Virtual Speed Networking Organized & Hosted by Associa Northern California

A member of the Associa staff since 1988, Helen Eden Carona brings a broad historical perspective of the company to its Executive Board. Having served the firm in management, accounting, and administrative roles, she has a comprehensive understanding of operations, human resources, and financial matters, both on the corporate and client levels. In her role as Executive Vice President, Helen is responsible for the administrative affairs of the company as well as the firm’s corporate governance. In addition, she serves on the board of Associa Cares, a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting families and communities in crisis as a result of natural and man-made disasters.

Based in Dallas, Texas, Helen is also the President of Associa’s subsidiary insurance agency, which specializes in the provision of commercial property and casualty insurance coverages for community associations across the U.S.

Helen is married and a devoted mother and grandmother. She is an avid reader, a passionate chef and enjoys entertaining with her husband.

Favorite Quote:

A great man is always willing to be little.

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Jeff Gourlie is responsible for the operations and growing success of LandArc Management.

Gourlie’s expertise in the community management industry spans the decades. He has extensive knowledge in the area of buildings and grounds maintenance, which was acquired during a career of more than 30 years that included positions as a resident manager and maintenance supervisor, giving him invaluable knowledge necessary for the everyday operation of community associations. Prior to becoming President of LandArc Management, Gourlie has been Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and President of Kramer-Triad Management Group.

He has been awarded the Association Management Specialist (AMS) and the Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM) designations from CAI. He has been a lecturer at both CAI Michigan Chapter educational seminars and at the United Condominium Owners of Michigan (UCOM) annual seminar. He has served on the CAI Michigan Chapter Board of Directors twice as President as well as Treasurer and Secretary. Gourlie also served as the Vice Chairman on the Membership Advisory Committee for CAI on a national level.

Outside of his responsibilities at LandArc, Gourlie serves on the board of Associa Cares, a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting families and communities in crisis as a result of natural and man-made disasters.

One of Gourlie’s favorite quotes is:

A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption of our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us the opportunity to do so.

– Mahatma Gandhi, Leader of Independence in British-Ruled India

As a project manager of Associa, Faith Hattier assists the Operations and Executive team with completing projects and initiatives for the company. She is also the event planner and coordinates employee events at both the Home Office and the CSSC.

Hattier serves as director for Associa Cares, the company’s 501(c)3 charitable organization dedicated to assisting families and communities in crisis as a result of natural and man-made disasters.  She heads the local Dallas committee and plans fundraisers across North America, allowing Associa Cares a greater reach to help those in need.  In addition to managing the request process from receipt to distributing outgoing donations, she also handles general filings for the organization to ensure compliance with various state and federal laws.

A graduate of Johnson & Wales University, Hattier worked as a pastry chef for seven years throughout Charleston and Dallas. After working in Dubai as an executive pastry chef for Emirates Airlines, she returned to Dallas where she began her paralegal career at Associa. She then graduated summa cum laude from The University of Texas at Dallas with a Bachelor of Arts in interdisciplinary studies. Over the past two years, Hattier has been assisting Associa’s Chief Operating Officer and the executive team as a project manager.

Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.

– Maya Angelou

As the HOA Division Director for Community Management Corporation, Bryant oversees a portfolio of 135 HOA communities in the greater Washington D.C. region. Since 2017, he has served as chairman for the metropolitan Washington DC region’s Associa Cares annual Vendor Fair which is Associa Cares largest annual fundraising event raising an average of $250K per year for Cares. Before joining CMC, Phillips held roles in the hospitality industry ranging from kitchen manager to director of sales for national hotel brands such as Hyatt, Sheraton and Westin. Bryant honed his hospitality and culinary skills at Johnson and Wales University in Charleston, South Carolina and has a passion for food!

Pauli Wong has more than 15 years of community association management experience and has previously held several positions at Associa Hawaii, including senior vice president. Ms. Wong has volunteered for the Community Associations Institute (CAI) for more than 10 years and resided as CAI Hawaii chapter president for two years.  

Ms. Wong has been accredited the Professional Manager of Community Associations (PCAM®️)  designation through CAI and has received numerous awards for her role with CAI seminars. She holds the record for the best membership retention rate during her CAI Hawaii presidential terms and is also one of a handful of certified Reserve Specialists in the state of Hawaii.

President of Operations for RHOME Property Management

Bryce Ross currently serves as Vice President of Operations for RHOME Property Management, helping oversee more than 40,000 rentals across the United States and Canada. He works closely with local branches, their communities, investors, and tenants, focusing on creating stronger, more resilient neighborhoods.

Before stepping into his current role, Bryce managed real estate and property management branches and built a foundation in hospitality, construction, and business management at the University of Wyoming. With more than 14 years of experience in single‑family, multi‑family, and HOA operations, he has gained firsthand insight into the many causes of housing loss—fires, floods, major property damage, and more. He has even navigated a Christmastime house fire personally, giving him a deep understanding of the impact that support and resources can have on affected families.

Outside of work, Bryce enjoys spending time with friends & family, tackling long‑distance running adventures, and pretending he can cook Michelin‑star recipes.

President and CEO of Associa Desert Resort Management

Mark is a native of the Northeast and has an undergraduate degree from the University of Vermont and an MBA from The Drucker School at Claremont Graduate University.

His prior experience is wide and includes both senior management and financial positions in the publishing, extreme sports, and HOA Management Industries. Mark is currently the President and CEO of Associa Desert Resort Management, the largest HOA management company in the Coachella Valley, and a Regional Vice President at Associa, Desert Resort Management’s parent company. Mark is an active volunteer and currently serves in Board Director roles for Animal Samaritans, The Coachella Valley Chapter of the Community Associations Institute, and Associa Cares, a national charity supported by funding from Associa employees providing disaster relief assistance nationwide.

Mark lives in Palm Desert with his wife Jamie and his three children, Jack, Sophia, and Alex.

Associa, Senior Vice President of Sales

As Senior Vice President of Sales, Leslie joined Associa in 2010 and leads a team of 72 sales professionals across North America and is responsible for direct and indirect sales efforts, revenue generation, forecasting, sales strategy, and planning.  Marketing analysis and competitive intelligence, contract negotiation and strategic partnerships, financial acumen, and budgeting, cross- functional collaboration.

Leslie’s career as sales executive includes result-oriented roles in various divisions of the company.  While holding both Director positions in sales and operations she led the company in sales before being promoted to the Regional Sales Director over the Central Region and Canada. In 2018 Leslie was promoted to Vice President of Sales and currently holds her AMS®, and CMCA® designations from the Community Associations Institute (CAI) with more than 25 years in the community association management industry.

Leslie has been married for 30 years and she and her husband have two daughters and a son and reside in Tiki Island, Texas.   Leslie enjoys boating, kayaking, and spending time with her four dogs and family.

As Vice President of FP&A and Treasury at Associa, Sonia Hussain oversees the company’s financial planning and analysis and corporate treasury functions. She works closely with leadership, corporate accounting, and branch teams—particularly during planning season. Sonia is responsible for internal and external financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting, and cash management across the organization.

A licensed CPA, Sonia brings a depth of financial and operational expertise to her role. In addition to her professional responsibilities, she is actively involved in volunteer efforts, supporting an animal rescue organization through foster care, adoption assistance, and administrative support.

A graduate of California State University, Fullerton, Sonia earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in Accounting. During her academic career, she tutored accounting students through the Accounting Society and the Honors group. Sonia began her professional journey in the United States Air Force, where she served as an Electronic Protection and Surveillance Technician at Eglin Air Force Base. During her four years of service, she maintained training records for more than 400 personnel, instructed technical courses, assisted with curriculum development, and earned the Air Force Achievement Medal for attaining dual combat qualifications and maintaining rigorous compliance standards.

Following her military service, Sonia transitioned into public accounting as an Assurance Associate with BDO USA, LLP, where she supported audit and review engagements across multiple industries, including healthcare, real estate, entertainment, and non-profit organizations. She went on to hold progressive accounting and finance leadership roles at the Automobile Club of Southern California, Monster Energy, Volt Information Sciences, NRT, and ProSupps USA, gaining extensive experience in financial reporting, international accounting, shared services, startups, and team leadership.

Over the past several years at Associa, Sonia has continued to advance in finance leadership. She began her tenure as Vice President of Accounting and Finance and now leads FP&A and Treasury, partnering with senior leadership to drive financial discipline, scalability, and long-term strategic growth.

Associa, VP, Legal

Associa, Director of Customer Experience

David Young is a recognized customer experience, operations, and business transformation leader with over 32 years of experience helping organizations strengthen customer relationships, improve operational performance, and achieve sustainable growth. As Director of Customer Experience at Associa, David leads enterprise-wide Voice of the Customer initiatives that transform customer feedback into actionable business insights, helping drive continuous improvement across service delivery, customer engagement, and organizational effectiveness.

Throughout his career, David has held leadership roles with industry-leading organizations including Associa, Frontier Communications, Comcast, and Time Warner Cable. He has built a reputation for developing high-performing teams, creating customer-centric strategies, and delivering measurable business results through operational excellence and data-driven decision-making. His leadership philosophy centers on service, accountability, collaboration, and empowering others to succeed. By combining strategic vision with a passion for people, David has consistently helped organizations enhance the customer experience while driving meaningful business outcomes.

David earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Arizona Global Campus and was honored as Frontier Communications’ 2024 Changemaker of the Year, recognizing his exceptional leadership, innovation, and impact on the business. Throughout his career, he has remained committed to advancing the organizations he serves while fostering cultures built on trust, engagement, and continuous improvement.

Equally dedicated to serving his community, David has spent many years investing his time and talents in volunteer leadership and philanthropic initiatives. His commitment to service is reflected through various community roles, including serving as Vice President of his son’s Parent Teacher Association and as Director of Operations for his homeowners’ association. He has also supported youth development through the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program and contributed to numerous community outreach and support efforts focused on strengthening families and neighborhoods.

Originally from the Chicago area, David and his wife have been married for more than 33 years and have proudly raised their family in Frisco, Texas, where they have lived for the past two decades. Together, they have two adult sons, one currently attending college and the other pursuing a career in aviation through pilot training.

As a member of the Associa Cares Board, David brings a unique combination of business leadership, customer advocacy, operational expertise, and a lifelong commitment to service. He is passionate about making a positive difference in the lives of others and helping advance Associa Cares’ mission of supporting associates and communities in times of need. Through both his professional and volunteer endeavors, David remains dedicated to building meaningful relationships, creating positive experiences, and leaving a lasting impact on the people and communities he serves.