Mission
The mission of the International Business Forum is to promote the benefit, as well as explore the complexity, of working with international buyers and sellers. The International Business Forum guides real estate professionals in expanding their personal and professional presence in the global marketplace. The group explores global initiatives including new business opportunities by helping members to market local properties worldwide, assisting investors who are interested in purchasing real property in the U.S., and offering international options to local clients.
Northern Virginia is an ethnically and culturally diverse area in which almost a third of the population was born outside of the U.S. and nearly 40% of the region’s population uses a language other than English at home. Annually, almost 10,000 non-U.S. citizens move into the Northern Virginia area from a location outside the U.S. Serving such an evolving community with an ever-changing cultural landscape requires that NVAR must always adapt and change to capitalize on the opportunities that our Realtors® and Brokers find in the marketplace.
Committee Leaders
Chair
Imran Cheema
Chair
Wanda Voight
Meet the Committee
Indera Coggins
Sondra Sparapani
Nancy Alert
Cathy L. Valdiviez
Ramzi Rasamny
Najibullah Khushbin
Dominique Fernandez
Esther Biggs
Muhammad Imran Cheema (Chair)
Wanda Voight (Vice-Chair)
Jannet Pacori
Lakia Daniels
Ahmed Gomaa
Alexandra Iamandi
Simone Isaac
Tatiana Busch
Natalia Simonova
Marshall Wickramaratne
Christina J. de Uribe
Elna Brown
Lourdes Rubio
Moujtaba Akhwand
Zulma Fidler
Luisa Sipple
Maricellis Negron
Nana Noi
Abdullah Baba
Victoria Baker (Chair)
Shawn Barsness
La Tique Collette
Mary Beth Eisenhard
Jason Groah
Edary Lavilla
Billy Liao
David Raffinengo (Vice-Chair)
Angelia Rorrer
NVAR recommends comprehensive zoning changes and incentives that facilitate the voluntary market-driven production of a wide range of housing choices at all price levels to suit our diverse population, including encouraging mixed-use development.
It is essential that comprehensive plans provide for the development of owner-occupied housing, to meet existing and forecasted housing demand without unreasonable zoning and land use restrictions that lead to increased costs for housing. Updating zoning ordinances and maps to encourage mixed use with higher residential density in existing commercial areas can provide new home ownership opportunities without affecting existing residential neighborhoods.
Committee Requirements
Eligibility
This committee is open to all NVAR members.
Time Commitment
This committee meets four times annually with three events per year. The term for this committee is one year.
Number of Committee Seats
This committee typically features up to 25 members.
Staff Liaisons
Teresa Watson
Director of Member Experience & Education
twatson@nvar.com
Helen Joo
Senior Member Engagement Specialist
hjoo@nvar.com