CRGAR Board Members
CRGAR’s activities are guided by the Board of Directors, elected annually to serve the interests of all Members.
Lindsey Cantillo
President
Lindsey Cantillo, the CEO of Summer Coast Realty, is a distinguished leader in the Guanacaste luxury market with a career spanning since 2000.
Her multidisciplinary background, including an MBA and a Master’s in Digital Marketing, empowers her to merge data-driven investment strategies with high-impact exposure, all while maintaining an impeccable reputation for ethics.
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Since 2004, Lindsey has been a cornerstone of the Costa Rica Global Association of REALTORS® (CRGAR), including as well as serving on the Board of Directors as Vice President. Her commitment to the region is further political evidenced by her 7-year tenure as President of the Surfside Association and Vice President of the ASADA Surfside (water association) for 5 years.
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As a Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) and NAR member, Lindsey provides global expertise paired with deep local costarrican roots. Married to a prominent real estate lawyer, she offers a "360-degree" perspective, ensuring every transaction is backed by expert market insight and legal clarity.
Cristina "Crissy" Jones
Treasurer
Cristina “Crissy” Jones is CRGAR’s Treasurer and a six-year Board veteran known for her leadership in finance and strategy.
As Founder and Head Broker of WERCR Real Estate & Rentals, she specializes in luxury properties and lifestyle-driven investments across Costa Rica. Recognized in Forbes Central America as a “Woman to Watch,” Crissy brings a rare blend of entrepreneurial insight, hospitality expertise, and financial acumen.
Bilingual and bicultural, she supports CRGAR’s growth while helping clients navigate every step of the real estate journey—from acquisition to execution.
Wendy Stoneham
Vocal
Canadian originally from Saskatchewan, later building her career in Calgary.
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With over nine years of real estate experience in Guanacaste, Wendy’s expertise spans the region from Liberia to Playa Negra.
Committed to excellence in real estate, Wendy earned her Certified International PropertySpecialist (CIPS) designation, further strengthening her expertise in serving both local and international clients. S
Wendy brings a global perspective, strong leadership, and a passion for connecting people with the lifestyle and opportunities that make Costa Rica truly exceptional.
Daveed Hollander
Vocal
Daveed Hollander is President of Coldwell Banker Costa Rica and Co-Founder of Coldwell Banker Vesta Group, with over 20 years of experience in luxury real estate and investment advisory.
A CIPS and Million Dollar Guild member, he’s ranked among Central America’s top luxury brokers, known for major transactions across the Ballena Coast and beyond.
Fluent in English and Spanish, Daveed brings strategic insight, deep market knowledge, and a client-first approach—helping buyers invest with confidence and transition smoothly into life in Costa Rica.
Suk Lin Aju Calvo
Secretary
Real estate professional based in Guanacaste specializing in luxury and income-producing coastal properties.
Originally from San José, with deep family roots in Guanacaste, she brings both local insight and a refined understanding of the region’s growth and lifestyle appeal.
She holds an MBA with a concentration in Marketing and brings experience across multiple industries and markets, including hospitality, international business, strategy, and development. She has been a real estate agent with RE/MAX since 2021, earning Rookie of the Year in her first year and being inducted into the RE/MAX Hall of Fame in 2024.
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Her approach is rooted in integrity, service, and long-term relationships.
David Schrey
Fiscal
David Schrey is a native of Liberia, Guanacaste and a fully bilingual real estate professional deeply rooted in Costa Rica’s Gold Coast.
A dedicated member of CRGAR and NAR, he has served two terms as CRGAR’s Comptroller, overseeing compliance and promoting transparency.
Currently pursuing a law degree at the University of Costa Rica with a focus on Real Estate Law, David is committed to guiding clients with clarity, integrity, and legal insight in every transaction.
Elissa Stoffels
Vocal
Elissa Stoffels is a U.S.born attorney based in Costa Rica whose practice focuses on real estate law and sustainability. She has more than 13 years of experience practicing law in Costa Rica and currently serves as Senior Counsel at ECIJA. Elissa holds academic degrees from Rutgers University, ULACIT, INCAE, and IE University. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Project Management and is certified as a Legal Project Manager. In addition, she has served in board positions for an educational association over the past nine years. Elissa looks forward to contributing professionalism, sound judgment, and a collaborative spirit in support of CRGAR and its members.
Elizabeth Gómez
Vocal
Born and raised in Costa Rica,
Eli Gómez is the Broker and Co-Owner of Coldwell Banker Sunset Reef Realty.
Over 10 years of experience specializing in the Nicoya Peninsula real estate market, including Santa Teresa, Malpaís, Playa Hermosa, Montezuma, Tambor, and surrounding areas.
Eli relocated to Santa Teresa over a 12 years ago, where she developed a deep connection to the region and its community.
Her local expertise, combined with a strong commitment to ethical practices and client service, has positioned her as a trusted advisor for both national and international investors.
As a member of the CRGAR Board of Directors serving as Vocal,
Eli is dedicated to supporting the association’s mission of promoting transparency, professionalism, and collaboration within the real estate industry.
She is passionate about elevating standards, fostering education, and contributing to the sustainable growth of the region.
Public Statement for Case #1-2018, Breitlander et al. v. Engel, reference 1-CRGAR-2018
The new Board of Directors of the Costa Rican Global Real Estate Association (CRGAR), we address the community and all interested parties, to inform that:
1. In 2018, the two previous Boards of Directors initiated and continued a disciplinary proceeding against Ms. Melanie Noelle Engel, under case #1-2018, Breitlander et al. v. Engel, identified with reference 1-CRGAR-2018.
2. We have proceeded with an exhaustive review of the procedures and decisions, that were executed by the previous Board of Directors in the aforementioned case and found the decision against Ms. Engel was taken without meeting the legal dueprocess requirements.
3. Also, as a consequence of the result of such disciplinary proceeding, an extract of said process was published on our website, without following the procedures and protocols established in Law No. 8968, Law for the Protection of the Individual against the Processing of Personal Data, thus causing the exposure of some of her personal data as well as the content of the disciplinary procedure without her authorization.
4. This actions by CRGAR did not conform to the fundamental principles of control and transparency, which are essential to our organization and which CRGAR is fully committed to maintaining.
5. We recognize the importance of maintaining integrity and trust within our professional community.
​6. We deeply regret any distress and inconveniences caused by this situation to Ms. Engel, her clients and real estate practice andrecognize the importance of maintaining integrity and trust within our professional community and acknowledge that the actions of the 2018 Board fell short of these standards. We thank Ms. Engel for her continued dedication to our industry, appreciate her understanding and hope to move forward positively.
7. We confirm that we have rectified our internal procedures and implemented measures to review and strengthen our policies, procedures, and operating protocols. From now on, we ensure that any disciplinary process and publication is carried out with the utmost rigor and respect, thus strengthening public confidence in our decisions.
Sincerely,
CRGAR 2024 Board of Directors.
Declaración Pública para el Caso #1-2018, Breitlander et al. v. Engel, referencia 1-CRGAR-2018
La nueva Junta Directiva de la Asociación Global Costarricense de Bienes Raíces (CRGAR), nos dirigimos a la comunidad y a todas las partes interesadas, para informar que:
1. En el año 2018, las dos Juntas Directivas anteriores iniciaron y continuaron un proceso disciplinario en contra de la señora Melanie Noelle Engel, bajo el expediente #1-2018, Breitlander et al. v. Engel, identificado bajo referencia 1-CRGAR-2018.
2. Hemos procedido a una revisión exhaustiva de los procedimientos y decisiones, que fueron ejecutados por la Junta Directiva anterior en el caso antes mencionado y encontramos que la decisión contra la señora Engel fue tomada sin cumplir con los requisitos legales del debido proceso.
3. Asimismo, como consecuencia del resultado de dicho procedimiento disciplinario, se publicó un extracto de dicho proceso en nuestra página web, sin seguir los procedimientos y protocolos establecidos en la Ley Nº 8968, Ley de Protección de la Persona Frente al Tratamiento de Datos Personales, ocasionando con ello la exposición de algunos de sus datos personales, así como el contenido del procedimiento disciplinario sin su autorización.
4. Esta actuación de CRGAR no se ajustó a los principios fundamentales de control y transparencia, esenciales para nuestraorganización y que CRGAR se compromete plenamente a mantener.
5. Reconocemos la importancia de mantener la integridad y la confianza dentro de nuestra comunidad profesional.
6. Lamentamos profundamente cualquier angustia e inconvenientes causados por esta situación a la señora Engel, sus clientes y supráctica inmobiliaria y reconocemos la importancia de mantener la integridad y la confianza dentro de nuestra comunidad profesional. Asimismo, reconocemos que las acciones de la Junta Directiva del 2018 no cumplieron con estos estándares. Agradecemos a la señora Engel su continua dedicación a nuestra industria, apreciamos su comprensión y esperamos avanzar positivamente.
7. Confirmamos que hemos rectificado nuestra gestión interna y aplicado medidas para revisar y reforzar nuestras políticas, procedimientos y protocolos operativos. A partir de ahora, nos aseguramos de que cualquier proceso disciplinario y publicación se lleve a cabo con el máximo rigor y respeto, reforzando así la confianza del público en nuestras decisiones.
Atentamente,
Junta Directiva de CRGAR 2024..