Santiago brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Virginia REALTORS®. Before going to law school, he served in the Army and in various roles in the Financial Industry and Engineering and Technology Industries. After graduating from American University Washington College of Law he took his experience and worked as a solo practitioner as well as other roles with Engineering firms. He then joined as Staff Counsel for Virginia REALTORS®. As Staff Counsel, Santiago contributes to the Caveat REALTOR® podcast, creates legal resources for members, and serves on the Standard Forms Committee.

Ryan is a graduate of the University of Richmond School of Law and is licensed to practice law in Virginia and Washington, DC. He has a background working as an attorney in private practice, volunteering for legal organizations such as Legal Services of Northern Virginia, Legal Aid Society of San Diego, and Animal Legal Defense Fund, as well as experience in the private sector in a variety of non-legal fields. When he is not working as Staff Counsel for Virginia REALTORS®, Ryan works as an adjunct professor of political science at Brightpoint Community College.

For more than a decade, Ryan has honed his knowledge of Virginia’s housing market. Before stepping into his current role of Virginia REALTORS^® Chief Economist, Ryan served as the association’s Deputy Chief Economist. Prior to joining our team, he served as the President of research consulting firm LSA Planning, as an Urban Planner for the City of Alexandria, and as part of the research team at the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University. Even before joining VAR full time, Ryan spent years contributing to our research, including the monthly Virginia Home Sales Report and our quarterly regional market reports. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from James Madison University and a master’s degree in urban planning from Virginia Tech.

Prior to joining Virginia REALTORS^® as the Deputy Chief Economist, Sejal worked as an economist at the US Securities and Exchange Commission. She has also contributed to economic research and analysis at the American Bankers Association, Freddie Mac, and The Advisory Board Company. She graduated with a master’s degree in Finance from the University of California San Diego and a bachelor’s degree in Economics from George Mason University.

Ryan is a graduate of the University of Richmond School of Law and is licensed to practice law in Virginia and Washington, DC. He has a background working as an attorney in private practice, volunteering for legal organizations such as Legal Services of Northern Virginia, Legal Aid Society of San Diego, and Animal Legal Defense Fund, as well as experience in the private sector in a variety of non-legal fields. When he is not working as Staff Counsel for Virginia REALTORS®, Ryan works as an adjunct professor of political science at Brightpoint Community College.