THE ASCEND APPRAISERS MEMBERSHIP
We are for women in the appraisal industry who are:
Tired of being the only woman in the room (or the only one being ignored).
Ready to increase the value of their work, elevate their fees, and position themselves at the top.
Interested in learning how to write powerful narrative proposals instead of just filling out forms.
Looking for mentorship, mastery, and momentum over bureaucracy.
Craving community, confidence, and a network of women who get it.
If you’ve ever thought “I love this profession… but I know I’m meant for more within it.” Ascend is where you get that more.
Where Women Appraisers Rise Higher Together
You’ve spent your entire career navigating an industry that wasn’t built for you. You’ve experienced interruptions, assumptions, and pressure to be twice as prepared and three times as competent just to be taken seriously.
You’ve earned your experience the hard way in courtrooms, conference rooms, municipal boards, and construction sites where you had to prove (again and again) that you belong.
But here’s the truth no one tells you:
Women don’t need to “fit in” to succeed in the appraisal world.
We rise when we lead differently.
Ascend Appraisers™ is the first membership created exclusively for women in real estate appraisal, designed to elevate your expertise, expand your earning potential, and give you the community you’ve always deserved.
This is not another forum, CE course, or industry association that leaves women on the margins.
This is the community where you rise.
“Emily Braman, MAI, SRA, AI-GRS, your ability to find and build community wherever you go is a true gift. You don’t just hold the door open, you go find a better room and bring everyone with you.”
— Katelyn Drosnock, MAI, MRICS
Become an
Ascend Member
Our collective experiences, whether by the beach, poolside, at memorable dinners and virtual gatherings are not only strengthening professional ties but also forged meaningful relationships for women in the appraisal profession.
-
Find your people and build your network.
Share ideas, learn, and workshop topics and problems together.
Build a safe, inclusive, and fun space for women in the appraisal profession.
Interact daily with the most diverse group of appraisers you have ever encountered.
-
Support each other and bring other women into the community.
Cultivate courage and confidence.
Establish best practices and progressive business models.
Build mentor/mentee relationships within the network.
Learn from DEI experts.
-
Cultivate lasting and meaningful relationships with other women appraisers.
Improve and modernize both the appraisal profession and our personal lives.
Create and support DEI initiatives.
Create a pipeline for women to enter the appraisal business.
Dive into a wealth of learning and connection inside the Ascend Appraisers Membership Community. As a member, you’ll gain access to exclusive Spotlight Speakers featuring industry leaders and innovators. In this tier, you get access to everything in the Ambassador Membership, discounts on Retreats, Dinner Parties and Masterminds, and more!
NEW! Aspiring Appraiser Mebmership
Discover what makes Ascend Appraisers the go-to network for women in the appraisal profession. For women building their path into appraisal and looking for the connections and support to get there.
CHOOSE YOUR LEVEL OF ACCESS:
Join our community of aspiring appraisers and trainees with a Free Aspiring Appraiser Membership. Connect with experienced professionals, build meaningful relationships, and gain access to resources designed to support you as you begin your appraisal career. Whether you're exploring the profession, completing coursework, or working toward your trainee hours, Ascend is here to help you learn, grow, and find your place in the industry.
Join our community of women in the appraisal profession with a Free Ambassador Access membership. Connect, learn, and grow alongside peers who are redefining what it means to lead in this field. It’s the perfect way to experience the Ascend network and start building relationships that support your professional growth.
Dive into a wealth of learning and connection inside the Ascend Appraisers Membership Community. As a member, you’ll gain access to exclusive Spotlight Speakers featuring industry leaders and innovators. In this tier, you get access to everything in the Ambassador Membership, discounts on Retreats, Dinner Parties and Masterminds, and more!
When you join the VIP Membership, you’ll receive full access to two 2026 Masterminds, every live cohort and every session throughout the year, along with monthly Spotlight Speakers featuring leading experts from across the valuation profession. You’ll also join Emily each month for an intimate VIP Zoom session, where she opens her reports and walks you through the thinking, structure, and strategies behind complex valuation topics so you can strengthen your skills with clarity and confidence.
MONTHLY:
-
Ascend Happy Hour
First Friday of the Month at 4:00 PM ET
A space where women in the appraisal profession can connect. Join us to dive into complex problems, gain insight from experts in the group, and propel your prosperity in the appraisal industry! Free to all women in the industry.
-
Spotlight Speaker Series
Exclusively for Members: Join us each month for our Speaker Spotlight Series, where standout appraisers share their expertise across a range of specialties. Our featured speaker leads the conversation and opens the floor for your questions.
Ascend Spotlight Speakers
-
Jessica Ballou, MAI, CRE
May 2025 Speaker
Jessica serves as a Senior Vice President in NVC’s Denver office and currently co-leads the company’s Aviation and Senior Housing groups. With more than 15 years in the commercial real estate industry, she is experienced in the appraisal of all property types including income producing, owner occupied, vacant land and mixed-use assets. Areas of specialized focus include FBOs and hangars, self-storage and senior housing properties. She has provided value opinions on several thousand commercial real estate properties around the country to a variety of clients including financial institutions, pension funds, and institutional investors.
-
Megan Glosser, MAI, ASA
June 2025 Speaker
Megan is the Manager of Valuation at GBX Group. GBX Group focuses on acquiring historic real estate in urban markets that have significant tax and other incentives available to them. For more than 15 years, we have specialized in helping taxpayers use their tax liabilities to fund investments in real estate projects with targeted federal, state, and local incentives. Through our directed investments, we stimulate more than $400 million in real estate development annually. GBX Group has completed over 100 projects in 16 states — breathing new life, vitality, and economic growth into neighborhoods and all they serve.
-
Joanna Witte, MAI
July 2025 Speaker
Joanna is an enthusiastic and driven Valuation Services Director at Colliers. Valuation experience in multi-year tax litigation valuations, cash flow analysis, along with industrial and hospitality specialization throughout the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, and Midwest. An MAI member of the Appraisal Institute and state certified appraiser in Connecticut, Delaware, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
-
JoAnn Apostol
August 2025 Speaker
With over 20 years of experience as a certified residential appraiser, JoAnn has built a distinguished reputation as an expert in complex residential valuations. She is also deeply committed to educating the next generation of appraisers, a passion that truly sets her apart. JoAnn was honored with the NAA Appraiser of the Year Award in 2025. -
Chandra Mast
September 2025 Speaker
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. -
Emily Braman, MAI, SRA, AI-GRS
October 2025 Speaker
Our Founder has been traveling this year presenting her talk The Wright Value - Valuing Homes Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright at the ASA and RAC conferences and AI meetings. She will share the presentation with us this month!
-
Kristen Lowe, SRA, AI-RRS
November 2025 Speaker
Kristen Lowe is a residential appraiser in Las Vegas, Nevada and an early adopter of appraisal technology. Join us to hear Kristen share her experiences using an I-Pad in the field and with Lidar technology.
-
Kristina Villa of the Farmer’s Land Trust & Annie Warmke of Blue Rock Station
December 2025 Speaker
Kristina Villa is a farmer, communicator, and community coordinator who believes that our connection to the soil is directly related to the health of our bodies, economy, and society. Annie Warmke is the founder of Blue Rock Station an organic farm with an Earthship House. Annie has donated her farm to the Land Trust to keep it productive in perpituity.
-
Ashely Johnson MAI, SRA, AI-GRS
January 2026 Speaker
Ashley joins us in her first month as the Appraisal Institute President Elect. She will share her vision for the organzation as we move into 2026 and beyond.
-
Akia Smith, MAI
February 2026 Speaker
Akia has more than 25 years of real estate experience with over 18 years of specialization in the appraisal industry. She is the founded an appraisal firm and has experience in appraising commercial and industrial properties, vacant land, equal and uniform analysis, and evaluations.
-
Katelyn Drosnock, MAI, MRICS
March 2026 Speaker
Katelyn Drosnock, MAI, MRICS, is a Senior Vice President with Newmark Valuation & Advisory in Philadelphia, bringing over 20 years of experience in the valuation and analysis of industrial real estate. Her expertise spans a wide range of property types, including warehouses, cold storage, biotech and advanced manufacturing facilities, container and recycling yards, master-planned industrial parks, biofuel production sites, and agri-industrial properties.
-
Jennifer O'Neill, SRA
April 2026 Speaker
Jennifer O'Neill, SRA is a residential appraiser with over 30 years experience. She is a 3rd Director at the Appraisal Institute, was elected to her local zoning board and does a variety of complex residential assignments. She's speaking at the AI conference in Nashville on using technology in the field. Jen is working on her commercial license and has expanded to narrative residential reports for private clients.
-
Kelli Mayhew, MAI, SRA
May 2026 Speaker
Kelli Mayhew is a 30-year veteran of the appraisal profession and founder of Mayhew Group, LLC, serving the southeastern United States. She specializes in commercial valuation and litigation support, with additional work in urban planning and redevelopment. Kelli currently serves as Third Director on the Appraisal Institute’s national board and is an instructor, published author, and frequent speaker. She was also the recipient of the Women’s Initiative Spotlight Award in 2026.
-
Migdalia Rivera, SRA
June 2026 Speaker
Migdalia Rivera, SRA, is a Certified General Real Estate Appraiser with over 20 years of experience. She holds a bachelor’s degree in surveying and topography from UPR-Mayagüez and the prestigious SRA designation from the Appraisal Institute. Migdalia has a strong background in litigation and eminent-domain cases, as well as general real estate consulting.
-
Malinda Griffin, MNAA, HMS, AR
July 2026 Speaker
Malinda is the founder of Malinda Griffin & Co., established in 1990 in Upstate South Carolina. She is a Certified Residential Appraiser and Real Estate Abstractor, serving lenders, attorneys, and private clients, and also provides continuing education for appraisers and realtors. A national leader in the profession, she has served as President of the National Association of Appraisers and currently chairs The Appraisal Foundation Advisory Council. She is the recipient of multiple industry honors, including the 2026 Louise Lee Lum Award.
-
Erica Butler, MAI
August 2026 Speaker
Erica Butler, MAI is the Managing Director of Valuation & Advisory at Nova Group with more than 15 years of commercial real estate valuation and consulting experience. She serves as President-Elect of the North Carolina Appraisal Institute and is a recognized leader in the profession, receiving the 2024 William T. Anglyn Award at LDAC and the 2025 Innovator Award from the North Carolina Appraisal Institute. Erica has also been selected as a 2027 LDAC Discussion Leader, reflecting her ongoing commitment to leadership, education, and the future of the appraisal profession. She’ll be speaking on the Power of Authenticity.
-
Nicole Harrison
September 2026 Speaker
Nicole Harrison is the Managing Director of the Lubbock branch of Lowery Property Advisors, serving clients across West Texas, Eastern New Mexico, and the surrounding region. A Texas Tech graduate with a degree in Agricultural & Applied Economics, she specializes in commercial valuation, with particular expertise in oil and gas markets. As a leader and mentor, Nicole is passionate about developing the next generation of appraisers and advancing the profession through collaboration, education, and a commitment to excellence.
-
Lori Noble, SRA
October 2026 Speaker
Lori Noble, SRA is a Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser with 30 years of experience specializing in rural and complex properties. An educator, mentor, and longtime industry advocate, Lori has spent much of her career helping appraisers navigate the challenges of the profession and think more critically about their work and businesses. She has also been actively involved in regulatory and public policy efforts at both the state and national levels. Lori is cofounder and cochair of the Appraisal Regulation Compliance Council (ARCC) and a longstanding member of the Appraisal Institute.
Emily is not just an appraiser. She is a leader who has spent 20+ years mastering the work most professionals avoid.
She’s known for her:
Expertise in complex valuation
Clear, compelling narrative proposal writing
Ability to communicate with judges, attorneys, municipalities, and high-level stakeholders
Feminist approach to elevating women’s voices in a male-dominated field
Emily created Ascend Appraisers™ because she knew: When women rise, the entire industry rises.
Founding Members
In May 2023, Ascend Appraisers gathered for the first time ever in Miami, Florida for the Founder’s Retreat!
Women appraisers don’t lack skill. They lack support, visibility, and access to high-level knowledge.
Ascend gives you:
Community so you’re never alone in this field again.
Mentorship from someone who has walked every floor, every courtroom, every complex valuation scenario.
Language mastery so you can communicate your work with clarity and confidence.
Positioning skills that set you apart instantly.
The tools to charge appropriately (or boldly) for your level of expertise.
This membership is designed to help women become the most respected, sought-after, and well-paid appraisers in their markets.
Where Women Appraisers Commune
Where Women Appraisers Commune
Join Ascend Appraisers™
Because you deserve a place where your expertise is seen, your voice is respected, your work is valued, and your leadership is inevitable.