Leadership Team

Wendy Pickering | President and Partner

As a Partner and President at EMG, Mrs. Pickering oversees an operations team that includes our VP of Operations, 8 Regional Managers, a Regional Maintenance Supervisor, and our Marketing Director. She is responsible for new business, ensuring proper management, operations, policies and procedures, company organizational structure, and direction of ongoing professional training and development, internal controls and revenue growth of each EMG community by working closely with Regional Managers, Owners, Investors, Vendors and our entire Corporate team.

Mrs. Pickering joined the EMG team in 2012 and has worked in the property management industry for more than 24 years. Wendy started her career in market rate communities and has worked for both national and local property management companies. Bringing a wealth of knowledge from a diverse management portfolio including affordable housing communities, commercial properties, and mixed use communities that range from stabilized properties, lease-ups, rehabs, and remodel of both unit interiors and common areas. Mrs. Pickering also holds a Principal Broker Real Estate License in Utah and Qualifying Broker License in the state of New Mexico.

Azure Howe | Chief Financial Officer and Partner

Mrs. Howe is the Chief Financial Officer at EMG Management. She has more than 20 years of experience in the accounting industry. She joined the EMG Accounting team in 2004, became partner in 2012 and an owner in 2016. Azure received her Master of Accounting Degree from the University of Utah in 2016.

As CFO, she is responsible for the daily financial operation of each property which includes the supervision of accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll and debt collection. She is also responsible for the identification and correction of financial-related problems or concerns and the enforcement of policies and procedures that protect EMG and project owners against fraud and theft. Mrs. Howe oversees the preparation of the financial reports necessary to meet the monthly, quarterly and annual reporting requirements for each project. She works closely with the independent auditors to ensure the most accurate financial reporting possible. Mrs. Howe is also a licensed insurance agent and works with property owners and insurance brokers to ensure each property meets their individual insurance coverage requirements.

Candace Swanger | LIHTC Administrator and Partner

Ms. Swanger joined the EMG team in March of 2009 as the LIHTC Administrator. She became a partner of the organization in 2012 and an owner in 2016. She is responsible for ensuring all affordable housing communities are in compliance with local State and Federal regulations. Candace maintains an auditing system to ensure total program compliance and consistently updates all utility allowance and income limit documentation required by the IRS for each Section 42 property. Candace oversees the LIHTC Administration team to ensure compliance with multiple state and federal programs such as HUD, Section 8, Home Funds, Rural Development (RD), senior housing and mixed use.

Candace works with each State Housing Agency throughout the year to ensure total compliance. She understands the needs of individual State Agencies and Housing Authorities and has built an excellent relationship with auditors. She is a housing credit certified professional (HCCP-2002), and Certified Occupancy Specialist (COS-2021), and continues her education regularly by attending local and national education courses within the industry. Candace completes all required reports for owners and investors each year. Ms. Swanger has 23+ years of Section 42 compliance experience.

Shelly Radvin | VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS

Shelly has over 25 years of experience in the Utah Real Estate industry including the oversight and management of all aspects of market rate and affordable properties of various sizes. She is an extremely motivated and results driven management professional with exceptional communication and customer satisfaction skills. She has demonstrated her competence in vendor negotiations, capital improvements, property turnaround, lease up properties, increasing NOI, and exceeding owner and investor financial goals. Shelly joined EMG as a Regional Manager in 2015 and is a valuable member of our Regional Team.

Mrs. Radvin has worked with both national as well as local property management companies. Shelly is a Licensed Real Estate Agent in Utah, an Accredited Residential Manager (ARM) through The Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), and is a current member of both the National and Utah chapters.

Crystal Fleming | Senior Regional Manager

Mrs. Fleming joined the EMG team in 2015 and was promoted to Regional Manager in 2017. She oversees communities primarily in Northern Utah which consist of affordable, market rate, senior, and mixed use properties. Mrs. Fleming uses her extensive experience and knowledge of LIHTC communities and property management to complete successful lease up of new properties and works in unison with Owners, investors, on-site managers and residents to ensure a positive living environment with low turnover.

Crystal's expertise in management and leasing have been an asset in setting high standards for all her communities and also providing customer satisfaction. Mrs. Fleming has earned her Associate Degree in Business Management from Dixie State University, has received her Good Landlord Certificate, and has achieved her Real Estate Agent License in Utah.

Tressie Kitchen | Regional Property Manager

Tressie Kitchen joined EMG in 2016. She oversees onsite management teams with properties in Salt Lake, Davis, and Weber Counties. Mrs. Kitchen has experience in various types of property management including market rate, tax credit, and student housing communities. She has overseen new construction projects from the ground up, working with contractors, vendors, and warranty claims and has successfully managed social media campaigns helping her teams exceed owner expectations during lease-up and beyond.

Tressie takes a hands-on approach to training employees and in cultivating a positive team environment. She is disciplined in the budgeting process and committed to meeting bottom line objectives. Tressie has earned her Bachelor of Science Degree from Brigham Young University majoring in Exercise and Wellness.

Natalie Ward | Regional Property Manager

Natalie Ward joined the EMG team in 2019 and is currently a Regional Property Manager serving communities primarily in the Salt Lake County region. Natalie has put her extensive knowledge in LIHTC, mixed-use, and market-rate properties to use by ensuring a high degree of standards amongst her communities. During her time working on-site, Natalie has had the opportunity to work at various community types of various age and quality levels which has enhanced her overall ability to problem solve, improve her sharp eye for detail, and resulted in a high level of customer satisfaction, as well as exceeding owner and investor objectives in both property goals and NOI growth.

Natalie’s college education was focused on Interior Design, which results in a keen eye for exceptional curb appeal within her communities.

Kristina Baldwin | Regional Property Manager

Kristina Baldwin joined the EMG team in 2017 and has worked on-site for various properties in Weber and Salt Lake Counties for the Giv group. Kristina has been an exceptional manager specifically due to her performance in exceeding short lease-up deadlines for new construction of mixed-use communities. Kristina takes pride in her work and excels at reaching goals for occupancy, delinquency, and NOI in record times. She absolutely enjoys LIHTC compliance and has a strong focus on resident retention and aiding in the implementation of unique programs that enhance the apartment living experience for our residents.

Dedication and determination are some of Ms. Baldwin’s greatest attributes as they strengthen her in the overall success of her property management career. Kristina is fluent in Japanese and has achieved her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Maryland Asia-Japan, she holds her Utah Good Landlord Multi-City Certificate and is currently working towards a Utah Real Estate license.

Cynthia O'Hara | Regional Property Manager

Cynthia O'Hara joined EMG in 2004. She is responsible for onsite management teams within the Salt Lake County area. Cynthia has extensive property management experience including market rate and tax credit communities . She has overseen new construction projects from the ground up, working with contractors, vendors, and warranty claims. She is an expert in the budgeting process and has a proven track record of meeting bottom line objectives. Cynthia excels at helping her teams exceed owner expectations from lease up and beyond. She is passionate about cultivating a positive team environment through effective communication and employee development.

Anika Crenshaw | Regional Property Manager

Anika Crenshaw joined the EMG team in 2014 as a leasing manager of a new build she has since held various positions and gained valuable experience with each: Leasing consultant, floating Leasing Manager, Trainer, Property Manager of market rate, mixed use, LIHTC, commercial spaces, lease up properties, and large properties within EMG portfolio. Currently, she oversees onsite management teams in Salt Lake and Park City areas.

She has maintained and enforced LIHTC processes to ensure good compliance standing with UHC along with achieving other property goals for occupancy, delinquency and NOI.

Anika has a Bachelor of Science major in International Studies with an emphasis of ethnic studies and a minor in Sociology from University of Utah. This education has provided her broad knowledge in areas such as economics, housing and policy, international law, and sociology, which all have proved helpful with her Property Management experience.

Johnnie Latu | Regional Maintenance Supervisor

Mr. Latu joined the EMG team in 2014 and has been an integral part of our success in creation and implementation of maintenance programs. Johnnie is responsible for oversight of our preventative maintenance programs, REAC, UHC physical audits, direction of onsite teams’ proper procedures of mechanical systems, and overall support for our maintenance department.

With more than 25 years of experience supervising large maintenance teams at commercial, conventional, tax credit, townhomes, and high rise property types, Johnnie’s expertise in maintenance of various types of properties is an asset to our clients. Mr. Latu is HVAC and CPO certified and coordinates and supervises major capital projects and renovations for all EMG communities.

Tiffany Gallegos | New Mexico Area Manager

Mrs. Gallegos has 20 years of experience in the New Mexico Property Management business, including 7 years of Tax Credit experience. Mrs. Gallegos joined the EMG family in March of 2019, and was promoted to the Regional Team in 2022 overseeing the New Mexico portfolio.

Tiffany’s love of Property Management has been the driving force for setting high standards for herself and her employees to ensure Owner goals are achieved. Tiffany is policy oriented, with a proven high Resident retention rate, and collection record. Tiffany’s attention to detail and dedication to her Communities has been valuable when completing CAPEX projects, Community budgets, and achieving monthly and year end NOI goals.

Tiffani Farnell | Director of Marketing

Tiffani joined EMG Management in 2022 as the Director of Marketing. She began her career in the multi-family field as a Property Manager in 1997 in Salt Lake City where she learned the fundamentals of apartment real estate. From there, she branched out into Sales and Marketing throughout the Salt Lake and Utah Counties. Tiffani has established herself as an expert in the fields of branding, reputation management, social media, and digital marketing while working alongside Property Managers, Regional Managers and our marketing vendors.

Tiffani holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Utah in Psychology and a Minor in the Performing Arts as well as a Certificate in Criminology. Tiffani’s education, excellent communication skills and motivation makes her a perfect fit for the EMG team.

Mitch Sheehan | Director of Training

Mitch Sheehan joined the EMG team in 2018 and has excelled at all tasks presented. His ability to adapt and quickly learn LIHTC processes, leasing, personnel management, lease up, advertising, and general EMG policy has proven outstanding and valuable. Previously as a Floating Leasing Manager, Mitch supported on-site teams during new lease ups, transitional periods, and at times when extra support was needed to reach compliance and occupancy goals. He has also gained valuable experience as a Property Manager for a large LIHTC community and a Leasing Agent for a mixed-use property.

Mitch completed his Bachelor of Science in Business and Marketing Education at Utah Valley University in 2022. This coursework, combined with his experience in property management, gives him the perfect set of skills for his role as the Director of Training at EMG.

Megan Marshall | Controller

Mrs. Marshall has over 18 years of property management accounting experience and joined the EMG Accounting team in August 2014. As Controller, she works closely with property managers and the rest of the accounting team to prepare accurate and timely monthly financial statements.

Mrs. Marshall maintains housing and financial reporting websites. She processes bad debt and new applicant payments as well as move out charges and collections. Her skill set includes accounts payable, accounts receivable, as well as being detail oriented and customer service focused.

Nathan Johnston | Senior Project Accountant

Since 2016 Nathan has worked as a Project Accountant for EMG with a focus on preparing financial data and reports. Prior to his seven years in property management with EMG, Nathan's accounting career includes serving as a Financial Management Specialist in the U.S. Army Reserve, and auditing for a local accounting firm.

As a member of the accounting team Mr. Johnston also performs internal audits, prepares analytical data for property owners and investors, and assists with detailed spreadsheet creation and automation. Nathan earned his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the University of Utah.

Juli Haderlie | Accounts Payable

Ms. Haderlie has worked in the EMG accounting department as the Accounts Payable Clerk since 2005. She works closely with vendors, on-site managers and other members of the EMG Corporate team to make sure invoices are entered accurately and processed in a timely manner.

She is a valuable member of our team that oversees vendor compliance within EMG Policies and Procedures, posts cash receipts, researches billing variances, and works closely with the rest of the accounting team to ensure timely and accurate reports.

Taylon Swanger | Project Accountant

Taylon Swanger joined EMG in 2020, where he worked on site as a Leasing Agent. He has since promoted to our Accounting team as a Project Accountant. His focus is on property financials and accounts payable accuracy. Taylon also enjoys assisting with Marketing and all things outdoors in his spare time.

Taylon is pursuing a bachelor's degree in marketing from Utah Valley University with an expected completion date of Spring of 2024.

Emily Christensen | Administrative Assistant

Emily Christensen has been a part of the EMG team since early 2023. Emily provides supportive services to all EMG departments as an Administrative Assistant extraordinaire! She supports the accounting department while being a direct line of communication for our Regional Managers, Property Managers residents and vendors. Emily demonstrates excellent customer service with enthusiasm and professionalism.

Her passion for service and hospitality shines bright. Prior to joining the dream team at EMG, Emily interned as a graphic designer for the Daily Utah Chronicle and was an avid member of the Women in Business Club at the University of Utah. She also volunteers for Best Friends Animal Society.

Emily recently graduated from the University of Utah, where she achieved a Bachelor of Art’s degree in Communications and Journalism, with a minor in Entrepreneurship.

Cathy Soakai | Senior LIHTC Specialist

Cathy Soakai has been part of the EMG team since 1993 and has experience in office administration, regional management, and affordable housing program compliance. After graduating from the University of Utah in 1999, Cathy received her HCCP certification in 2000 and COS in 2021. Cathy has been a Compliance Specialist since 2008 and as a compliance specialist she oversees the compliance of several properties operating under programs including LIHTC, HUD, Section 8, HOME funds, senior housing, mixed-use and transitional housing.

She specializes in the compliance process during the lease up of new construction and has overseen the compliance of twenty-five property lease ups over the past nine years. Cathy has a great rapport with the managers, state agents, owners, and investors with whom she works and is experienced in group and one-on-one affordable housing compliance training.

Shauna Visser | Senior LIHTC Specialist

Shauna Visser began her adventure in property management with EMG in 1998 as a Property Manager. Since then, she has worked on many diverse types of properties within EMG and held positions as Area Supervisor, Training Specialist, Interim Regional Property Manager, and Regional Property Manager. Shauna currently holds the position of Senior LIHTC Specialist with the EMG Compliance Team.

Ms. Visser is a vital member of our EMG team and completes many critical functions such as constructing and updating EMG LIHTC forms, reporting to state agencies, managing LIHTC databases for multiple properties, reviewing and approving LIHTC files, managing the LIHTC file back-up system, and regularly assists in the production of training content and in house LIHTC training seminars. In addition to a marketing degree, Shauna holds her Housing Credit Certified Professional (HCCP) and Certified Occupancy Specialist (COS) designations and frequently attends trainings and seminars to maintain current interpretations of the LIHTC industry.

Cyndie Neel | LIHTC Specialist

Ms. Neel became a member of the EMG team as a property manager in 2009. Cyndie has considerable experience in multiple fields within the industry from law enforcement, leasing, to managing small and large communities. She transitioned to the LIHTC Administration team in 2019. Where she has excelled in the oversight of multiple LIHTC communities’ compliance. Additionally she maintains in-house and state databases and assists in the training and onboarding of new employees. Cyndie has extensive knowledge of LIHTC, HUD, Section 8, Home Funds and more. She continues to expand her knowledge by attending regular training courses within the affordable housing industry.

Nicole Green | LIHTC Specialist

Mrs. Green is a LIHTC Specialist at EMG, she joined the EMG Compliance Team in 2014. Nicole assists in ensuring that all properties meet compliance requirements for LIHTC, Section 8, and HUD regulations. Nicole started her career in compliance in the financial sector as the compliance manager for 7 years. She also has 6 years of experience in property management. Nicole is a Licensed Real Estate Agent in the state of Utah since 2021.

Rebekah Gerona | LIHTC Specialist

Rebekah began her property management career with EMG as an affordable housing assistant manager. Utilizing her skills in bookkeeping, billing, and customer service she excelled quickly, learning all property management duties and techniques on site. Rebekah advanced to her current position as a LIHTC Specialist in 2022. Assisting communities with placing residents into homes is where she finds her works fulfillment, always willing to provide information and a lending hand wherever she can. Additionally she maintains the states database for multiple properties. Rebekah is always looking to improve her knowledge in the affordable housing industry by attending trainings to stay well-informed and current with State and Federal policies and procedures, in conjunction with HUD, section 8, and Home Funds regulations and protocols.