Meet Members of MIND

 

At the time, you could not have convinced us that the MIND program would become this prominent within AAMD. Looking back now, we realized we had so many “big dogs” in our corners, looking out for us along the way. Melisa Mireles- Caraveo remembers her key mentors: Scott Allen, Jenny Jorgensen, and Orpain Williams who really pushed that shy and anxious Assistant Manager to come out of her shell, experience new things, and embrace every opportunity to learn something new. 

 

In 2026, Melisa was paired with Naomi Marquez, Vice President at Willow Bridge, and it has been such an amazing experience. Throughout their time together, Melisa has had the opportunity to listen to and learn from Naomi’s wisdom and advice, but some of the biggest lessons she has taught Melisa have gone far beyond property management. Naomi has taught her to stand up for herself, both in her personal life and career, and to have more confidence in the value she brings to the table. Melisa is eternally grateful for her guidance and for the MIND program for connecting her with someone so kind, motivating, and knowledgeable, not only about our industry and the career paths within it, but about life itself.

 

Our 2026 mentees had similar experiences this year, including Grace Talbert. Her experience with the MIND Program has been incredibly valuable to her personal and professional growth. Her mentor, Orapin Williams, Regional Manager at Woodspear Properties, has taught her the importance of being authentic when approaching different situations and taking the time to fully understand something before acting on it. Orapin’s guidance has helped her become more thoughtful, confident, and intentional in the way she communicates and makes decisions. 

 

One of our key mentors of MIND is Desiree Romero. Desiree currently serves as both a mentor and a mentee in the program. She embraces a “pay it forward” mentality by building meaningful relationships with both past and current mentors and sharing what she has learned with her own mentees. Her current mentor, Marcella Eppsteiner, guides her on leading with empathy and maintaining a level head when making decisions. As a mentor to Victoria Armstrong, Desiree has proudly watched Victoria advance from Assistant Manager to Property Manager. With Desiree’s recent promotion to Regional Manager at Avenue5, she can now offer Victoria even greater support as she navigates challenges in her new role. Desiree values the MIND program for connecting her with people she may never have had the opportunity to meet otherwise. 

 

The MIND program is more than a networking opportunity. It is a community built on growth and encouragement. It helps once shy professionals find their confidence, support mentees in their journeys and inspires mentors to step out of their comfort zones. The relationships built through MIND reach beyond job titles and company names, it creates lasting connections with people who genuinely want to see others succeed. As MIND continues to grow, so does its impact, proving that sometimes all it takes is having the right people in your corner to recognize your potential.