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

Chelsea C. Hayes, SPHR is responsible for overseeing our external affairs department and developing a long-term strategic vision for the department, the diversity committee, The 77, and the Foundation. She works alongside key stakeholders to increase the association’s presence throughout Chicago, further helping to ensure our communities are vibrant and thriving.  
 
Hayes is also the CEO at The Coaching Factory, an LA based Corporate Training & Development firm that specializes in interactive experiences on Inclusion, Leadership and Management. The Coaching Factory also provides counsel and Executive Coaching to CEOs and celebrities. Her clients include global powerhouse brands such as PepsiCo, General Mills, Yum! Brands, Morgan Stanley, Eli Lilly, Turner Construction, The Office of The Mayor of LA and Kendo an LVMH Company. 
 
Prior to founding The Coaching Factory, Chelsea was the Director of HR at the WNBA team, the Los Angeles Sparks after launching her career reporting directly to the Chief Diversity Officer at General Electric (GE). Chelsea earned two Bachelor’s Degrees from Purdue University and was recently named Purdue University’s Outstanding Alumni under 35. Chelsea went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Communication from Northwestern University and is a proud member of Northwestern University’s Council of 100-an invitation-only group of Northwestern’s top female alumna executives. 

Noted by MSNBC’s Chuck Todd as a rising star in Illinois politics, Commissioner Gainer was elected to the Cook County Board in 2010. Commissioner Gainer serves as Chair of the Cook County Business and Economic Development, Workforce, Housing & Community Development, and Pension Committees. She is also Chair of the Cook County Land Bank Authority.  

With an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago and a strong background in finance, Commissioner Gainer’s first act as a County Commissioner was to create Cook County’s first Pension Committee. As Chairman, Commissioner Gainer led the charge to find a pension reform solution that was fair to both taxpayers and workers. To keep the public engaged, Commissioner Gainer launched an open-data pension website (OpenPensions.org) where press, the public and County employees could go for details on plans and proposals.  

In 2013, Commissioner Gainer created the Cook County Land Bank, the region’s most comprehensive response to reduce the amount and impact of vacant land and abandoned buildings throughout Cook County. Bringing together realtors, private developers, civic and social leaders, Commissioner Gainer’s work to create the Cook County Land Bank has been noted in the Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and Crain’s Chicago Business.  

In addition to Commissioner Gainer’s work with finance and foreclosure, she is creating a new asset for regional workforce development by bringing together community colleges, high schools and businesses to reimagine apprenticeships. Commissioner Gainer believes that if the United States is going to be a leader in the global labor market we have to ensure our job training today looks more like the economy of tomorrow. Commissioner Gainer believes rather than just focusing on the skills gap we have to fight the training gap by bringing employers into the workforce development process.  

Finally, Commissioner Gainer has devoted special interest to the women and children in the County’s criminal justice system. She eliminated the practice of separating new mothers awaiting trial from their newborns, led the fight to ban shackling pregnant detainees during delivery, created the first citizen advisory Board for the Juvenile Detention Center and continues to lead the fight to reduce the number of non-violent offenders in County Jail.

Farrah Wilder is a seasoned real estate industry leader and lifelong advocate for women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ communities. Based in Michigan, Farrah is founder and CEO of heygent, a company creating a web-based product that helps home buyers and their agents navigate the home purchase process. She also writes, speaks, consults and creates resources for buyer representation, fair housing and diversity. Her current and past clients include the National Association of REALTORS®, the Chicago Association of REALTORS®, and the LGBTQ+ Alliance for Real Estate. Farrah Wilder was the Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer of the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.) from 2020 to 2023. In that role, she led C.A.R.’s fair housing and inclusion efforts—including co-authoring C.A.R.’s fair housing training and developing a closing cost grant for first time home buyers who are members of underserved communities. As an attorney, she worked for the U.S. Department. of Education, Office for Civil Rights and was also a 2002-2004 ERA Ruth Chance Law Fellow. 

Erica Esquivel is a Chicago native who grew up in Michoacan, Mexico, in an entrepreneurial family that instilled in her a passion for customer service and people skills. She earned her degree in “Finanzas Empresariales” and spent over six years in the finance industry before obtaining her real estate license in Fall 2018 and joining TRP. 

As the daughter of immigrant parents who came to the United States with nothing but courage and hope, Erica values the importance of stable, secure housing for working-class families. Her family’s unwavering support has been the foundation of her success, teaching her the value of community and resilience. 

Erica is proud to be part of United Power for Action through The Resurrection Project, where she leads the sales efforts for the Reclaiming Back of The Yards campaign. This role allows her to blend her professional expertise with her commitment to community service, focusing on creating opportunities for families in need. 

Her dedication to serving low and moderate-income communities has earned her accolades, including the “Financial Empowerment” award from the Parent Mentors Program in Chicago, and recognition at various real estate panels, such as the NAHREP event, where she was named “Rookie of the Year.” Other honors include the CAR Top Producer awards, NAHREP Top 250, Top 10 Realtor award by the American Institute of Realtors for five consecutive years, and a feature in Top Agent Magazine. 
With designations like Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR), Real Estate Negotiation Expert (RENE), Commit to Excellence Endorsement (C2EX), and Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager (CRB), Erica is an esteemed member of the National Association of Realtors and the Chicago Association of Realtors; and serves in several policy and advocacy committees. 

Her approach to real estate is built on communication, dedication, and transparency. “I believe in the power of people coming together. While I may not change the world for everyone, I know the right property can change someone’s world, and that’s a great start,” she says. 

In her free time, Erica enjoys escaping to the rural countryside, where she spends time with her horses and her two boys—finding inspiration in the peace, nature, and the bonds they share. 

Grigory Pekarsky is the driving force behind Vesta Preferred and the Vesta Team, the #1 independent real estate team in Illinois, with over $1 billion in sales. Rated in the top 1.5% of brokers nationwide by REAL TRENDS, Grigory’s success is rooted in his deep market expertise and unwavering commitment to client satisfaction. Beyond his own achievements, Grigory is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of real estate agents at Vesta Preferred, using his extensive experience to help brokers build thriving careers. 

A recognized thought leader, Grigory continues to educate both the public and professionals on the complexities and opportunities within the real estate market. His insights, shared through media appearances and speaking engagements, have made him a trusted voice in the industry. 

Originally from the Detroit area, Grigory built Vesta Preferred from the ground up alongside his business partner, Brad Robbins. Nationally respected and admired, he uses the skills he developed throughout his career to help others transform their lives through real estate. A passionate advocate for Chicago, Grigory is on a mission to showcase the greatness of his city. When not working, he enjoys spending time with his family, proudly embracing his role as the “least influential person” in his home. Family, real estate, and Chicago define his journey. 

Kelly McDonald is considered one of the nation’s top experts in leadership, marketing & sales, the customer experience and consumer trends.  
 
Her client experience includes brands such as Toyota, Nike, NASA, Kimberly-Clark, Harley-Davidson, Great Clips, Miller Beer, and Sherwin-Williams. 
 
Kelly was named one of the “10 Most Booked Speakers in the U.S.” and ranked #1 on the list of “25 Hot Speakers” by Successful Meetings Magazine. 
 
She has been featured on CNBC, in Forbes, INC. Magazine, BusinessWeek, CEO World, Fast Company, and more. 
 
She is the author of four bestselling books. 
 
Kelly lives in Denver and when she’s not on the road speaking, she enjoys boxing (yes, boxing, not kickboxing) – and shopping for high heels. She’s also learning to play the cello. 

As the CEO of Davis & Associates, Ryan helps organizations across industries achieve their strategic objectives through strategic planning, management consulting, and leadership coaching. As a consultant, Ryan has served dozens of fortune 100 companies, private brands, real estate associations and brokerages, healthy equity agencies, and colleges and universities.  
 
Ryan’s prior leadership roles include Vice President for Culture at the National Association of REALTORS®, Associate Vice President at Brown University, Senior Strategist and Faculty Affiliate at the University of Southern California, Director of Assessment and Educational Programs at Purdue University, and Senior Program Manager for the Gates Millennium Scholarship Program, the largest scholarship program in the nation. 
 
Ryan has been recognized for his work and service throughout his career. He was named a Real Estate Newsmaker by RISMedia in 2024 and 2025, Providence Business Network’s 40 Under Forty in 2020, a TRiO Achiever by the Connecticut Association of Opportunity Programs in 2010, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Distinguished Service Award by Eastern Connecticut State University in 2003. 
 
Ryan earned an executive coaching certification from Columbia University, a master’s degree in Higher Education from Old Dominion University, and a bachelor’s degree in Business from Eastern Connecticut State University.