CRGAR Board Members
CRGAR’s activities are guided by the Board of Directors, elected annually to serve the interests of all Members.
Jennifer Dalton
President
Jennifer was born in Arkansas and relocated to Costa Rica in 2005 after attending University of Montana. Jennifer is a mother of three children and an accomplished equestrian. She began her real estate career in Costa Rica alongside her father in residential building, land development and property management.
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Jennifer is a licensed Realtor with CRGAR (Costa Rica Global Association of Realtors) and carries a CIPS (Certified International Property Specialist) designation.
After becoming a multi-million dollar producer in Costa Rica, she now owns and operates her own Boutique Real Estate Firm, Dalton Group, with a special advisory in Crypto Currencies. She is the CEO & Founding Partner of Fortra and a Digital Asset Wealth Advisor for her company.
Dawn Lane
Vice President
Dawn Lane is a third-generation REALTOR® with 28 years in international real estate, serving as Vice President of CRGAR.
She holds a broker’s license in Las Vegas and bridges North American and Costa Rican markets.
A former NAR board member, speaker, and Master Instructor, she is also Costa Rica’s only certified OMNI MLS instructor.
Dawn is a strong advocate for ethical practices, cross-border collaboration, and modern training—playing a key role in advancing CRGAR’s mission to professionalize and elevate Costa Rica’s real estate industry.
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.
Heather Mann
Secretary
Heather Mann is Partner and Managing Broker at RE/MAX We Sell Paradise and serves as Secretary on the CRGAR Board.
With 20+ years of experience and international credentials including CIPS, CLHMS™, and ePRO®, Heather brings deep expertise in luxury and resort real estate.
Originally licensed in Canada, she’s now in her third CRGAR board term, actively driving initiatives in MLS access, legal education, and professional standards.
Passionate about building a licensed, ethical real estate community, Heather is a key voice in elevating the industry in Costa Rica.
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.
Lauren Mantey
Vocal
Lauren Mantey is a Vocal on the CRGAR Board and a top-producing agent with Blue Water Properties in Tamarindo.
Originally from Philadelphia with a corporate background in Miami, she now specializes in boutique hotels, development projects, and residential real estate across Costa Rica.
Known for her approachable style and strong local knowledge, Lauren is passionate about building trust, delivering results, and contributing to CRGAR’s mission through active collaboration and community-minded leadership.
Melanie Mcallister
Vocal
Melanie MacAllister is the founder and co-owner of JB Real Estate Costa Rica. Born and raised in Costa Rica to U.S.
expats, she’s fully bilingual and blends both cultures fluently. With 20 years in real estate and eight as an independent broker, she joined CRGAR in 2017 to deepen her professional expertise.
Today, she serves on CRGAR’s MLS Committee and Board of Directors, where she advocates for raising professional standards in a country where real estate licensing is not government-regulated.
Gina Briguglio
Vocal
Gina Briguglio is a real estate professional with over 30 years of experience as an agent and investor.
Originally from Chicago, she spent 18 years as an agent before relocating her business to Costa Rica 15 years ago.
Specializing in international real estate, she has helped countless families navigate the transition of moving abroad.
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Licensed in Illinois and a Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS), Gina has deep expertise in both U.S. and Costa Rican markets, particularly in the Nicoya Peninsula.
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Gina’s commitment to advancing education, fostering international partnerships, and promoting high professional standards plays a vital role in helping CRGAR enhance the real estate industry in Costa Rica and globally.
David Arias
Fiscal
David Arias 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.
Ignacio Gonzales
Admin
Ignacio González is the Administrator of CRGAR, where he oversees operations and supports membership growth.
With over a decade of legal and real estate experience, Ignacio has worked in corporate law, real estate investment, trust and escrow services, and construction project coordination.
He has held leadership roles in both law firms and real estate agencies, managing everything from transactions to budgeting and site supervision.
His multidisciplinary expertise makes him a vital asset in aligning CRGAR’s strategy with seamless execution.
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..