AANC Board Spotlight | Michelle O'Brien

Michelle O’Brien, Director of Operations at Loebsack & Brownlee and a current board member of the Apartment Association of North Carolina (AANC) can seemingly do just about anything she sets her mind to. Her breadth of experience and wide variety of interests and talents has resulted in a dynamic leader with a passion with relentless drive and a passion for teamwork.

Born in Plantation, Florida, Michelle was raised in the Greater Fort Lauderdale area before heading to Miami to attend Florida International University (FIU) on a volleyball scholarship. A standout athlete, she excelled on the court. But prior to becoming a star volleyball player, Michelle’s focus had actually been on music. As a child, she was a classically trained guitarist who competed nationally between the ages of 8 and 14. She also played in an all-girl band called City Heat before eventually shifting her focus to volleyball and earning a full scholarship.

After Michelle left FIU, she worked in the food and beverage industry along the South Florida coast. She was a “showtender”, a bartender who flips bottles and puts on a performance while crafting drinks.  But, with a relentless desire to try new things, Michelle left the food and beverage industry and transitioned into aviation. She started by driving a fuel truck and fueling both private and military aircraft. Through hard work and determination, Michelle quickly advanced through the ranks and eventually built a career managing private jets. 

Michelle left Florida and moved to Charlotte, NC, a place that she shares “was the most diverse of the NC cities we visited, and it had a charm to it that we couldn’t resist.” Unfortunately, around the same time, the housing market crashed, bringing her career in private aviation to an abrupt halt. In a new city and knowing very few people, it was a challenging time for Michelle, but she was determined to move forward. She began temping and soon landed a part-time position leasing a senior affordable housing community with Crosland, launching her career in the multifamily industry.

MICHELLE'S FAVORITES
COLOR: BLURPLE  (yes, it's a color to me!)      
PIE: COCONUT CREAM
TEAM: CHARLOTTE FC!! MIAMI DOLPHINS, CAROLINA PANTHERS
MUSIC: 90S ROCK, INDIE-FOLK, SINGER SONGWRITER, ACID JAZZ. CAN YOU REALLY ONLY PICK ONE?

Michelle’s talent for leadership and operations quickly became clear. She advanced to a leadership role with WRH Realty Services and soon transitioned to Regional Vice President with Rivergate KW Residential (RKW). Today, as Director of Operations at Loebsack & Brownlee, Michelle focuses on coaching, optimizing processes, and building strong, high performing teams, enabling people and organizations to thrive.

Beyond her professional responsibilities, Michelle is deeply involved in the industry through association leadership. She currently serves as a board member of AANC and has been a board member of the Greater Charlotte Apartment Association (GCAA) since 2021. Michelle also currently serves as President of the GCAA Supplier Council and Chair of the AANC Membership Committee. Her commitment to service has earned significant recognition, including being named GCAA Volunteer of the Year in both 2023 and 2024. And, in 2025, Michelle was honored as a Woman to Know in North Carolina.

While Michelle is a driven professional, she is equally devoted to her family. She met her wife in Fort Lauderdale while tending bar and, more than two decades later, they live in Charlotte where they raise their daughters, ages 9 and 12, lovingly referred to as the “#obriengirls.”  Outside of work and family life, Michelle enjoys playing pickleball and just about any competitive activity. During the winter months, she channels her creative side through gardening, woodworking, building terrariums, painting, and working with clay. She keeps herself busy all year long, with landscaping projects and even maintaining a self-built fishpond.

Michelle is a force to be reckoned with. From competitive athletics to aviation, bartending to executive leadership, her path in the multifamily industry has been anything but linear. Yet her adaptability with each new adventure has shaped Michelle into the resilient, innovative, and deeply committed leader she is today.