In celebration of Women’s History Month in March, Ungated profiles women in the community association industry who give their time, creativity, and expertise to mentor others, build relationships, protect investments, and enhance communities. These profiles reflect women’s significant influence and their impactful contributions to the common interest housing model.
Julie McGhee Howard, Esq.: Active Leadership
Julie McGhee Howard earlier this year became only the second woman to receive the prestigious Don Buck Lifetime Contribution Award. Presented by CAI’s College of Community Association Lawyers since 2008, the award recognizes attorneys who demonstrate exceptional service to the community association industry.
“I am deeply honored and certainly grateful for the recognition,” Howard says. “I am also mindful of the industry giants who are past recipients. It’s very meaningful and humbling to be one of two women to receive the award.”
Howard, who cofounded and manages NowackHoward in Atlanta with longtime colleague George Nowack, is no stranger to awards and accomplishments. A CCAL fellow, she has served on the CCAL Board of Governors and is a CAI past president. During her term as CAI president, Howard spearheaded the Community Next: 2020 and Beyond initiative that sought to define the future of the industry and map out a path forward.
Howard also has been active in the CAI Georgia Chapter and the Georgia Legislative Action Committee. A CAI member since 1996, she has seen a lot of changes in the industry over her career. Currently, Howard is concerned about troublesome legislative trends that may impact community association boards’ autonomy and ability to govern.
“Uniformed legislators may undermine association leaders with burdensome administrative tasks and increase costs,” she says.
With so many important issues facing the industry, Howard believes women possess characteristics that can help them excel. Empathy, intuition, and the ability to listen well and multitask can go a long way toward helping common interest communities thrive.
She encourages women to get involved in CAI. “The friends I’ve made through CAI are invaluable,” she says, citing the encouragement, connections, support, and advice she has received throughout her career. She says the friends she has made through CAI have “made the work easier and more fulfilling.”
Theresa Melson, CIRMS, PCAM: When Opportunity Knocks
Theresa Melson has a knack for seeing and embracing the right career opportunity when it arises. Her story is like many others in the industry: She came to it by accident. What makes Melson’s story stand out is how she leveraged situations to her great benefit.
Melson got her start in mortgage banking. Following the birth of her first child, she sought a stable position close to home and answered an ad for an administrative position at a 1,700-unit condominium in Alexandria, Va. Within a few weeks, she was promoted to manager.
That impromptu decision led to a long and fruitful career. A past president of CAI’s Washington Metropolitan Chapter and current member of the Virginia Legislative Action Committee, Melson has been recognized for her service to the industry.
She says her career in community associations offered her the opportunity to work in diverse environments, mentor others, and provide valuable products and services to clients while maintaining flexibility and work/life balance.
It also afforded her a chance to grow professionally. She served in community management for over 20 years before segueing to insurance in 2002. The pivot enabled her to continue to maintain industry relationships, use her skills and industry knowledge, and build new ones. Melson recently retired from USI Insurance Services in Falls Church, Va., but plans to stay active in the industry.
Building and sustaining relationships is a point of pride for Melson. She understands and respects the value of developing and fostering rapport among colleagues and partners.
A CAI member since 1983, Melson also is a big advocate of mentoring. She believes it’s important to cultivate, guide, and support the next generation of community association professionals. Her message to those entering the field is sincere: It’s a long-term profession where they can grow.
Melson believes women possess many qualities that enable them to succeed in the industry such as the ability to listen, research, and lead. She advises women and others in community associations to be flexible. She says, “When one door opens, be ready to walk through it!”
>> Read more about female leadership in Common Ground March/April 2026.
