Mara Esser's passion for the "home" industry has been evident throughout her life. She grew up loving her parent's vintage home in Wisconsin, studied first psychology but then interior design, and has traveled to several countries to explore architecture and lifestyles. Practicing interior design through her own company and honing her business skills through corporate management jobs in the furniture industry, she brings a mix of industry understanding, creativity, and business acumen to the position of Executive Director for NARI Charlotte.

Outside of the office, Mara enjoys time with her husband, Kurt, and her 9 year old son, Logan. They enjoy the outdoors, playing games, crafting, legos, and exploring.  Mara spends her free time cooking, reading, and making a mess of her garden!  Above all, her goal in life is to have fun while making a difference.

Bill is a graduate of North Carolina State University with a BA in Business Management.  He began his career with Barefoot & Company in 1996 and has held several management positions since. Bill has often been called the ͞Face of Barefoot͟ and he is proud to say, ͞I love what I do and I want people to know it!͟ His professional affiliations include NARI Charlotte (2012 Volunteer of the Year; Local, Regional and National CoTY Award winner) and NAHB.  

Erin Dougherty is serving her fourth year on the board of NARI – Charlotte.  She is a Certified Kitchen and Bath Remodeler.  She and her husband, Vince Busby, own Distinctive Design / Build / Remodel which has won numerous Contractor of the Year (CotY) awards at the local, regional and national levels.  Erin is also currently serving on the Ethics and Bylaws Committee for NARI – National.  She firmly believes these leadership roles have helped her get the most out of her NARI membership and she encourages other members to get involved.  In her free time, Erin enjoys hacking around the golf course with her husband and spending time with her two teenage daughters.

Originally from Virginia, Cassie graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in marketing.  She began her career with Ferguson in June of 2006.  She has been a showroom consultant, showroom manager, and was recently promoted to Area Showroom Manager – Western Carolinas.  Cassie has been a member of NARI for over a decade.  In her spare time she likes to kayak, hike, read and spend time with her family and friends.  Cassie and her husband Billy have two fur babies, Jack and Dixie.

Jeanna has a degree in Interior Architecture from UNC-Greensboro.  She began her career with a development group, designing homes for empty nesters aging in place.  She then managed a flooring, tile, and cabinet showroom.  After taking a break to start her family, Jeanna started her own design firm, Holmes Designs, designing Kitchens and Baths. In 2019, Jeanna joined the award-winning firm, Charlotte In-Vironments, Inc., as a Residential Designer where she currently works and is now the Owner.

Kareena began her career in the construction industry 23 years ago, working at the Kennedy Space Center Space Station Processing Facility.  With an extensive background in Commercial Construction, she has worked on everything from build-outs to re-stacks. She continues to use her knowledge and experience from her roles in business leadership to support the growth and development in the Alair Homes Charlotte office."

Ron opened his law practice, Skufca Law in 2005 and is passionate about working with business owners and individuals to help them be successful. Ron is in his 23rd year of practice and has been recognized for his legal work and efforts in the community. He was an honoree for the 2018 NC Lawyer’s Weekly Leaders in the Law award and has been selected to the NC Super Lawyers list and Business NC Legal Elite in the areas of Construction Law. Ron has been married to his wife Silvia for 25 years and they have three children, Dane, Alan, and Lia.

Prior to Skufca Law, Ron worked for Chrysler and IBM in the corporate world. He graduated from University of Virginia, with a BS from the McIntire School of Commerce with concentrations in Marketing and Management and received his law degree from Wake Forest.