Karen Hyman

Karen has been in the home warranty industry for over 10 years and considers herself an expert in the field.  She has been involved in over 40,000 home warranty transactions and prides herself on educating real estate professionals on how the home warranty can protect buyers, sellers, and themselves.  She understands the inner workings of the product and how to best use it to protect all parties in a real estate transaction.

She was Industry Partner of the Year for DMAR in 2022 and Affiliate of the Year for SMDRA 2023.  She has also won multiple awards for the companies that she has worked for.

Karen has called Colorado home for the past 11 years after 4 relocations and loves the life she has built here.  She has been married to her husband Michael for 37 years and has 3 adult children and 1 grandaughter.

Rob Lynde

Rob Lynde, Employing Broker and Co-Owner of MileStone Real Estate established in 2007, managing over 500 residential rentals and averaging over 25 sales transactions a year. Colorado Real Estate Division Education Task Force member since 2012, member of 2013 Property Management Task Force, 2019 Rule Review Committee, and 2022 Commission Position Statement Review Committee.  Founding Member of the Colorado Landlord Legislative Coalition (CLLC) and past president of Colorado Springs Chapter of the National Association of Residential property Managers. 

Debbie Conner

Debbie has been a licensed REALTOR for 30+ years. Her passion for the real estate industry has led her to become actively involved in the National Association of Realtors, the Colorado Association of Realtors, and the South Metro Denver Realtor Association her entire career. Debbie is co-owner of United Home Realty, LLC. 

• 2023 CARE Foundation Director
• 2023 IDEA Committee Member
• 2024 Appointed Past President for South Metro Denver REALTOR Association
• Employing Broker for Keller Williams Executives for 10 1/2 years
• 2011 President of the Board for South Metro Denver REALTOR Association
• Served as a Director for SMDRA for 9 years
• Past State Governor, State President, and Local President for Women's Council of REALTORS Mile High Chapter
• REALTOR of the Year 2007

When she is not conducting residential and custom home sales and purchases, Debbie is passionate about teaching and training fellow brokers.

Scott Hamling

Scott Hamling is widely considered a leader in the real estate industry and has been asked to present at real estate conferences and companies across the country. In his long career, Scott has worked as a real estate appraiser, Vice President of Development for Cherry Creek Mortgage, founded a mortgage company and currently serves as a mortgage loan originator at Elevations Credit Union. Scott is also an instructor with Colorado based Cox Education. Scott's strong foundation in understanding property value is not only very helpful to his real estate agent referral partner's but also to his valued lending clients.

Scott is a Colorado native and lives in the same neighborhood in southeast Denver that he grew up! When he is not working, he enjoys all that Colorado offers. Scott is an avid skier, hiker, and most importantly, a husband and father to 3 daughters.

Matt Thomson

Matt Thomson has been selling real estate since 2004. He entered the profession with a Masters in Education and 8 years of teaching experience.

Matt has been in the top 5% of producing Realtors in both the Seattle and Denver markets, and has been in brokerage ownership and management since 2012. 

Matt has used his education background and some fortuitous connections to teach real estate courses all around the country, and has been recognized as a top producing real estate coach as well.

Michael Le

Michael Le has been a real estate broker for 23 years. During that time, he has helped countless clients achieve their real estate goals. Providing clients with the highest level of service and communication is his forte. In 2011 Michael started a team called Distinct Group. Distinct Group currently consists of four agents and two support staff. Distinct Group consistently produces 25 to 30 million in annual volume.

Recently Michael became the Operating Principal of Keller Williams Real Estate LLC. Their office is located in Lone Tree Colorado. Michael's goal is to train his agents to not only be the best agents they can be but also provide them with business coaching to build sustainable businesses. On his free time Michael can be found outdoors enjoying camping with his family.

Bill McAfee

Bill McAfee is a leading real estate professional who has weathered the ups and downs of this demanding industry for nearly 30 years. Bill has been a major player in title insurance and offers extensive expertise in areas such as rules and regulations, contracts, foreclosure and short sale, and real estate investing. His career has been punctuated by years of study, professional growth, teaching, and administration.

After graduating from St. Mary’s of Plains College with a degree in Business Administration, emphasizing in economics, Bill spent years at various companies thoroughly learning the ins and outs of the title business. He served as a marketing manager and closing presenter before pursuing the opportunity to obtain his own company. In 2003, Bill established himself as
President of Empire Title, which quickly became one of the fastest growing and most successful Title Insurance companies in Colorado Springs.

Bill’s management experience continued to expand as he became managing member of Mac Marketing and Consulting, LLC, a company which acquires and sells real estate and offers consulting to real estate professionals. In 2007, Bill instituted the Pikes Peak School of Real Estate, which provides various instructional courses and continuing education classes for real estate professionals. In 2008, Bill responded to a changing economy by creating Short Sale Solutions, LLC, which facilitates short sales for real estate agents. In 2010, Bill was instrumental in organizing the Peak Producers. This is a non-profit organization made up of the top 10% of real estate agents in the Pikes Peak Multiple Listing System (PPMLS).

Bill is esteemed for his ability to interact easily with others and for his dedication to the business. His honesty, integrity, commitment, and genuine concern for all he works with
distinguish him as a true leader in the real estate industry.

Jesse Engel

Jesse grew up in the southern Denver Metro area before attending Colorado State University in Fort Collins, where he graduated with honors with a degree in finance & real estate with a minor in economics in 2007.

During his time at CSU, Jesse completed an internship with McWhinney Real Estate Services, an award-winning commercial real estate developer based in Loveland, CO. While Jesse had every intention of moving back to the Denver area after graduating from CSU, he and his wife Abby had fallen in love with Northern Colorado and decided it was the best place to raise a
family. They have since been blessed with four incredible children.

Jesse became licensed in 2008, just as the real estate market was experiencing a significant downturn. He quickly realized that he needed to learn everything he could about short sales and foreclosures, so in 2009 Jesse teamed up with a top-producing agent who specialized in distressed properties, and Jesse grew his business based on his knowledge of the foreclosure process and being a resource for buyers and sellers navigating what was a difficult market at that time.

In 2017, Jesse accepted a position as the employing broker at a nationally recognized real estate brokerage firm. He added the role of productivity coach to his responsibilities in 2019 and has since joined forces with the largest real estate brokerage firm in Northern Colorado as a managing broker
and development coordinator.

Jesse is well-versed in real estate contracts and has taught contract classes to many real estate agents across the State of Colorado. He uses that knowledge in his personal business to advocate for his clients. He understands the importance of customer service and keeping his clients informed throughout the transaction. His goal is to create lifelong relationships with his clients to become their trusted real estate advisor by providing a full range of real estate services and advising them on the risks and benefits of all aspects of a real estate transaction.

Bill McAfee

Bill McAfee is a leading real estate professional who has weathered the ups and downs of this demanding industry for nearly 30 years. Bill has been a major player in title insurance and offers extensive expertise in areas such as rules and regulations, contracts, foreclosure and short sale, and real estate investing. His career has been punctuated by years of study, professional growth, teaching, and administration.

After graduating from St. Mary’s of Plains College with a degree in Business Administration, emphasizing in economics, Bill spent years at various companies thoroughly learning the ins and outs of the title business. He served as a marketing manager and closing presenter before pursuing the opportunity to obtain his own company. In 2003, Bill established himself as
President of Empire Title, which quickly became one of the fastest growing and most successful Title Insurance companies in Colorado Springs.

Bill’s management experience continued to expand as he became managing member of Mac Marketing and Consulting, LLC, a company which acquires and sells real estate and offers consulting to real estate professionals. In 2007, Bill instituted the Pikes Peak School of Real Estate, which provides various instructional courses and continuing education classes for real estate professionals. In 2008, Bill responded to a changing economy by creating Short Sale Solutions, LLC, which facilitates short sales for real estate agents. In 2010, Bill was instrumental in organizing the Peak Producers. This is a non-profit organization made up of the top 10% of real estate agents in the Pikes Peak Multiple Listing System (PPMLS).

Bill is esteemed for his ability to interact easily with others and for his dedication to the business. His honesty, integrity, commitment, and genuine concern for all he works with
distinguish him as a true leader in the real estate industry.

Eric Romero

Eric has spent over 3 decades in real estate, selling hundreds of homes and leading large brokerage operations. He believes that great client service starts with great agents, and has dedicated his career to helping brokers become highly trained, ethical, and successful professionals.

A strong believer in lifelong learning, Eric is deeply committed to education, for both himself and the agents he mentors. He holds prestigious designations including CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) and RFC (Registered Financial Consultant), credentials that reflect his expertise in real estate and financial strategy.

Eric is committed to elevating the real estate industry by serving clients with integrity and empowering agents through education, training, and unwavering professionalism.

Bill McAfee

Bill McAfee is a leading real estate professional who has weathered the ups and downs of this demanding industry for nearly 30 years. Bill has been a major player in title insurance and offers extensive expertise in areas such as rules and regulations, contracts, foreclosure and short sale, and real estate investing. His career has been punctuated by years of study, professional growth, teaching, and administration.

After graduating from St. Mary’s of Plains College with a degree in Business Administration, emphasizing in economics, Bill spent years at various companies thoroughly learning the ins and outs of the title business. He served as a marketing manager and closing presenter before pursuing the opportunity to obtain his own company. In 2003, Bill established himself as
President of Empire Title, which quickly became one of the fastest growing and most successful Title Insurance companies in Colorado Springs.

Bill’s management experience continued to expand as he became managing member of Mac Marketing and Consulting, LLC, a company which acquires and sells real estate and offers consulting to real estate professionals. In 2007, Bill instituted the Pikes Peak School of Real Estate, which provides various instructional courses and continuing education classes for real estate professionals. In 2008, Bill responded to a changing economy by creating Short Sale Solutions, LLC, which facilitates short sales for real estate agents. In 2010, Bill was instrumental in organizing the Peak Producers. This is a non-profit organization made up of the top 10% of real estate agents in the Pikes Peak Multiple Listing System (PPMLS).

Bill is esteemed for his ability to interact easily with others and for his dedication to the business. His honesty, integrity, commitment, and genuine concern for all he works with
distinguish him as a true leader in the real estate industry.

Sunny Banka

Sonda “Sunny” Banka is an accomplished real estate professional with more than four decades of experience in the industry. A licensed Realtor® since 1980, she has built a career distinguished by deep market knowledge, professional integrity, and a long-standing commitment to excellence in real estate practice.

Since 1998, Sunny has also served as a real estate instructor, educating and mentoring real estate professionals at various stages of their careers. Her instructional work reflects both practical, real-world expertise and a strong command of real estate law, risk management, and brokerage operations.

As a licensed Broker, Sunny brings a high level of strategic insight and leadership to every transaction and professional engagement. Her combined experience as a Realtor®, Broker, and instructor uniquely positions her as a trusted advisor, educator, and advocate for high professional standards within the real estate industry.

Brie Aljets

Brieonna grew up in real estate with her Mom as a Broker, and has held a number of positions within the industry over the last 15 years. These roles include: team leader, managing broker, Buyer's agent, Association Executive, and productivity coach throughout IL, TN and CO. Currently, she holds a managing broker's license and has a degree in Education. Her passion is training and consulting; she teaches real estate school as well and enjoys bringing humor into the classroom. Let's be authentic, the ins and outs of real estate can be ahem...somewhat boring. Without a laugh she's not sure anything qualifies as success. Having taught first grade previously, she's more than prepared to handle any situation in the classroom! 

Outside of work you can find Brieonna spending time with her family and friends. She enjoys trail running, working out, and snowboarding. Just like most Gunnison residents, she came for the winter but stayed for the phenomenal summers. Growing up in the Midwest, she is thrilled to avoid the extreme humidity that IL had to offer. Her husband is a distinctive metal artist; and they have a wild, loving 6-year old boy. And yes, Brieonna may be caught writing a Real Estate course on the weekend...

Faith Young

The amazing Faith Young was born and raised in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado. Her challenging life experiences gives her the ability to inspire, guide and empower others through theirs. She is a dynamic speaker, trainer author and lifter of souls. She is one of the top, award winning, realtors in the nation and she served on the board of the South Metro Board of Realtors Young Professional Network, in Colorado. Faith won the Rising Star Award from the South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association (SMDRA) in fall of 2013 for Outstanding Achievement in the first five years as a Realtor. Faith recognizes that in this business it is way more than just helping people buy and sell, it's about powerfully impacting people's lives. She lives in Lone Tree with her puppy, 6 pound Chihuahua, named Boo Boo. 

Debbie Conner

Debbie has been a licensed REALTOR for 30+ years. Her passion for the real estate industry has led her to become actively involved in the National Association of Realtors, the Colorado Association of Realtors, and the South Metro Denver Realtor Association her entire career. Debbie is co-owner of United Home Realty, LLC. 

• 2023 CARE Foundation Director
• 2023 IDEA Committee Member
• 2024 Appointed Past President for South Metro Denver REALTOR Association
• Employing Broker for Keller Williams Executives for 10 1/2 years
• 2011 President of the Board for South Metro Denver REALTOR Association
• Served as a Director for SMDRA for 9 years
• Past State Governor, State President, and Local President for Women's Council of REALTORS Mile High Chapter
• REALTOR of the Year 2007

When she is not conducting residential and custom home sales and purchases, Debbie is passionate about teaching and training fellow brokers.

Bill McAfee

Bill McAfee is a leading real estate professional who has weathered the ups and downs of this demanding industry for nearly 30 years. Bill has been a major player in title insurance and offers extensive expertise in areas such as rules and regulations, contracts, foreclosure and short sale, and real estate investing. His career has been punctuated by years of study, professional growth, teaching, and administration.

After graduating from St. Mary’s of Plains College with a degree in Business Administration, emphasizing in economics, Bill spent years at various companies thoroughly learning the ins and outs of the title business. He served as a marketing manager and closing presenter before pursuing the opportunity to obtain his own company. In 2003, Bill established himself as
President of Empire Title, which quickly became one of the fastest growing and most successful Title Insurance companies in Colorado Springs.

Bill’s management experience continued to expand as he became managing member of Mac Marketing and Consulting, LLC, a company which acquires and sells real estate and offers consulting to real estate professionals. In 2007, Bill instituted the Pikes Peak School of Real Estate, which provides various instructional courses and continuing education classes for real estate professionals. In 2008, Bill responded to a changing economy by creating Short Sale Solutions, LLC, which facilitates short sales for real estate agents. In 2010, Bill was instrumental in organizing the Peak Producers. This is a non-profit organization made up of the top 10% of real estate agents in the Pikes Peak Multiple Listing System (PPMLS).

Bill is esteemed for his ability to interact easily with others and for his dedication to the business. His honesty, integrity, commitment, and genuine concern for all he works with
distinguish him as a true leader in the real estate industry.

Brie Aljets

Brieonna grew up in real estate with her Mom as a Broker, and has held a number of positions within the industry over the last 15 years. These roles include: team leader, managing broker, Buyer's agent, Association Executive, and productivity coach throughout IL, TN and CO. Currently, she holds a managing broker's license and has a degree in Education. Her passion is training and consulting; she teaches real estate school as well and enjoys bringing humor into the classroom. Let's be authentic, the ins and outs of real estate can be ahem...somewhat boring. Without a laugh she's not sure anything qualifies as success. Having taught first grade previously, she's more than prepared to handle any situation in the classroom! 

Outside of work you can find Brieonna spending time with her family and friends. She enjoys trail running, working out, and snowboarding. Just like most Gunnison residents, she came for the winter but stayed for the phenomenal summers. Growing up in the Midwest, she is thrilled to avoid the extreme humidity that IL had to offer. Her husband is a distinctive metal artist; and they have a wild, loving 6-year old boy. And yes, Brieonna may be caught writing a Real Estate course on the weekend...

Tara King

With more than 35 years of experience as an Employing Broker in Colorado’s real estate industry, Tara King brings extensive knowledge of the regulatory requirements of the Colorado Division of Real Estate, as well as deep insight into the local market and its diverse landscapes. Her expertise spans residential, vacant land, and commercial real estate, along with second home and resort properties.

In 2008, Tara earned the Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager (CRB) designation—one of the most respected credentials in real estate business management. She currently serves as an Employing Broker for HomeSmart, where she provides leadership, counsel, and broker support to more than 2,400 real estate professionals across Colorado. In 2026, Tara was honored with an appointment to the Professional Standards Committee for the Colorado Association of REALTORS®.

Beyond real estate, Tara is deeply committed to philanthropy, professional service, and community involvement. As an Accredited CBA-CLE Alternative Dispute Mediator, she serves as a mediator with Court Mediation Services, supporting the Denver County Courts through the Denver Bar Association. She has also served as President of the Board of Directors for the SaddleUp! Foundation and volunteered with numerous organizations, including the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Colorado Neurological Institute, Teen With a Dream Foundation, Douglas County PTO, FASB Fitness Festival, and Arapahoe House.

Tara believes there is nothing more rewarding than helping real estate professionals and clients achieve their goals in a challenging business environment. For her, real estate is more than a profession—it is a passion and a meaningful way to serve her community.

Michael Le

Michael Le has been a real estate broker for 23 years. During that time, he has helped countless clients achieve their real estate goals. Providing clients with the highest level of service and communication is his forte. In 2011 Michael started a team called Distinct Group. Distinct Group currently consists of four agents and two support staff. Distinct Group consistently produces 25 to 30 million in annual volume.

Recently Michael became the Operating Principal of Keller Williams Real Estate LLC. Their office is located in Lone Tree Colorado. Michael's goal is to train his agents to not only be the best agents they can be but also provide them with business coaching to build sustainable businesses. On his free time Michael can be found outdoors enjoying camping with his family.

Sunny Banka

Sonda “Sunny” Banka is an accomplished real estate professional with more than four decades of experience in the industry. A licensed Realtor® since 1980, she has built a career distinguished by deep market knowledge, professional integrity, and a long-standing commitment to excellence in real estate practice.

Since 1998, Sunny has also served as a real estate instructor, educating and mentoring real estate professionals at various stages of their careers. Her instructional work reflects both practical, real-world expertise and a strong command of real estate law, risk management, and brokerage operations.

As a licensed Broker, Sunny brings a high level of strategic insight and leadership to every transaction and professional engagement. Her combined experience as a Realtor®, Broker, and instructor uniquely positions her as a trusted advisor, educator, and advocate for high professional standards within the real estate industry.