CBRE Canada’s Top Producing Women Share the Secrets of Their Success

At CBRE Canada’s 2026 Kickoff event recognizing the company's top performers, an all-time high number of women were featured in the ranks of leading producers from coast to coast. 

“It’s a testament to the immense talent, dedication, and resilience of these remarkable women who are driving the performance of our organization and reshaping our industry in the process,” says CBRE Canada President and CEO Jon Ramscar.

To mark International Women’s Day, we spoke to these nine brokers for insights on their biggest deals of 2025 and what propels them to succeed in a highly competitive industry. They also share hard-earned wisdom for the next generation of women leaders in commercial real estate.

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Tara Finnegan | Vancouver

Relentless hard work and commitment leads to successful outcomes. So does treating everyone with respect. I am confident you can achieve success without compromising kindness and integrity.

My most notable deals from 2025 were with longstanding clients and relationships that were built over a number of years. They champion my success just as much as I champion their business growth. The connections to employees they have ended up hiring, or other companies they end up collaborating with, takes my business far beyond real estate.

To any young woman who is interested in pursuing a career in commercial real estate: it is a fantastic opportunity, one that I became even more grateful for when I became a mother and really understood the power of the autonomy I had in my role.

I’m passionate about supporting the success of others who are coming up in the industry. I’m going to continue doing that and channel positivity from all the standout deals that we were able to achieve in 2025.

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Kate Camenzuli | Toronto

Invest in people and partnerships and they will give back to you in spades.

The deals that have defined 2025 for me were built over the course of years, even decades, with clients that value my style of white glove service. It’s important to me that I deliver on that – I’m always thinking, ‘How do I add value and top-grade  myself from yesterday?’ Having that kind of mindset allows me to partner with people who are best in class, sector and market.

My career started years ago at an investment company where I was given a great deal of responsibility and power at the outset. This did two things: 1) Taught me how important it is to have a good reputation in this business. And 2) Made me believe in myself and fight hard for what I want. That’s all I’ve done for 20 years and it’s paid off.

Go in, be relentless and trust your gut. I’m going to continue investing and believing in myself, supporting the people around me and finding more ways to win together. I believe if we support each other, more people win!

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Liz Nucci | Toronto

There are no tricks to what we do. It’s all about putting in the work, trusting the process and being kind to others. That and getting a lot of sleep.

We live in a world where people want things yesterday. I would remind my younger self, and anyone looking to get into this business, to have patience. Resilience, determination and consistency matter much more than speed. It’s also important not to take things too personally.

As a co-chair of a charity golf tournament that supports the Trillium Health Foundation, my 2026 goal is to surpass the $111,000 donation we achieved last year. That’s something that’s really important to me, giving back to causes that are near and dear to my heart, and living a fulfilling life that reflects the same energy I bring into my business.

My brand is defined by working hard, delivering on my promises, and being kind to people. I think it’s important to remember to have fun along the way and to surround yourself with good people – if you show up together, the titles and successes will follow.

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Erica Deschênes | Montreal

The defining driver for my success in 2025 was the continued expansion of the Investor Leasing Platform we've been building in Montreal over the past eight years, particularly within the life sciences segment. By the end of 2025, that portfolio has grown to 11 sites totaling over one million square feet. That growth wasn’t transactional – it was relational and strategic, positioning us as long-term advisors rather than brokers.

I approach every transaction - whether 2,000 or 50,000 square feet - with the same level of preparation, diligence and advisory quality. I don't tier my effort based on commission size because I know that reputation is built deal by deal. Consistency is what builds trust, and trust is what wins in the long run.

2025 was characterized by steady, long-term work toward meaningful goals, and breaking through a few limiting beliefs along the way. I ran the New York City Marathon - a goal that took 14 years to complete – and co-chaired a fundraising initiative for vulnerable youth, raising over $222,000 at a single event. I learned that long-term goals require patience and resilience, and that influence grows when you step forward, not when you wait to be ready.

Trust your instincts and be brave. Everything unfolds in its own timing. Experience has taught me that instinct, when grounded in preparation and integrity, is one of the most powerful tools you have. The biggest barriers are rarely external – they’re internal.

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Katie Sapieha | Calgary

2025 was my best year ever, and a huge credit goes to my team for that. We secured 173,000 square feet for ATB Financial – one of the largest office deals in Calgary last year and the most significant deal I’ve ever been a part of in my career. Much of my success last year can be attributed to the collective success of my team, as we work exceptionally well when everyone comes together as a whole.

I made a big pivot from industrial to office mid-way through my career which is not something that happens often in our industry. It was a difficult decision but one that paid off – I was presented a good opportunity and have had a lot of success and personal growth from making that choice.

Hard work pays off, as well as being trustworthy and building a solid reputation. I don’t see other people as competitors. I try to build relationships wherever I can and lead with trust and credibility. I take pride in being approachable to my clients, to be the person people feel they can call when they have questions.

It’s important not to take things personally in this career. So much happens that is completely out of your control and despite your best efforts, a deal can die for a variety of reasons. Have patience, build relationships, and remember that in the end, it’s all about the long game.

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Jessica Harland | Calgary

I had the pleasure of working with a repeat client this year on a project in Calgary that was near net-zero, a feat that’s not easy in Alberta. Leasehold lending is more nuanced and complex when dealing with Canada Housing and Mortgage Corp. (CMHC), but thanks to my experience, we were able to move through the underwriting and legal process with relative ease and achieve a 95% loan-to-cost mortgage. CBRE Capital is becoming a trusted source of debt for CMHC-insured loans and we are just getting started.

Execution is vital in this business, especially for women. We often face higher performance standards, systemic bias and the need to provide undeniable evidence of competence to counteract gender stereotypes. There’s a shortage of women in leadership roles, which means fewer mentors for young women and difficulty in visualizing a solid career path. As a result, I wish I had gone into commercial real estate sooner.

One of my greatest achievements to date is winning the Darla Longo Award at CBRE’s Americas Recognition Conference in California. It recognizes the best and brightest in the industry. I was the first Canadian employee to receive this honour for my expertise in debt financing and transformational impact. It’s a monumental achievement that I am still in awe of being selected for.

I have one goal for 2026, and that is to elevate: myself, my clients, my team, and our offering to the market. We will continue to offer our services to the best, most sophisticated clients across the country.

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Elaine Jenkins | Toronto

A couple of transactions made this a standout year for my team: Scotia Plaza, a listing that had hundreds of thousands of square feet of vacancy, and a large occupier transaction with AstraZeneca, which spanned multiple years. Seeing these deals come together and close in 2025 was made possible only with an incredibly skilled  and supportive team. I wouldn’t have been able to progress this far in my career without them.

It’s often the case where you think you’re going to get a deal done, then it dies, and you have to pivot. Which makes it important to always have a good attitude, to not get too high when things are going well or too low when things aren’t going your way. Be a sponge – you think you know how to run deals and negotiate properly when you start out in this business when the reality is, you don’t. Take good notes, stay positive and be the person you’d want to work with. All of this helps you execute at a high level.

I work with an amazing team, which has helped me get to where I am today. I want to keep leveling up so that I can continue to outdo myself from last year.

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Nikki Poole | Newfoundland & Labrador

The best part of my job is being a connector in the industry. I enjoy being a phone call away.

Working in a smaller market in Newfoundland and being involved with industry networks like BOMA has helped me maintain relationships and stay top of mind. My contacts and connection pool is wide, and I love nothing more than being able to bring people together.  

My success in 2025 was driven by two leasing transactions at Bristol Office Park in St. John’s that were in the works for over a year. It took a great deal of patience and persistence, which paid off in the end.

I’ve learned several important things over the course of my career. Namely, that it’s okay to say ‘No’ sometimes. The deals that keep you up at night aren’t always worth it, and it’s important to take some time to occasionally disengage from your work.

I would have spent more time off the year my son was born instead of always taking a ‘do it all’ approach. Fast forward nine years, I’ve acknowledged that being a mother does impact my work and availability sometimes, and that’s perfectly okay.

2026 will be about celebrating the wins more. And wins are not necessarily tied to money. Sometimes it’s the smallest requirement for the more thankful clients that deserves a celebration.

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Samantha Sukumar | Toronto

Motherhood sharpened my focus in a way nothing else could. It forced me to become incredibly efficient with my time, decisive in my actions and disciplined about where I invest my energy. There’s no room for inefficiency when you’re balancing a growing business and a young family. I welcomed my second child in 2025 and it was one of my best years on record.

Last year I represented an occupier in securing a long-term design-build headquarters opportunity that was sourced entirely off-market. I leaned heavily on long-standing relationships with developers to make this happen, which reinforced my belief that in today’s market, competitive advantage comes from relationships and credibility. When clients know you can unlock access beyond the open market, you become a strategic advisor – not just a broker.

Preparation, partnerships and performance is what defines my success. I make it a priority to understand market dynamics, development pipelines and capital markets to give clients confidence in their decisions. I continuously invest in relationships and value trust and consistency over being the loudest in the room. A challenge, given that silence isn’t exactly my strong suit.

My goal for this year is to scale with intention, elevate client standards, and build a team performance culture that sustains results year after year.