As President and CEO, Dionne establishes and manages the overall strategic direction, operations, and growth of the company and has more than 25 years of experience in real estate development, finance, and operations. Dionne also serves as Co-President of LSA Management, a property management operating partnership with Avanath Capital Management serving Laurel Street’s development properties.
Prior to founding Laurel Street, Dionne served as Senior Vice President at Crosland and led the company’s affordable housing development and multifamily operations. Previously, she managed investments at NewSchools Venture Fund and Earnest Partners and built her skills in strategy, organization, and operations as a consultant with McKinsey & Company. Dionne began her career in financial services as an Investment Banking Analyst at Salomon Brothers.
Dionne serves on the Board of Directors for Cousins Properties (NYSE: CUZ) and the Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) and as a Director for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond – Charlotte Branch. She is also a member of the Charlotte Executive Leadership Council (CELC) and the Real Estate Executive Council (REEC). Dionne is a Trustee for the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and a member of the National Advisory Board for the ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing, and ULI’s Affordable and Workforce Housing Council. She also serves on the Charlotte Community Advisory Committee for the Knight Foundation, Renaissance West Community Initiative’s Advisory Board and Real Estate Committee, and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Childress Klein Center for Real Estate Advisory Board. She is a member of Leadership Charlotte Class 29 and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Dionne earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard University and graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in economics from Spelman College.