We invest in Real Estate & Relationships

A 20-year industry veteran, Drew is president and founder of Woodsonia Real Estate. He possesses wide-reaching real estate experience and expertise, which includes land and subdivision development, multi-family development, acquisition and re-positioning of enclosed malls, and the creation of public/private partnerships. He has been involved in nearly all facets of Woodsonia’s operations, totaling more than $1 billion dollars. Woodsonia’s origins are humble, beginning in 2012 out of the spare bedroom in Drew’s home. Under his leadership, the firm has steadily grown to become one of the largest and most sought-after development firms in the Midwest. Drew has worked with some of the nation’s leading and most innovative companies, including Target Corporation, Wal-Mart, TopGolf, Menards, Hy-Vee, and DR Horton. Known for his unique ability to find creative solutions and assume challenges others typically shy away from, Drew guides the direction and vision of the firm.

Tanya loves the daily – sometimes hourly – challenges integral to the real estate business. And though she has been with the firm since 2013 and possesses more than 40 years of industry experience, she remains eager to add to her knowledge base and contribute to the firm’s success in new ways. As chief operating officer, she keeps Drew and everyone else in line. Her out-of-box thinking has helped facilitate Woodsonia’s advancement in the last decade, and she looks forward to its continued growth. When she is not overseeing all things Woodsonia, you can find Tanya and her family embarking on new travel adventures to points unknown, camping along the way, of course.

As director of development and brokerage and a partner of the firm, Mitch enjoys the opportunity of working on Woodsonia’s diverse projects. He has been an integral part of deal sourcing, structuring, acquiring, brokering, and negotiating numerous projects, including breathing new life into a dying shopping mall, transforming farmland into mixed-use developments, and overseeing high-density infill projects. Mitch approaches each project with creative problem-solving and a determination to “figure it out.” He earned his B.A. in economics and finance from Nebraska Wesleyan University and brings a diverse background to the firm, with experiences in investment management, capital markets, and real estate development. Mitch, his wife, Morgan, and their two daughters enjoy traveling, golfing, and all things related to fitness.

Since joining the firm eight years ago, Woodsonia partner Carson Stratman has continued to embrace the company’s entrepreneurial spirit. He enjoys focusing on multifamily projects but also likes charting new territory with projects that fall outside Woodsonia’s traditional scope. Carson majored in commercial real estate, with an emphasis in entrepreneurship, at Marquette University. Before returning to his hometown to join Woodsonia, he owned several businesses across the Midwest and west. He brings adaptability and perspective – necessary skills in real estate development – to the team. As sports enthusiast, Carson is a devoted Husker football and basketball fan and closely follows Marquette’s Golden Eagles basketball team. And come warm weather, he can often be found around Nebraska, rod in hand, pursuing tight lines.

Luke Stater earned his BS in construction management from the University of Northern Iowa and brings more than twenty years of industry experience to Woodsonia. As the firm’s director of construction/project management services, he oversees construction projects, large and small, from their design and pre-construction phases through the contracting and building stages. Luke enjoys Woodsonia’s collaborative work environment, especially being part of a uniquely integrated team that works together to enhance local neighborhoods and develop communities further afield. Outside of work, Luke and his wife can often be found in the stands and sidelines of youth sports events, cheering on their four children. He also likes being active himself, running, spending time outdoors, and working out at CrossFit.

Natalie Wordekemper believes she has two roles at Woodsonia. As general counsel, she is responsible for all things legal, from drafting and negotiating documents to ensuring proper compliance. But Natalie jokes her other unofficial job at the real estate company is “keeping Mitch and Drew out of trouble.” After earning two degrees in sports management – a BS from the University of Texas and an MS from Western Illinois University – she pursued a JD from the University of Tennessee and brings a decade of private and corporate legal experience to the Woodsonia team. Sports, both as a spectator and a participant, dominate much of Natalie’s free time. While she can hold her own on a volleyball court, she is equally at home beside a pool with a refreshing drink. Natalie also shares a deep love of Corgis with her husband and four children.

Amy Ortmeier is Woodsonia’s go-to for all things accounting, though, in true small-firm fashion, she is happy to assist across different areas of the firm’s business. Much of her work history has been within the field of construction, and she is excited to channel this knowledge into the real estate sector. She welcomes the fast pace environment at Woodsonia and the synergy of the team. When she is not crunching numbers at the office, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, especially traveling. Her suitcase is barely stored from one trip before she starts planning their next vacation.

As a senior commercial property manager, Sarah Svehla is responsible for overseeing Woodsonia’s current real estate properties and future developments. She is well-versed in the customer service side of business, with nearly a decade under her belt, and thrives in the fast-paced environment and collaborative team approach at Woodsonia. When she is not working to ensure the highest level of care for our tenants and clients, Sarah can be found outdoors, camping and hiking nearby in Nebraska or trekking the trails of National Parks (next up: Glacier!). She is also an avid musician, singer and songwriter who leans acoustic in her musical performance tastes.

Michael Kisielewski shares his eclectic academic and 20-year professional history with the Woodsonia team as a property manager. He originally studied psychology and theology in college until he found his way into business, specifically, management and sales. Much of his experience has been in the food and beverage industry, having served as a manager of various departments of HyVee and as a sales representative for two midwestern liquor distributors. With his move to Woodsonia, Michael is happy to add real estate to his areas of expertise. Born in Spain, he grew up in both Biloxi, Mississippi, and Stony Brook, New York. Michael has called Omaha home for the past 17 years and in his free time enjoys supporting his children in their interests and traveling to family fan-favorite destinations, Disney World and Universal Studios.