People on the Move at Realtor.com, Canopy, Virginia Realtors 

Editor's note: As an industry with millions of agents and over 100,000 brokerage companies, new leaders rise to the top every day. Here we highlight executives and other notable leaders who've recently taken on, or stepped away from, roles that influence the residential real estate landscape. 

Brokerage, proptech marketing leader joins Realtor.com

Industry veteran and brand maven Christine Jacobson is the new senior vice president of B2B marketing at Realtor.com. 

Jacobson brings more than two decades of real estate experience to her new role. She began her career as an agent, moving into an executive position as VP of marketing before transitioning to technology company OJO, where she continued to drive marketing efforts. She was also a co-founder at NextHome and Rayse, an agent-client collaboration platform. 

In a LinkedIn post announcing her move to Realtor.com, Jacobson said she would be focusing on "leading strategic direction and execution of the company's B2B marketing efforts by expanding our business-to-business offerings and delivering innovative solutions to help real estate professionals grow their business."

"We have a lot of work to do in this time of progress," Jacobson said. "We are going to challenge and elevate ourselves and those with us. We will change forward, and show our partners, our customers, our industry how we stand for the dedication, value and commitment you bring to our profession everyday." 

North Carolina association promotes longtime leader

Canopy Realtor Association has elevated Michele McCaskill to general counsel and chief operating officer. 

McCaskill has spent most of her career at the North Carolina-based association, serving as assistant general counsel since 2011 and previously as the VP of member services.

She will continue to focus on compliance and risk mitigation for the association as well as contract management and policy development, according to a news release. In her new capacity as COO, she will also oversee a broad range of daily operations and programs, such as membership, professional development, marketing, strategy development and performance tracking. 

Anne Marie DeCatsye, CEO of Canopy Realtor Association/Canopy MLS, highlighted McCaskill's "extensive background in Association operations, compliance, and legal matters" as assets that "make her an invaluable resource to our organization, members, and industry." 

She also noted that McCaskill's expertise "have contributed immensely to Canopy's ability to navigate challenges in our industry and be well poised for the future."

Canopy Realtor Association is the 15th-largest local association in the U.S. and operates Canopy MLS.

Virginia Realtors says farewell to CEO

Terrie Suit is leaving Virginia Realtors, the state's largest trade association with 36,000 members, after 11 years as CEO.

Suit, who is retiring, has been in the real estate industry for nearly four decades. She began her career as an agent and then spent 20 years in mortgage lending — while also taking on leadership roles in state government. She served on the Virginia Real Estate Board in the 1990s and was later elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, serving her district for almost 10 years. She was also appointed as the first Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security for Virginia. 

"Throughout Terrie's tenure with our association, we have achieved significant progress on behalf of the real estate industry — both in Virginia and beyond," said Tom Campbell, the association's 2024 president. "Under her leadership and vision, we have been able to advocate for homeowners across Virginia and pass meaningful legislation to help protect our industry," Campbell added.

In announcing her retirement, Suit expressed confidence in the future of Virginia Realtors: "I believe in the power of this organization and the importance of its mission. I believe in the power of owning property, and I know that this organization's tireless efforts will continue helping more and more Virginians to realize that dream."

Martin Johnson will move into the role of interim CEO.