Faculty Members

RLE Instructors

KARA BJORNSON

Kara Bjornson is a lawyer who specializes in all aspects of commercial and residential real estate. Originally from Reykjavik, Manitoba, Kara moved to Winnipeg to pursue her legal education and career. She is a Partner at the law firm of Duboff Edwards Haight & Schachter where she has worked since 2000. Kara was called to the Manitoba Bar in 2010, and she enjoys guest lecturing on a broad range of legal topics for many organizations, including the City of Winnipeg, University of Manitoba Asper School of Business, Law in the Library, and the Legal Help Centre. An avid traveler, Kara can be found in her spare time researching and planning her next trip abroad.

CRYSTAL HOLLAS

Crystal Hollas is the Senior Vice President and Chief Privacy Offer for the Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board, where she has worked since 2006. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Brandon University and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Manitoba. She also holds CRAE designation (Canadian REALTOR® Association Executive) through the Canadian Real Estate Association. Prior to working at Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board, Crystal was a licensed registrant and managed a commercial real estate brokerage where she received several awards. She enjoys travelling, her dogs, and running.

LINDSAY HYMAN

Lindsay D. Hyman, born and raised in Brandon, Manitoba, attended Brandon University for her undergraduate degree in Philosophy and then proceeded to take her law school education at the University of Manitoba. After her call to the Manitoba Bar in 2003, she relocated to Edmonton, Alberta, where she then was called to the Alberta Bar. After returning to Manitoba, she commenced work at the law firm of Olschewski Davie and has been there since 2005. She practices in the areas of real estate, both residential and commercial, as well as the area of wills and estates. She has presented at a variety of seminars on both real estate and wills and estates for the Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board and various real estate brokerages throughout the City of Winnipeg.

STEVEN HYMAN

Steven Hyman is the Director of Professional Standards for the Manitoba Real Estate Association, where he oversees the association’s complaints and disciplinary process and serves as a resource for real estate professionals and members of the public concerning provincial and federal contract law relevant to Manitoba. Steven has been both a presenter and chair at conferences related to regulatory investigation and proceedings. He is a practicing lawyer with experience in government, not-for-profit, and private sector law. He is frequently invited to speak in the areas of ethics, professional responsibility, and interfaith issues. Further, Steven is the Liturgist at the Simkin Centre, a Personal Care Home in Winnipeg, where he leads Sabbath and Holiday Services.

JOHN NEUFELD

After being called to the Manitoba Bar in 1975, John Neufeld practiced law for Smith Neufeld Jodoin LLP in the City of Steinbach, concentrating on commercial law, real estate, wills and estates. He is a graduate of the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Law, the latter for which he lectured from 1999-2016 in real estate tractions and mortgages. John’s lecturing and speaking experience further extends to his work for the Law Society of Manitoba’s Bar Admission Course, several Manitoban financial and educational institutions, and, of course, MREA. In 2016, he was awarded the UofM’s inaugural Faculty of Law Dean’s Award for excellence in instruction as a sessional instructor. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel by the Attorney General of Manitoba in 1995, elected President of the Law Society of Manitoba in 1996, and appointed a life bencher of the Law Society of Manitoba in 1997. John’s decorated career has established him as a highly sought authority in real estate law.

NATHAN WELTMAN

Nathan Weltman is a director at Levene Tadman Golub Law Corporation. He graduated from the Odette School of Business at the University of Windsor Ontario in 2004 before travelling to the Gold Coast of Australia where he received his Juris Doctorate at Law from Bond University in 2007. Nathan later attended the University of Manitoba to receive his Canadian equivalencies in order to practice law in Canada. His preferred areas of practice are residential real estate, corporate/commercial transactions, estate planning and estate work. Currently, Nathan sits on the board of directors for the Rady JCC, lectures for the MREA, and volunteers from time to time with various non-profit organizations that educate and provide grants to first-time home buyers.

Module 4 Instructors

CLIFF KING

Cliff King has been a Module 4 Instructor since the redevelopment of MREA’s Salesperson Program. First licensed in 1985, Cliff has since worked for and managed several real estate brokerages, and he owned his own franchise for over 15 years. He is a past MREA President (1997) and a past Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board (WRREB) President (2004). He has served on numerous MREA and WRREB committees. Presently, Cliff is the Chair of the MREA Real Estate Advisory Committee and chair of the WRREB Citizen’s Hall of Fame. He brings a great deal of experience to Module 4 classes and enjoys being involved in the education of real estate students.

LAURA ROSS

Laura Ross is a 26-year veteran of the real estate profession. She has been a Module 4 Instructor since the redevelopment of MREA’s Salesperson Program and brings a wealth of real estate knowledge to the position. Laura has given back to the real estate profession both as an educator and by volunteering extensively with both MREA and Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board (WRREB). She is a highly decorated registrant and a multi-year recipient of the WRREB Medallion Award Program. Laura has also received the Silver Board Builder Award and a Gold Award for Professional Development from WRREB. She is an enthusiastic instructor, and her generosity extends to volunteering beyond the real estate profession.

RENA PREFONTAINE

Rena Prefontaine joined us as a Module 4 instructor in January 2022. She has been a proud Realtor since 2010. She is passionate about her industry and truly believes that the only way to keep a high standard of professionalism in any industry is to give back. She has served on many committees for both the WRREB and MREA, including the Education and Professional Standards committees. Rena is currently serving as the President-Elect from the WRREB and is excited to transition into her role as President in April 2023. In 2015, Rena took her Real Estate brokers license and has been in a managing role ever since. Rena opened a new real estate firm in 2021 and has been instrumental in its quick growth across our province. Sharing her experience, strength and hope is truly the driving force behind all that she does for our industry.

ROBERTA WEISS

Roberta Weiss is a veteran of the Winnipeg real estate market and a very active service member in the industry. She has taught Module 4 for MREA since 2017 and is the current chair of MREA’s Education Committee. Roberta has been a member of the MREA’s Board of Directors for most of the past eight years, serving several years as an executive member and as president in 2015. Her service has extended to other MREA committees, as well as several Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board committees, including Professional Standards, Sales Division, Board of Directors, etc. She is a highly decorated registrant and was named REALTOR® of the Year in 2017. Roberta brings a remarkable wealth of knowledge and experience to the Module 4 program.