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Keller Williams on Thursday reasserted its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion with the appointment of Natalie Davis as the franchisor’s new director of “community growth.”
Davis, a veteran broker and business coach, will oversee the franchisor’s agent communities and affinity groups, foster leadership development opportunities for agents, and spearhead inclusivity initiatives throughout the KW ecosystem.
Davis’s appointment to the department, which had previously been referred to as “Inclusion and Belonging,” comes during a fraught time for diversity, equity and inclusion programs, with President Trump’s anti-DEI mission pushing some of the nation’s largest public companies and universities to roll back such efforts.
“Natalie is a proven leader whose passion for people, commitment to service, and deep industry expertise make her the ideal person to help lead our next chapter of inclusive growth,” Keller Williams spokesperson Darryl Frost said in a prepared statement on Wednesday.
Natalie Davis
Davis has served the real estate industry for 14 years, with experience as one of the top-performing brokers in Fort Collins, Colorado.
In addition to real estate sales, Davis has held two leadership roles with the Fort Collins Board of Realtors and founded an independent coaching business, Leadership that Shines. She’s also the co-host of the Reignite Resilience Podcast, which helps entrepreneurs navigate the ups and downs of business and life.
Davis joined Keller Williams in 2021 and owns The Evolution Group powered by Keller Williams.
“As a member of the Growth Team, our vision is crystal clear: to foster a culture where every agent, employee and client feels they truly belong,” Davis said in a statement. “When people bring their authentic selves to work, magic happens — innovation flourishes, relationships deepen, and communities strengthen.
Davis is replacing Julia Lashay Israel, who Keller Williams appointed as its first-ever head of inclusion and belonging in 2021.
Israel, the Operating Principal for Keller Williams Realty Integrity Lakes, has been with the Texas-based franchisor for more than two decades. Alongside her leadership within the company, Israel has had leadership roles within the Minneapolis Area Realtors, the Minnesota Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors.
She’s also a noted real estate coach, speaker, podcast host and author, with her first book — The Color of Real Estate — slated to debut by the end of June.
In a LinkedIn post on Tuesday, Israel said she’s excited to hand the reins over to Davis, as she focuses on finishing her book and pouring more time into her Integrity Lakes team.
“It’s time to turn the page! After four incredible years as Head of Inclusion and Belonging at the world’s largest real estate franchise, I’m passing the torch,” she said. “This has been an amazing journey, but the absolute best part has been meeting and working with so many extraordinary people.”
Julia Lashay Israel
“They say, ‘It’s not what you get at KW, it’s who you become,’ and that couldn’t be more true. This experience has lived up to our mission of lives worth living, businesses worth owning, and legacies worth leaving,” she added. “I am forever changed and thankful for every moment. I’m grateful to Kymber Lovett-Menkiti and John Clidy for being pioneers in this walk and for all the love and support so many of you provided along the way. A special thanks to Gary Keller for trusting me with his vision.”
In a statement, Keller Williams thanked Israel for her leadership over the past four years.
“Julia’s leadership has helped us shape a more connected and purpose-driven Keller Williams,” Frost said. “We are incredibly grateful and want to thank Julia for her extraordinary leadership.”
Frost also reinforced Keller Williams’s dedication to inclusion amid political tensions that have led multiple multinational companies, such as Target and Walmart, to shelve their DEI efforts. President Trump has doubled down on his anti-DEI efforts, with the president defunding federal grants that support people of color, women and LGBTQ+ communities.
“At Keller Williams, we celebrate our differences. We believe that each of us has the right to be our authentic self, live our true life, and pursue the opportunities we have always believed were possible,” Frost said, quoting Keller Williams’s diversity commitment. “Our mission is to be the empowering community we all deserve, where everyone belongs, and anyone can thrive.”
