Sheva Hosseinzadeh, Hillary Hulce, Claudia Ayala and Stephanie El Tawil have built successful careers in real estate and economic development—fields long considered male-dominated and often defined by complex negotiations and high stakes. Each has navigated the challenges of these industries while helping guide major developments, commercial projects, and destination properties connected to Downtown Long Beach.
All four women have ties to projects and properties and recruitment when it comes to guiding Downtown Long Beach’s success. In recognition of Women’s History Month, we’re highlighting their careers, the work they do, and their contributions to the city’s real estate landscape.
SHEVA HOSSEINZADEH
“In this business, you really have to be self-motivated. It’s either in you, or it’s not,” said Hosseinzadeh, who is Principal with Coldwell Banker Commercial BLAIR in Downtown Long Beach. “There’s no salary, it’s commission-based. The benefit is, there’s no glass ceiling. You can make as much money as you want, as hard as you want to work.”
Born and raised in Long Beach, Sheva was introduced to real estate at an early age through her father, a residential real estate agent. She often accompanied him to open houses and assisted with marketing, gaining early exposure to the profession. After graduating from Millikan High School, she earned a degree in business administration, entering the workforce just as the 2008 housing market crash reshaped the industry.
She initially worked as a business consultant for Subway, a role she held for five years. As the real estate market began showing signs of recovery in 2012, she decided to pursue a career in the industry. During that transition, she worked for six months at Blondie’s, a bar near the Long Beach Traffic Circle, while studying for her real estate license.
“I was thinking about residential real estate until I met Becky Blair, who had built her career in the Downtown commercial real estate market,” Sheva explained. “Becky was one of the first successful women in commercial real estate. She was a trailblazer, a mentor, and ultimately my business partner. If it wasn’t for Becky, I don’t know if I would have gotten a real start in this business.”
When Blair retired, Hosseinzadeh bought into the company and became a full partner. Her firm has since handled a significant number of Downtown deals, including retail leasing at Onni East Village. Just two weeks ago, she was still responding to emails and phone calls as she went into labor.
“Our office has more commercially licensed women than any other office in our market,” said Hosseinzadeh. “I’m used to working with strong women. Early in my career, there were situations where it was more challenging dealing with a male. There were egos involved and I felt some discrimination. This has definitely improved in recent years, though. I always remember what Becky Blair told me: ‘If you work ethically and honestly, you’ll earn respect from your clients and colleagues, whoever they are.’”
HILLARY HULCE
Hillary Hulce, Senior Development Director of the California Region at Allied Residential Company, has more than two decades of experience in the multi-family housing sector. Her work has brought her frequently to Downtown Long Beach, including during the construction of the Broadstone Inkwell Apartments on the Promenade, where she worked with muralists and other project partners. She estimates that she spends 60 to 95 hours a week on the job.
No two workdays look the same.
“I’m involved with acquisitions of a building site, and once we acquire a site, we work with our consultants—architects, engineers, interior designers, landscape designers, structural engineers, and others—to get plans together which we then submit to the cities. I’m involved in a lot of those meetings. Once we get permits, we start building.
“I go out to building sites once construction starts, interfacing with all the teams involved,” she continued. “I also talk to investors. As we get closer to having people move in, I work with our marketing, operating, and leasing teams.”
Born in Colorado, Hulce moved to California to attend the University of San Diego before earning a law degree at the University of Miami, where she developed an interest in land use and property law. After working briefly at a law firm, she returned to California to complete a master’s degree in construction management at USC and began her career in Downtown Los Angeles. Her work eventually brought her regularly to Long Beach while the Broadstone Inkwell Apartments were under development.
“A Long Beach stakeholder helped me understand how the Downtown community is distinctive and unique,” Hulce said. “It’s a tight-knit community with a firm sense of identity.”
While development remains a demanding profession, Hulce said the industry ultimately comes down to trust and capability.
“Regardless of gender, you always have to prove yourself while growing in your career. I don’t think that competence is gender-specific. If you’re competent and people learn to trust you, gender doesn’t matter.”
CLAUDIA AYALA
Claudia Ayala has been the Property Manager at Shoreline Village for the past eight years. “I have to be a Jill-of-all-trades,” she said. “If something touches Shoreline Village, it touches my desk.”
A Long Beach resident since age five, Ayala is a Poly High School graduate who went on to get her bachelor’s degree in communications from CSULB. She immediately put her people skills to work, doing product demos at Sam’s Club for three years.
The ascent to her current job was rapid as soon as she met then-Property Manager Debra Fixen in 2018. “She interviewed me on a Friday for the Assistant Property Manager position, saw the tenacity I had, and by the following Monday I was on the job,” she recalled. She became Property Manager in 2022.
“Shoreline Village has a big nostalgia factor for Long Beach locals,” she said. “It’s been a city mainstay for so long. It first opened in 1985 as Marina Village. There is so much here to take positive memories from. We also get plenty of out-of-state and international tourists. Carnival Cruises alone brings us thousands of visitors each month.”
By the time the Olympics arrive in Long Beach in 2028, Shoreline Village will have undergone a major redevelopment. “We’ll be doing a complete facade improvement of the Village,” Ayala said. “We’re making it a better viewing place, adding art installations and murals. We are so ready for the Olympics and putting Shoreline Village on the map worldwide.”
Ayala has encountered some gender bias. “There are stigmas I’ve had to face as the first Latina woman in this position,” she said. “I’ve had vendors and contractors in male-dominated fields come in looking for the boss and expecting someone who looks a certain way. Sometimes it’s a bit of a shock when they see me, but then they treat me better when they find out who I am.
“Many of the property managers in my company, Pacific Ocean Management, who have been on the job the longest are women,” Ayala added. “It helps to know that my company backs me up and wants me to succeed.”
STEPHANIE EL TAWIL
Stephanie El Tawil is the first woman in the history of the Downtown Long Beach (DTLB) Alliance to hold the title of Economic Development & Policy Manager. She has been working tirelessly for the betterment of Downtown since 2022.
A typical workday for El Tawil could include time working with the DTLB Data Dashboard she launched earlier this year. It lists all available Downtown properties by size, type, and location. Next, she might be hosting a “Brokers By The Beach” mixer designed to connect new tenants to properties, new financers to projects, and City leadership to developers.
El Tawil also works extensively with the City in the realms of retail strategy and policy.
Born in San Diego, El Tawil is a self-described Navy brat who reported for third grade in Indiana and ended up getting her high school diploma in Edwardsville, Illinois. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Chicago State University, then went on to get her master’s degrees in communication and business administration at the University of Southern Indiana.
In 2021, seeking to return to the energy of a big city, El Tawil moved back to California. She was living in Venice when some new friends told her, “If you love Venice, you’ll love Long Beach.” She soon connected with the DTLB Alliance and got busy helping new small businesses and meeting with investors, brokers, and real estate professionals.
“Downtown is very much small business-forward,” she said. “People are into the genuine and welcoming feeling they get from DTLB businesses. It’s an experience that can’t quite be replicated anywhere else.”