Contributor

With over 30 years of experience and deep roots in the Western Suburbs, CHRIS PEQUET is a trusted name in real estate. She is known for her attention to detail, market awareness, and dedication to each client’s success. As a leader in her office and one of the most recognized brokers at Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty, she offers personal service supported by an accomplished marketing team—specializing in listings in Hinsdale and beyond.

What excites you most about the future of your industry? I am excited to have developed a new team that is backed by experience in valuation, design, and strategic marketing. We are changing the industry approach from deal-based to relationship-based experiences.

How do you give back to your community or industry? With my longstanding involvement in the community, including Chamber of Commerce director and advisory boards, Foundation School Board service, and charitable work. Involvement in these activities has been very gratifying and allows me to give back and to stay connected to my local community.

What’s a trend you’re embracing—or challenging? I am challenging the massive team approach to real estate. Biggest is not always better! I have never wanted to be the biggest. I only want to give the best service and experience for my clients on a personal basis. Our new team was created adding seasoned experience in appraisal and interior design that further enhances my core foundation of local expertise and elevated client care.

How do you maintain balance between your professional and personal life? First of all, I have a very understanding husband and family. This business will have us change plans in a moment. However, over the last 30 years of flexibility it makes things interesting. That is one of the elements I love about this business—each day brings a new adventure.

What do you do to recharge? Spending quality time with family and friends is my happy place!

What’s one leadership lesson you’ve learned the hard way? That you need to delegate, you can’t do it all yourself.

For more information, visit chrispequet.com or follow her on Instagram @chris_pequet or on Facebook at ChrisPequetRealtyGroup.

With a distinguished background as a former corporate attorney and a passion for real estate, MELISSA LIVELY brings a unique blend of legal acumen and marketing expertise to the Hinsdale real estate market. A Certified Expert Listing Agent with @properties Christie’s International Real Estate’s Hinsdale office, she provides a thorough and insightful approach to real estate transactions, ensuring each detail is managed with precision and care. With the collaboration of her team of experts, Lively is committed to delivering exceptional end-to-end service experiences and achieving optimal outcomes for her clients.

What excites you most about the future of your industry? Listing agents across the U.S. are increasingly pushing back against one-size-fits-all marketing of consumer-facing real estate platforms. In today’s evolving market, customized marketing is essential. As inventory rises and buyer behavior shifts, one-size-fits-all strategies just don’t cut it—especially when homes are sitting longer on the market. What appeals to a luxury buyer in Hinsdale is totally different from what attracts a first-time buyer in the city. Marketing must reflect location, price point, lifestyle, and buyer expectations. Every seller has a unique need, and the market is constantly changing. As a listing agent, I am an advocate for my client and will market their home to maximize their return on investment, not to drive up clicks on a real estate website.

What conversations are you passionate about bringing to the table? Zillow doesn’t know the improvements you have made to your home. Redfin doesn’t have the opportunity to walk into your home and feel the vibe. I do. Your home isn’t just square footage. It has a story. Let’s tell it in a way that makes buyers fall in love.

What’s a trend you’re embracing—or challenging? One of the most interesting dynamics of the 2025 real estate market is the luxury market continues to outperform and set new records, while the non-luxury market has quickly become a buyer’s market. We will continue to see this trend in the spring of 2026 where luxury markets will continue to have low inventory and upward pressure on pricing, while the non-luxury market pricing will continue to decrease with increasing inventory.

For more information, visit atproperties.com/agents/25124/melissa-lively. You may also follow her on Instagram @Melissa_Lively_Realtor or on Facebook at MelissaLivelyRE.

JACKIE FLAHERTY founded The Weekend Discovery with the vision that one of life’s greatest joys—travel—should never be overwhelming or out of reach. From milestone celebrations and multigenerational getaways to elaborate European itineraries and cruises, Flaherty and her team offer tailored support at every stage of the journey. “We create elevated, memorable trips that feel effortless,” she says. “Whether you need help choosing the right destination, want full-service itinerary planning, or simply need a trusted expert to handle your hotel bookings, The Weekend Discovery meets you where you are.”

What excites you most about the future of your industry? Travel is becoming more intentional. People aren’t waiting for the “one big trip” anymore—they’re embracing long weekends, milestone celebrations, school breaks, and time away just because. At The Weekend Discovery, we believe incredible travel experiences don’t require three weeks off or endless hours of research. What excites us is helping clients make the most of their time—so every trip feels effortless and full of meaning.

What’s a trend you’re embracing—or challenging? We fully embrace the rise of high-touch planning, even for shorter trips. That’s exactly what we offer—seamless support from start to finish, whether it’s five nights in London or just a long weekend in Napa. For our clients, luxury is about access, personalization, and not having to think about a single detail. One client said it best: “The most luxurious part was not having to make a decision.” That’s the experience we aim to deliver.

How do you define confidence—and how have you built it? Confidence is knowing your value and being clear on what you offer. At The Weekend Discovery, we know that travel is an investment—not just financially, but in time, which is often your most valuable resource. When clients tell us it was the best trip they’ve ever taken, or that they felt fully supported from start to finish, we know we’re doing the work we were meant to do—creating meaningful travel moments that become part of their story.

What legacy do you hope to leave behind? That I helped clients take the trips they didn’t think were possible. And personally, I hope my daughters see that it’s possible to build something that reflects your strengths and interests—and to carry a global mindset wherever you go.

For more information, visit theweekenddiscovery.com.

Since 1953, Hinsdale Humane Society (HHS) facilities have provided a safe haven for pets to stay while they wait to be adopted into their forever homes. Continuing that vision is what brings HHS President JODIE ARQUILLA together with new Chair of the HHS Board of Directors and owner of Lane Veterinary DR. SARAH BAKER (DVM, MPH). “From a very young age, my personal passion has been my love of animals,” says Arquilla, who attended Hinsdale South High School and studied Communications at Western Illinois University. “My childhood home always had one or more family dogs, and instead of Show-Biz Pizza or the playground, my favorite outing with my dad was to see the newly hatched baby swans at the pond in his office complex.” Dr. Baker shares that passion for animals and loves getting to know people and their pets—bringing together both interests in her career as a veterinarian. “More recently I’ve also taken a larger role at the Hinsdale Humane Society,” explains Dr. Baker, who holds a B.S. in zoology, and an MPH and DVM from The Ohio State University. Her practice, Lane Veterinary, opened two years ago and already added a second location. “It’s wonderful to see the difference they make for animals in our community.” For Arquilla, taking the helm at HHS was a dream come true. “I feel immensely lucky, because not many people get the chance to truly do what they love,” she says.

What conversations are you passionate about bringing to the table?
Arquilla: Shelter pets aren’t broken! You can find any breed of dog and cat—purebred or mixed—that need a second chance. At Hinsdale Humane Society, we offer training in behavior and manners for our dogs, extensive enrichment for our cats, and we go the extra mile to ensure they’re medically healthy. We also offer post-adoption support to ensure a pet’s smooth transition to their new home.

What excites you most about the future of your industry?
Dr. Baker: I am hopeful about small businesses taking back a part of our market in the future. In recent years there were many sales to private equity in the veterinary community. I would love to see the pendulum swing back into the direction of small businesses. It means a lot to me as a woman business owner to be so supported by the Hinsdale community, and I hope to continue to grow in the Western Suburbs.

For more information about Hinsdale Humane Society, visit hinsdalehumanesociety.org. For more information about Lane Veterinary, visit lanevet.com. You may follow Hinsdale Humane Society on Facebook at Hinsdale Humane Society, on Instagram @hinsdalehumanesociety, and on TikTok @hinsdalehumanesociety. You may follow Lane Veterinary on Instagram @laneveterinary.

With a background in finance, design, and fashion, DAWN MCKENNA’s sophisticated marketing, branding, and social media presence has made her and her team—Coldwell Banker’s Dawn McKenna Group (DMG)—a leader in luxury real estate and the No. 20 Mega Team in the nation among all brokerages. She is joined by the first addition to DMG, LAUREN WALZ, who works with McKenna to serve west suburban clients and to grow DMG nationally. As a result, the firm is now No. 1 Mega Team in Illinois, southwest Florida, and Park City, Utah.

What excites you most about the future of your industry?
Walz: I’m most excited about AI’s potential to transform the way we work. I have started to dabble with it and can already see how it will allow us to spend more time doing what we do best—building relationships and making meaningful connections with clients. That’s where the real impact will happen, and where our expertise will truly shine.

What conversations are you passionate about bringing to the table?
McKenna: I’m passionate about helping younger generations reframe how they view their home—not just as a place to live, but as an asset class and part of a wealth-building strategy. Real estate is unique among investments as it offers a wide range of exit strategies, from selling and refinancing to renting or leveraging equity. And unlike stocks or bonds, you can actually enjoy it while you own it. It’s both a lifestyle and a long-term wealth-building tool. I love sparking conversations that help people see its full potential.

How do you define confidence—and how have you built it?
McKenna: Confidence is the front-facing display of behind-the-scenes preparation. It’s about taking an honest look at yourself, recognizing areas for growth, and consistently working to improve. It also means having the humility to admit when you’re wrong and the courage to make changes. Confidence is built through experience and after 22 years and more than $6 billion in sales, I’m deeply confident in the services and advice the DMG offers. That confidence comes not only from helping clients, but also from buying and selling my own properties over the years. It’s a foundation built on practice, perspective, and a genuine passion for real estate.

For more information, visit dawnmckennagroup.com. You may also follow the DMG team on Facebook at thedawnmckennagroup, or on Instagram @thedawnmckennagroup.

Source: No. 20 Mega Team in the nation, No. 1 Mega Team in Illinois, No. 1 Mega Team in Southwest Florida, No. 1 Mega Team in Park City, UT by closed volume ranked by RealTrends Verified Thousand 2025, as featured in The Wall Street Journal.

With a degree in advertising, more than a decade of real estate experience, and a deep-rooted knowledge of the community, BRIANA MURRAY has become the No. 1 Individual Agent in the @properties Christie’s International Real Estate Hinsdale office. From the search to negotiation and close, Murray works hard to make her clients happy and puts their needs and wants first. Born, raised, and now residing in Hinsdale with her husband and three children, she is actively involved in school and local activities. This personal knowledge of the community allows Murray to bring a unique and cultivated experience to her clients.

What excites you most about the future of your industry? The advancements in technology have really helped with both the buying and selling aspect of the real estate world—including AI tools and virtual tours. These are helping my clients make smarter, faster decisions, in a market where timing is everything. Personally, because of these advancements, I love that the role of the agent is becoming more about being a “local and trusted advisor” versus just a “salesperson.” You have to be a community expert.

What conversations are you passionate about bringing to the table? I love when people ask me about the local market—demystifying trends, providing clarity in uncertain times, and showing clients how local dynamics may differ from national headlines.

How do you give back to your community or industry? I serve on the Board of Directors of Wellness House, here in Hinsdale, something I am deeply passionate about for personal reasons. I also am the Parent Student Association Co-President at St. Isaac Jogues, where my children attend. I love my kids seeing me being able to work, mother, and volunteer!

How do you define confidence—and how have you built it? I think confidence means being unapologetically comfortable with who you are, no matter what society tells you. Once you stop caring what other people think, you find your true self.

What legacy do you hope to leave behind? I really believe the Maya Angelou quote—“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” I want my family and friends to remember me as someone who was always there for them no matter what, and made them feel like they were my number one priority.

Briana Murray’s office with @properties Christie’s International Real Estate is located at 30 S. Lincoln Avenue in Hinsdale. For more information, call 630-294-7453 or follow her @brianamurrayrealtor on Instagram.