New executives grow MBA mentorship program

Four new executives have agreed to take part in the Wood Center Executives-in-Residence (EIR) Program for the 2024-25 academic year.  

In the program, which launched in 2022, senior C-Suite executives act as mentors for our MBA students through one-on-one meetings organized by the Wood Center. Students may use these sessions to seek advice on professional and personal challenges, ask about strategies for job searches, and discuss career and life planning. 

 Tar Heel alumni and industry leaders Alan Levow (’72), Emma Littlejohn (’83), Britt Snider (MBA ’04), and Robin Kennedy (’98) joined the program’s top-tier lineup this fall. 

Levow, a principal of Crowne Partners, Inc., has more than 35 years of experience in purchasing and structuring real estate transactions throughout the US, and currently is at the forefront in designing creative and successful investment strategies in developmental real estate. Prior to joining Crowne Partners, Inc., Mr. Levow was a Vice President and General Partner of Investors Realty Associates of Atlanta. He began his career as an associate in the Acquisition Group in with JMB Realty Corporation before being promoted to Vice President of Acquisitions and thereafter serving as director of JMB’s Southeastern Region Acquisition Office. 

Littlejohn is a senior-level real estate professional with more than 30 years of comprehensive, client-centered experience in mixed-use development. She thrives on solving problems and developing creative, holistic solutions to challenges that are unique to asset development. She has worked in Boston, Denver, Dallas, Miami as well as urban centers and coastal and mountain communities throughout the Southeast. Today Littlejohn builds sustainable homes, progressive urban and suburban neighborhoods, and healthy living communities in Charlotte and the surrounding area as President of emma + co. 

With more than 20 years of real estate experience, Snider is Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of COPT Defense Properties. In this role, Britt manages the overall operations of the company including asset management and leasing, property management, government services, and commercial development. His responsibilities also include developing and executing strategies to expand the company’s investment opportunities, predominantly new development at existing Defense/IT properties, including data centers. Prior to joining CDP in December 2023, Britt served as Principal of Redbrick LMD, a diversified real estate investment and development company based in Washington, D.C., where he was a member of the senior leadership team overseeing the company’s development, asset management and leasing activities.  

Kennedy is the EVP, Chief Development Officer for Montage International. In this role, she is responsible for spearheading all strategic business development, capital partnerships, acquisition, design and construction activities for the company, including the global expansion of the company’s portfolio of both Montage and Pendry branded hotels. Prior to joining Montage, Kennedy was the Vice President, Acquisitions at Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, managing opportunistic acquisition & investment transactions, and successfully delivering industry-leading total returns to shareholders. During her tenure, Pebblebrook completed the acquisition of over 24 hotels representing more than $2.5 billion dollars of total asset value. In addition, Kennedy led several high impact asset management projects on owned assets, including brand and management selection, management agreement negotiation and lease negotiations for both retail and F&B operations.  

Littlejohn and Levow held their first student meetings last month. Snider and Kennedy will begin their tenure this spring. They all join our returning executives Gary Chesson (’87) and Dick Michaux (’73). 

If you are a senior C-suite executive with an interest in counseling the next generation of real estate leaders, contact Katie Bowden at katie_bowden@kenan-flagler.unc.edu for more information on how you can get involved.