Stephanie K. Duncan

  BOARD MEMBER • ADVISOR • C-SUITE EXECUTIVE 

Running a business today isn’t what it used to be. It’s more complex. Hyperconnected. Unexpected.

Whatever their size or industry, organizations are experiencing unrelenting pressure to transform the workplace, workweek and even work itself.

It can be overwhelming to run your business while, at the same time, reinventing it.

You need a trusted advisor with strategic operations and financial management, governance and compliance experience who can navigate this ever-changing landscape.

You need Stephanie Duncan

Stephanie Duncan headshot in a blue and black blazer

Impactful Finance and Operations Expert

Stephanie brings operations and finance expertise to the table with experience assessing strategy, capital transactions, risk, financial reporting and management performance. Stephanie has served as COO and CFO of privately held companies, leading accounting, finance and operations, and she has Big 4 audit experience. As a real estate portfolio asset manager for a public REIT and private equity firm, Stephanie acted as a fiduciary, balancing investor and leadership needs while achieving exceptional returns. Evaluating and mitigating risk with creative solutions and sound governance practices are significant strengths she has deployed to meet and exceed business goals.

Stephanie is superb at taking complicated and abstract ideas and executing them flawlessly, as well as making them profitable. She starts with the question - “How can we make money?” and turns the answer into increasing bottom-line performance. As Senior Vice President of Asset Management for a public REIT, Stephanie developed modernized budgeting and forecasting processes during a national expansion, working closely with each market team to maximize revenue and implement cash forecasting tools.

Tenacious Leader

Stephanie Duncan with two male colleagues in hard hats and construction vests on site at a commercial real estate build reviewing architecture plans

Stephanie’s legacy is organizational sustainability. Her tenacity, resourcefulness, and bold, creative problem-solving are what your company needs to navigate major transitions and sustain success long after she’s gone. While maintaining a strong focus on results-oriented outcomes, her confidence, enthusiasm and executive presence energizes others. Stephanie demonstrates a natural ability to help teams link strategy to action.

As the COO of a privately held company, Stephanie implemented new technologies, including digital procurement and payables workflow, HRIS, and an investor portal. This operational and cultural shift improved efficiency, increased effectiveness of reporting to both investors and clients, and brought significant bottom line results for the firm.

Resourceful Connector

Stephanie Duncan in the middle left kneeling on the ground surrounded by women she mentors professionally with a sign on the wall that says "Be The Energy You Want to Attract"

Stephanie has worked with individuals, teams and organizations across all major US markets. Her intentionally diverse national professional network provides people and resources to take your company to the next level. Stephanie is an engaging, charismatic and approachable leader who is driven to foster inclusive environments - especially in arenas that are traditionally not.

In addition to exposure to all major US markets during her career, Stephanie is an active member of professional associations, allowing her to cultivate strong relationships. She also serves as a mentor through both structured and informal programs.

Hi, I’m Stephanie

I started my career as an auditor at PriceWaterhouse, but I’ve spent over 3 decades in the real estate investment management and development industry.  

My career has included a wide range of companies — from privately held family businesses to a publicly traded REIT and a world-renowned private equity firm — with holdings and operations in all major US markets. I rose through the finance ranks early in my career and then moved into operations portfolio management, culminating in my role as COO of a highly-regarded regional real estate development and investment firm.

I have frequently been charged with developing best-in-class processes to improve the accuracy and timeliness of financial reporting to support management decision-making. I have also participated in a number of capital transactions, ranging from the sale of a single asset to a portfolio of assets to the disposition of a public company.

I bring a broad range of finance, operations, risk management and governance expertise to your company to assist with your growth plans and your team’s development.

I am also a passionate mentor who advocates for ways to level the playing field, so leaders from diverse backgrounds have a seat at the table and a platform to be heard.

But you can’t work all the time. I enjoy the outdoors and adventure and can often be found riding a motorcycle on a mountain road, scuba diving in the ocean, or camping in an RV.

I look forward to discussing your goals and how I can help your company achieve its full potential.

How to Work With Stephanie

Stephanie Duncan is a highly respected executive with over three decades of experience in real estate investment management and development.

As a senior executive, Stephanie has helped numerous companies achieve significant growth and exceptional returns, including a public REIT, privately held companies and a private equity fund. This experience provides Stephanie with a unique perspective to evaluate risk and performance to design financial strategies for established, institutional, and large-scale companies as well as small, mid-sized and start-up businesses.

 Learn more about Stephanie’s experience on LinkedIn!

Board & Governance roles

Stephanie offers her expertise in facilitating high-growth opportunities to a range of companies, including real estate professional services and real estate technology. Her experience includes Board leadership roles as well as Nominating and Audit Committee roles.

Advisory
Roles

Stephanie is available to assist organizations wrestling with a transition, such as leadership succession, ownership transactions and strategic planning in high-growth environments. As an Advisor, Stephanie’s key strengths are her ability to think creatively while maintaining a sensible analysis of risk and remaining focused on the desired outcomes.

Speaking Engagements

Stephanie regularly speaks for both non-profit and for-profit entities about finance, real estate, employee recruitment and retention, leadership, and mentorship topics. Stephanie’s experience encompasses a variety of formats, including keynote presentations, interviews, panels and facilitated peer exchanges.

A variety of forces, including the unprecedented pace of change and business disruptions, the growing number and complexity of risks facing businesses today, and a changing investor climate is driving companies and Boards to seek Advisors and Directors with new types of talent and different perspectives.

Stephanie has the operations, finance and governance skills you need to maneuver through this rapidly changing business environment, providing you with a strategic thought partner and allowing you to focus your capacity on running your business.