapter of the Appraisal Institute, and was recognized with the 2025 NCAI Leadership Award for my contributions to the chapter. I am the current Women’s Initiative Committee Chair of the Appraisal Institute, and my experience has been rewarding with the opportunity to connect with members nationwide on a regular basis. I’m a Senior Valuation Services Director with Colliers, a global professional services and investment management firm operating across Real Estate Services, Engineering, and Investment Management, and my current home base is with the Chicago office. In addition to the AI, I’m affiliated with the American Bar Association and have provided expert witness services in multiple states. I've appraised a variety of property types across the country with my expertise including appraisals of properties such as big box retail, shopping centers, regional malls, high-rise office buildings, mixed-use developments, adaptive reuse projects, planned developments, and medical office uses. I hold the General Certified Real Estate Appraiser License in Illinois, North Carolina, Minnesota, Iowa, South Carolina, and Virginia.
Kelli Mayhew, MAI, SRA
Principal, Mayhew Group, LLC
2026 Third Director, Appraisal Institute Board of Directors, Region V
2026 Immediate Past President, Appraisal Institute North Carolina Chapter
Kelli Mayhew is a 30-year veteran of the appraisal profession, and established hew own company in 1999. Mayhew Group, LLC serves the southeastern region of the United States. The firm provides commercial real estate valuation, market studies, feasibility analysis, consultation, and appraisal review services. Kelli specializes in valuation and consulting for litigation purposes and has worked extensively on cases involving real estate throughout North and South Carolina. Mayhew Group, LLC also provides consultation for urban planning and community development projects. In particular, the firm has focused on projects involving the revitalization of blighted areas, and has provided consulting services to a variety of municipal governments, non-profit organizations, private investors/developers, community development corporations, as well as urban design and master planning groups. The firms’ experience working within a variety of markets and for a broad spectrum of clients allows the team to provide critical insight into the real estate market forces impacting each project.
Kelli has served extensively in leadership in multiple professional real estate organizations, and is currently serving as the Third Director representing Region V on the Appraisal Institutes’ national board of directors. Other recent roles include serving as 2025 President of the North Carolina Chapter of the Appraisal Institute, 2024 Chair of the Appraisal Institute Education & Relief Foundation Board of Directors, as a 2025 member of the AI University Relations Committee and AI Publications Review Panel, and as a 2025 mentor for the national WIN Committee. Kelli is an instructor for the Appraisal Institute, has published multiple articles in Valuation Insights & Perspectives magazine. She has been a frequent speaker and panelist covering real estate trends for a variety of organizations.
Linda Nelson
Principal, Elite Appraisal Services
2025 – 2026 Chair, NCAI WIN Committee
Linda Nelson has been an influential real estate agent for over a decade, leveraging her extensive experience to become a trusted voice in the community. In addition to being a dedicated real estate professional, Linda excels in managing a team of appraisers, ensuring the highest standards in property valuation. Embracing the intersection of technology and education, Linda is passionate about teaching and empowering others in the dynamic appraising world. As a committed educator, Linda has developed and led numerous training programs, workshops, and courses, both in-person and online, designed to equip appraisers with the latest industry knowledge and technological tools. Her ability to distill complex concepts into practical, actionable insights has made her a sought-after instructor and mentor in the field.
Linda is also a prolific writer. She regularly contributes to industry publications and creates comprehensive course materials that reflect her deep understanding of real estate appraisal. Her written works serve as valuable resources for both new and seasoned appraisers, emphasizing innovation, accuracy, and ethical standards in property valuation. Linda served as the 2025 President of the North Carolina Professional Appraisers Coalition (NCPAC), and has served as the Chair of the WIN Committee for the North Carolina Chapter of the Appraisal Institute for 2025 and 2026.
Her firm, Elite Appraisal Services, is a trusted provider of accurate, reliable, and professional real estate appraisals across North Carolina, South Carolina, and West Virginia. Her team of certified and highly experienced appraisers delivers comprehensive valuation solutions for residential, commercial, and legal properties, ensuring every client receives precise, data-driven, and well-supported analyses. The firm proudly serves homeowners, investors, financial institutions, attorneys, and government agencies, offering a broad range of services that include residential and commercial appraisals, estate and probate valuations, divorce appraisals, tax appeal support, and expert witness testimony.
