Chicago REALTORS® 360° Summit: Leading with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

In 2004, John Young merged his previous work experience in advertising, marketing, sales and management into a career as a REALTOR®. In 2009, his personal and professional life took a transformative turn when he became the parent of a non-verbal daughter with autism. Over the next decade, John’s professional journey was shaped through his own personal experiences and by the many special needs clients, families and caregivers he encountered and served along the way. In 2019, John began speaking on serving clients with special needs and hopes that his presentations inspire a greater understanding that DEI is intended to address issues of accessibility, inclusion, diversity, and equity for ALL individuals. John brings his passion for helping others to everything he does and strives to make a positive difference in our industry for both clients and fellow REALTORS®. 

Lutalo McGee is the Owner of Ani World LLC, an umbrella company for Ani Real Estate, Ani Title, the Black Male Real Estate Expo, Ani Development Group and Ani Appraisal Management.  

As a real estate practitioner, Lutalo has been a member of the Chicago Association of REALTORS® (CAR), the Illinois REALTORS® and the National Association of REALTORS® for 18 years, and was recognized as a Top Producer for CAR in 2014 and 2016 – 2021. In recent years, he was recognized and awarded the Chicago Association of REALTORS® 2019 Managing Broker of the Year Award, and the 2020 Chicago Association of REALTORS® Community Service Award.  

Lutalo currently sits as the Treasurer of the Chicago Association of REALTORS® and sits on the Local Government Affairs and Local Government Independent Expenditures committees for the Illinois REALTORS®. He also chairs the Housing Committee for Operation PUSH and Project Manager for the Appraisal Task Force for the Chicago Urban League.  

Non-real estate related, Lutalo is a Director on the Board at Ada S McKinley Community Services; A 100-year-old nonprofit committed to providing essential services that allow individuals to become self-sufficient and economically viable.  

Prior to his full immersion into the Real Estate field in 2013, Lutalo was a career educator and held a number of positions including teacher, dean, coach and mentor over his years in the education field. 

Christopher Posey is a Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser with over 18 years of experience appraising several types of residential and low-income properties in the Chicagoland area and surrounding suburbs, in addition to commercial properties in conjunction with a certified general real estate appraiser (mixed‐use, storefronts, retail/office buildings, multi‐unit apartment buildings, vacant commercial land, restaurant, and houses of worship.

Karen Freeman-Wilson began serving as President and CEO of the Chicago Urban League in January 2020. She brings a passion for equity and social justice to the organization, which works to advance economic, educational, and social progress for African Americans through direct service and advocacy. Having served in the public arena most of her professional life, Freeman-Wilson has deep experience in addressing issues that impact urban communities. She was mayor of her hometown of Gary, Indiana, from 2012 through 2019. She was the first female to lead the city of Gary and the first Black female mayor in Indiana. Her mayoral accomplishments include job creation, completion of a $100 million airport runway relocation, and the development of key areas in the city.  

Freeman-Wilson previously served as Indiana Attorney General, Director of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, and presiding judge of the Gary City Court. She also served as Executive Director of the National Drug Court Institute and CEO of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, where she is currently Board Chair.  

Freeman-Wilson is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School. She is a past President of the National League of Cities, past Chairperson of the Criminal and Social Justice Committee of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and sits on the National Policing Institute Board of Directors; Center for Community Progress Board of Directors; . She is a member of Israel C.M.E. Church; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; the Links, Inc.; the NAACP; the Urban League of Northwest Indiana and the Indiana Bar.  

Freeman-Wilson and her husband Carmen Wilson II have a blended family of four children. 

Frank Williams embarked on a career in real estate with a desire to change the industry – and there is no doubt that in his longtime REALTOR® service, he has done just that.

Frank entered the industry in 1971, following the civil rights movement. He quickly caused a stir. “I looked at people like Sheldon Good and Arthur Rubloff, and I said, ‘I want to climb that mountain and get that high in the industry,’” he said.

Frank’s mission was to ensure the American dream of homeownership was attainable to everyone, regardless of the color of their skin, and he has spent the majority of his career fighting tirelessly to make housing accessible for all.

Maureen Sweeney, SRA, AI-RRS, has been a residential real estate appraiser since 1989. She is the 2024 Vice Chair of NAR’s Real Property Valuation Committee. From 2005 through 2017, she served as a member of the Illinois Real Estate Appraisal Administration and Disciplinary Board. She is a national instructor with the Appraisal Institute and is their author of The Valuation of Condominiums, Cooperatives, and PUDs, as well as the developer of their on-line and in-class 7-hour Appraising Condos, Co-ops, and PUDs seminars. She is an Appraiser Qualifications Board Certified USPAP Instructor. Maureen shares her knowledge with law enforcement and real estate professionals at various meetings and conferences. Maureen specializes in the valuation of residential and small income-producing properties and litigation support. She resides in Chicago, Illinois. 

Scott Reuter is the Single-Family Chief Appraiser and Director of Valuation for Freddie Mac. He is a Certified-General Appraiser with 30+ years of experience in valuation, appraisal and collateral risk management concerns.  

He holds a B.A. from The Ohio State University and has completed the Executive Leadership program at Cornell University. His management experience includes positions with Bank of America, GE and Goldman Sachs. Scott is a second-generation appraiser and began his career as a practicing fee appraiser.  

His team leads the effort for ongoing development and refinement of property valuation risk management strategies, underwriting products, and establishing and maintaining a credible quality assurance process across multiple lines of business support.  

Dr. Abigail Cruz is a licensed psychologist. As the DEI Initiatives Coordinator, she provides practical seminars on neurodiversity for students, faculty and staff and facilitates workshops to strengthen the cultural responsiveness of the counseling center to foster well-being across the campus community. Dr. Cruz is passionate about supporting mental health through decreasing stigma, increasing access to care, and using an intersectional and social justice-oriented lens in her work. She is a Filipino-American child of immigrants and hopes to empower others to explore, reclaim, and connect with their culture(s) and embrace an identity that is uniquely and authentically theirs. Dr. Cruz is a practitioner-scholar who values being a lifelong learner and incorporating insights from her clinical work with current literature into her work as a therapist, speaker, and advocate. 

Diane helps people drive change – for themselves, their teams, and their organizations. As an advisor and coach, Diane works with people to figure out what they want, see themselves and their organizations clearly, and present their capabilities confidently. For more than two decades, Diane has focused on transforming organizations through her roles as a strategy consultant (via SmithBucklin, IEG, Mission Measurement, and Alford Group) and chief of staff. She has worked with teams from over 100 organizational clients across social, public, and private sectors. Since 2018, Diane has served on staff and faculty for Northwestern University’s MS in Learning and Organizational Change program, co-instructing courses including Developing for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice and Leading Global Change. 

Diane’s academic credentials include a Coaching Certificate from Northwestern University Executive Learning and Organizational Change; an MS in Learning and Organizational Change from Northwestern University; a Certificate in Fundraising Management from DePaul University; and a BA in English from Northwestern University. Diane’s leadership roles and affiliations include membership of the Executive Committees of Chicago Women in Philanthropy, Springboard to Success, and Northwestern University Council of One Hundred. Diane is also a member of the South Side Giving Circle of the Chicago Foundation for Women.

Amy Wu is a REALTOR ® at Keller Williams Success Realty based in Barrington, IL. As a multilingual immigrant from China, Amy has a deep respect for the hard work that it takes to assimilate to new surroundings and win. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Media from DePaul University, a Master’s degree in Social Entrepreneurship from the University of Southern California and holds NAR’s e-pro & ABR certifications. A recipient of the 2022 President’s Award, her favorite part of being a Chicago REALTOR ® is seeing her clients’ eyes light up when they achieve their real estate goals.  

With over two decades of experience in the real estate finance industry, Hip is known for his deep commitment to inclusivity and community empowerment. He has held key positions at JP Morgan Chase and Caliber Home Loans, and served as the 2019 President of NAHREP Chicago, leading it to chapter of the year. A dedicated mentor and community leader, Hip is also deeply involved with the Illinois Mortgage Bankers Association and the Chicago Realtors Association. Based in Chicago’s Logan Square, Hip is not only a titan in his field but a devoted family man, committed to fostering sustainable homeownership and shaping the future of real estate.  

Cecelia Marlow is a seasoned mortgage lending expert with over 20 years of experience, specializing in diverse lending strategies. As the Senior Vice President (SVP) of Diverse Lending at Inspire Mortgage, Cecelia blends strategic insight with practical experience to deliver outstanding service to her clients, particularly first-time home buyers and those looking to move up in the housing market. She is actively involved in loan origination, applying her extensive expertise to ensure her clients receive the best possible rates and service. 

Cecelia Marlow is passionate about providing financial education to her clients and helping them achieve their financial goals. Her goal is to educate, inspire and assist families achieve the dream of homeownership. Cecelia has established herself as a prominent and successful leader. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Cecelia is also a dedicated mentor and advocate in the space of real estate, as a means to increasing multi-generational wealth. Cecelia currently serves and has served on several boards throughout her career: The Dearborn Realtist Board, Realtist Women’s Council of IL, Women’s Council of NAREB, and the Illinois Department of Professional Regulations – Appraisal Disciplinary Board and most recently National Association of Real Estate Brokers. 

Cecelia is a graduate from the University of Illinois – Urbana, Champaign. She is a frequent speaker on home buying, avoiding credit traps and creating wealth through real estate. Cecelia is a lifelong resident of Chicago. When she’s not meeting with clients, she enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends. She loves reading a good book, shooting pool, cheering her son on at basketball tournaments and enjoying festivals around town.