People
Krista Costa
Krista Costa plays a pivotal role in the Center’s relationship with the real estate community. Krista is an ODU alumus, double majoring in Finance and International Business, she also holds a Masters in Commercial Property. Krista is Senior Vice President of Corporate Services and Office Leasing for Divaris Real Estate, Inc.’s corporate office in Virginia Beach. As a lifelong resident of Virginia Beach, Krista has in depth knowledge of the local commercial real estate market.
Simon Stevenson
Simon Stevenson leads both the Harvey Lindsay School of Real Estate and E.V. Williams Center for Real Estate. Originally from the UK, Simon joined ODU in 2021 from the University of Washington after previously holding faculty positions in Ireland and the UK. His personal research is primary focused on real estate investment, including REITs, and housing markets. Simon is a Past-President of both the American Real Estate Society and the International Real Estate Society.
Katherine Filer
Katherine Filer is the Administrative Coordinator for the E.V. Williams Center for Real Estate. Katherine has a background in marketing research, advertising and digital marketing. Before coming to ODU she worked for The Virginian-Pilot and PilotOnline.com. Katherine holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from ODU where she double-majored in Marketing and Economics.
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee members, under the leadership of the Chair of the E.V. Williams Center, Krista Costa, support the Center's over-reaching mission. They are the primary steering group on the major events and programs that the Center runs, such as the Hampton Roads Market Review.
Advisory Board
Advisory Board members provide valuable industry insight to support the educational and research programs in real estate at ODU.
The Educational Advisory Group provides input on curriculum and career related issues, helping to ensure that the programs in the Harvey Lindsay School of Real Estate retain professional relevance.
The Research Advisory Group primarily focuses on helping the center in terms of the focus of its applied research program. However, it also provides support for the academic work of faculty.