For Teresa Palacios Smith, inclusion is not a program—it is a practice. As chief inclusion and engagement officer at HomeServices of America, Palacios Smith has spent her career building bridges between the real estate industry and the diverse communities it serves. A Cornell-certified DEI expert, she leads initiatives that reach over 23,000 agents across more than 40 affiliate companies, working to ensure that every professional—and every client—has a genuine opportunity to succeed.
Her 2025 accomplishments reflect the breadth of that work: The launch of REEL Talk, a national film discussion series on fair housing; the expansion of her “Women Who Lead” podcast to more than 150 guests and a landmark 25th broadcast of “Diversity MATTERS.” She also took proactive steps to train Spanish-speaking agents on new buyer agency agreements—a move rooted as much in personal history as in professional responsibility.
Recognized as a Crusader in RISMedia’s 2026 Real Estate Newsmakers class, Palacios Smith sat down with RISMedia to discuss her path to leadership, the women who helped shape it and why this Women’s History Month the conversation about equity in real estate feels more urgent than ever.
Clarissa Garza: You hold the title “Chief Inclusion & Engagement Officer”—a role that didn’t widely exist in real estate not long ago. How did you carve out this path, and what did you have to prove to get a seat at that table?
Teresa Palacios Smith: My path into this role really grew out of the work I had already been doing for years: Building bridges across organizations, mentoring leaders and helping companies understand that inclusion is not just a social conversation; it is a business imperative.
Over the course of my career in real estate—through relocation, business development and industry partnerships—I had a front row seat to how diverse our communities are and how important it is for our industry to reflect and serve them well. My involvement with organizations like the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) and other housing groups further reinforced the importance of expanding access to homeownership and opportunity.
When the role was first created, it was centered around Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. But as the work evolved, our CEO, Chris Kelly, along with our chief legal counsel, recognized that the scope of my work had expanded far beyond a traditional DEI role: It touches our people, our leadership teams, our franchise network and partnerships across the broader housing industry.
To earn a seat at that table, I had to demonstrate that this work drives real results: Stronger recruiting, better leadership development, higher engagement and a culture where people feel they belong and can succeed. When organizations invest in people and create environments where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, the entire company grows stronger.
CG: You reached over 23,000 agents across 40+ HomeServices affiliates in 2025. What does it actually take to embed inclusion into an organization that large—what’s the hardest part?
TPS: Embedding inclusion across an organization the size of HomeServices of America requires far more than a single initiative; it requires building a culture that is embraced across more than 40 companies and our franchise network across the country.
Each company has its own leadership structure, culture and market realities, which means the work cannot be done from the top down alone. The key has been creating networks of leaders: Diversity councils, managing brokers, marketing leaders and local champions who believe in the work and help bring it to life within their own companies and communities. This work has also been strengthened by the support and commitment of our CEO, Kelly, who understands the importance of building an organization where people feel respected and have the opportunity to succeed.
My role is to provide the framework, the resources and the conversation. But the real impact happens locally, where leaders understand their markets and can connect the work to their agents, employees and clients.
Another challenge is helping people understand that inclusion is not about politics or checking a box. It is about professionalism, fair housing and making sure every client and every agent has the opportunity to succeed.
When people see it through that lens, the conversation changes.
CG: Your “Women Who Lead” podcast has now featured over 150 guests. What’s the through-line—what do the most impactful women in real estate have in common?
TPS: One of the most powerful lessons I have learned from hosting Women Who Lead is that there is no single path to leadership. Leadership is not defined by a title; it is defined by influence, resilience and the willingness to lift others along the way.
Over the course of more than 150 conversations, I have been struck by how diverse the journeys are. Some women built brokerages from the ground up, others rose through corporate leadership and many entered real estate as a second career. Interestingly, a number of them came from teaching or relocation backgrounds, which speaks to the education, relationship building, empathy and problem solving that define great real estate professionals. Teachers, in particular, bring a natural ability to educate and guide others, which is incredibly valuable in real estate, where helping clients navigate complex decisions is such an important part of the process.
I am also fascinated by the personal philosophies that guide them. At the end of every show, I ask each guest to share a book, quote or mantra that has shaped their leadership. Those moments often reveal the mindset behind their success and provide inspiration for the next generation of leaders.
Early in my career, I had the chance to meet Oprah Winfrey, and one lesson stayed with me: Representation matters. Seeing someone who looks like you, who shares your story or who has overcome similar challenges can be incredibly powerful. In an industry where so many professionals are women, it is inspiring to see strong female leaders reflected across the real estate landscape.
What I love most about the series is that it allows us to tell the real stories behind success: Not just the highlight reel, but the moments of doubt, the pivots and the mentors who helped along the way. Those stories inspire the next generation of leaders to believe they belong in the room too. That is what true leadership looks like.
CG: You proactively trained Spanish-speaking agents on the new buyer agency agreements to ensure equitable access. That feels like a quiet but powerful act. Can you walk us through why that mattered so much?
TPS: For me, this work is very personal. When my parents bought their first home, I was there helping translate and make sure they understood the process. That experience stayed with me, because I saw firsthand how important it is for families to fully understand what is happening during one of the most significant financial decisions of their lives.
Real estate is built on trust and understanding, and language plays a huge role in that. When the industry began implementing the new buyer agency agreements, I realized very quickly that many Spanish-speaking agents and their clients might not have the same access to explanations, training or clarity around what these changes meant.
For many Latino families, homeownership represents generational progress. If agents do not fully understand the agreements or cannot confidently explain them to their clients, that can create barriers at one of the most important financial moments in a family’s life.
While my role is within HomeServices of America, we wanted to ensure that this information reached as many agents as possible, not just those within our own companies. Making sure Spanish-speaking agents understand these changes helps ensure their clients are fully informed and supported.
At the end of the day, the training was really about making sure language never becomes a barrier to opportunity. Sometimes the most meaningful work in this space does not make headlines; it happens in the quiet moments where you remove obstacles so people can fully participate in the American dream of homeownership.
CG: Women’s History Month is about honoring the women who pushed through doors that weren’t open to them. What doors did you have to push open, and who helped you through them?
TPS: In many ways, my journey has been about being the first. I was the first in my family to graduate from college and the first to pursue a professional career. That came with a lot of responsibility, but also a deep sense of purpose.
Early in my career, I often found myself in rooms where I was one of the only Latinas at the table. Learning to find my voice in those moments was not always easy, but it shaped the leader I am today. Over time, I realized that being different was not a weakness; it was a strength that allowed me to bring new perspectives to the conversation.
Along the way, there were leaders who believed in me and helped open doors. Gino Blefari created the opportunity for me to serve in this role and demonstrated what values-based leadership looks like. Early in my career, Kathy Connelly, who led our relocation division, was an important mentor who encouraged my growth and helped shape my professional path.
In the broader industry, sponsors like Juan Martinez helped elevate my voice nationally through NAHREP. I was also fortunate to follow the example of extraordinary women who paved the way before me. Leaders like Carmen Mercado, Francis Martinez Myers, and Rebecca Gallardo demonstrated what it means to lead with purpose and commitment to community.
Those experiences reinforced an important lesson for me: When one woman pushes a door open, she makes it easier for many others to walk through it. That is the kind of legacy I hope to leave.
Check out RISMedia’s 2026 Real Estate Newsmakers here.
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