James is the founder and team leader of Moda Group at Compass. Hailing from the world of fine dining, hospitality is the foundation upon which James has built a thriving real estate career over the last twelve years. Spend an hour with him and you'll understand why his clients and peers rave about his authenticity, knowledge, and dedication to making the process of buying or selling a home as seamless as possible. Spend two hours with him and you’ll walk away with a list of where to get the best dishes in the best restaurants in Chicago.
James’ success as an agent is rooted in his commitment to providing each of his clients - from the first-time homebuyer to the seasoned real estate investor - with the highest level of service and attention to detail at every step in the process. By taking the time to listen to his clients and truly understand what they want and need, James is able to apply his deep knowledge of the Chicago real estate market to get them the best results possible.
James knows that it takes more than just experience to provide his clients with the highest level of service for which he has become known. And that is why he founded the Moda Group, a full-service real estate team dedicated to continually improving the client experience while leveraging the industry’s best tools to maximize the value of every real estate transaction - an approach he likes to call housepitality.
James received his BA in Marketing & Advertising from Columbia College Chicago. He was recognized as a top producer by the Chicago Association of REALTORS® in 2018 and led Moda Group to become a top producing team in 2019 and 2020.
James lives in Chicago's Ukrainian Village neighborhood with his wife, Agnes, and is a proud father to their daughter, Stella. When he's not meeting with clients or mentoring his talented team, he's off on a culinary adventure somewhere in Chicago or halfway around the world.
What do you get when you combine a teacher, a comedian and a COO?
Either the start of a really bad joke or an attentive, knowledgeable, detail-oriented, and entertaining real estate agent. In this case, we’ve got the latter. Lauren Herskovic is a founding member of Moda Group at Compass, the Chicagoland Regional President of Women of Compass, and an Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) from the National Association of Realtors.
And she’s a powerhouse Real Estate Agent, helping buyers and sellers navigate the competitive Chicagoland Real Estate Market.
The home-buying and home-selling process can be overwhelming, whether it is your first time going through it, or your 10th! But Lauren’s focus on educating her clients, constant communication, and utilizing tried and true systems, make for a seamless and (dare we say it?!) fun experience for her clients.
“Lauren was hands down the best resource we could have asked for in looking for our first condo. Not only did she guide us through the whole process smoothly, but every other resource she recommended, from inspectors to lenders to attorneys, was incredible.” - Kelly, Home Buyer in Chicago
“I cannot recommend Lauren highly enough! We recently sold our condo and Lauren's expertise and guidance made the entire process incredibly smooth. From the very beginning, Lauren impressed us with her local market knowledge. She helped us price our condo competitively and strategically, which resulted in a whirlwind of interest! We were thrilled to receive our offer within 4 days of listing, and Lauren expertly navigated the negotiation process to secure us an excellent deal.” - Janelle, Home Seller in Chicago
Background:
Lauren grew up in suburban Detroit and now lives part-time in Avondale and part-time in Northbrook with her partner. She got a BA in English and Secondary Education from the University of Michigan (Go Blue!). She then served as Editor in Chief for an online women’s magazine in NYC before working as COO for a consulting company based in Chicago, taking the company from a 3-person operation to a team of 100+ with offices in the US and China.
In her free time she loves to do Pilates, read, cook, take pictures of her food and binge-watch Bravo with her Toy Poodle, Harvey. If you’re looking for help in finding your next home - whether you’re a first time homebuyer in Chicago or a seasoned real estate investor - call/text/email/send an owl and Lauren will help get you set on that home-buying journey!
Julia has a PhD in perseverance (or she would, if those were a thing). After graduating with a double major in Psychology and Women & Gender Studies from Ohio University, she took her passion for people and went to work as a full-time caregiver and house manager in Lincoln Park. Over the course of her five years of caring for 3 children and managing the household for their parents, Julia honed her skills in patience, organization, communication, and, most of all, negotiation. (Have you tried to negotiate with a toddler?)
All of that juggling, organizing, planning and kid-herding has positioned her perfectly for her career in Real Estate and her role on the Moda Group team.
Julia’s professionalism, her commitment to helping others, and her uncanny ability to manage multiple tasks at once are a huge asset to the clients that she serves. But it is her ability to connect with people that really sets her apart. She digs deep with her clients, really understanding their needs, wants and goals, and then works tirelessly to help them get there.
Julia is in love with the Chicago food scene and is quite possibly Sweet Mandy B’s biggest supporter. When she’s not chowing down on those cupcakes, she’s playing with her puppy, Porter.
Greg grew up on the North Shore of Chicago before heading off to the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he graduated with a BS in Financial Planning and minors in Business and Spanish. Upon graduating Greg moved to the city and began his career in commercial real estate, working for one of the top multifamily teams in the country.
After learning the nitty gritty investment side of real estate, Greg realized he derived the most joy from working with clients face-to-face and helping them on a more personal level so he said goodbye to his desk job and “Oh hey!” to residential Real Estate.
Greg has since represented buyers, sellers, investors, and more landlords and tenants than he can begin to count. He combines his love of real estate and relationship-building to make the home-buying or selling process as simple and enjoyable for his clients as possible. By being highly organized, communicative, and ambitious, Greg adapts to his clients’ needs and tailors the process to each individual client.
Whether you are a first-time home buyer or a seasoned investor looking for the best return on your investment, Greg has the experience and the skills to get you from A to B as seamlessly as possible, while getting you the best deal (and a few stops to his favorite restaurants and bars) along the way.
When Greg isn’t eating his way through Chicago’s always-growing food scene or sipping on an espresso martini on one Chicago’s many patios (for those few weeks of good weather we get), you can find him walking his corgi Biscuit on the lakeshore path or binge watching Bravo (even though he’s already seen everything...twice).
If you want to be the best, you have to learn from the best, and that means it can’t get much better than Vita Pavlyuk. Before joining the Moda Group, Vita spent nearly five years at Compass as an Agent Experience Manager, supporting Chicago’s top and most respected agents in their day-to-day operations. They not only inspired her to become an agent herself but also taught her everything she needed to be the best agent and advocate for her clients.
In addition to her inside-out and upside-down knowledge of Real Estate, Vita's bachelor's degree in Psychology from Illinois State (Go Redbirds!) equips her with a unique ability to connect with people on a deeper level, understand their specific needs, and guide them through the emotional aspects of Real Estate transactions. We often joke that our job is one part Real Estate and 5 parts Therapist… and Vita’s got what it takes to handle it all.
Vita was born in Ukraine and moved to Chicago at the age of six. She spent most of her childhood in Downers Grove and later moved to the city, where she has lived in various neighborhoods including Lincoln Park, Streeterville, and Gold Coast. Currently, she calls Bucktown (and, more specifically, Club Lucky) home. Vita's intimate knowledge of these neighborhoods and the western suburbs, along with her love for exploring the city's diverse communities, makes her a local expert who can guide clients to their ideal location. And her bi-lingual proficiency in English and Ukrainian broadens her ability to connect with a diverse clientele.
As an avid foodie, Vita loves seeking out new restaurants, exploring Chicago’s street festivals, and discovering new local breweries. In her downtime, you can often find her binge-watching her favorite shows, relaxing on a sunny patio, or walking the 606 trail with her dog, Bentley.
Leslie brings a wealth of knowledge and corporate insight to the Chicago real estate scene. After growing up in Evergreen Park on the southwest side of Chicago, Leslie attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she earned a degree in Marketing from the College of Business. After graduation, Leslie spent 8.5 years in corporate roles where she gained a wide span of leadership experience in sales, marketing, general management, and operations.
As a current resident of Wicker Park, Leslie's firsthand experience as a landlord and with home renovations has fostered a nuanced perspective on property management and the intricacies of home ownership and the real estate landscape. Her deep understanding of the care and love a home needs helps guide her clients before, during, and after their home buying or selling process.
Recognized for a client-focused and detail-oriented approach, Leslie prioritizes transparency and effective communication, ensuring that clients are well-informed and empowered throughout their real estate journey. With a genuine passion for helping others achieve their real estate goals, Leslie is dedicated to providing a seamless and enriching experience, tailored to each client's unique needs.
When Leslie is not helping her clients find their dream homes, you can usually find her at a concert or working her way through the “Best Burgers in Chicago” list (for the millionth time). Her #1 (for now, at least)? Gretel in Logan Square.
With a background in hospitality and Interior Design, Khol was destined for the world of Real Estate, and even more, for the Moda Group team.
And, boy, are we glad she’s here.
Born and raised in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, Khol made her way to University of Missouri, where she majored in Business Marketing. Upon graduation, she knew she wanted a job that let her express her creativity - and one that did not have her sitting at a desk all day - so she moved to Chicago and got an Interior Design internship with a local designer. In this role, she excelled at sourcing materials and products that aligned with clients' preferences while also selecting and arranging furniture and accessories for home staging, showcasing her ability to bring spaces to life.
Khol took that experience and everything she learned and went on to work in Interior Design at Restoration Hardware, where she worked directly with designers from across Chicago to manage and support their design projects. There, Khol honed her skills in organization, creative problem solving, understanding her clients’ individual needs, and working with a variety of personalities. And it is also where her love of Real Estate was born. She saw how gratifying it was to help people design their homes, and she knew she wanted to be a bigger part of that process.
At Moda Group, Khol brings her expertise and positive energy to help support the team and our clients. She’s the Oz behind the curtain, making sure everything runs smoothly, and every client is getting the support they need. And, of course, she’s often tapped to weigh in on design decisions on everything from staging a home for sale to helping our clients visualize their spaces after we close. She truly does it all.
Khol currently lives in Old Town. Outside of work, you can find her traveling the world (she’s been to 16 countries and counting!), eating all. the. cheese (it’s in her Wisconsin blood), or watching Reality TV at home with her cat, Hughie.
With real estate in her blood and a deeper-than-deep-dish love for Chicago in her heart, Natalia is your ultimate guide to the Windy City (but, for the record, she’s more of a thin-crust kinda gal). Born in Poland and raised in both Chicago and Glenview by a Realtor mom, she’s a Chicagoland expert who has been immersed in the world of Real Estate since she was packing school lunches.
Before diving into real estate in 2020, Natalia spent over a decade in hospitality, mastering the art of listening, problem-solving, and making people feel right at home. And she brings those skills, along with her extensive Chicago knowledge, to every client she works with. Buying, selling or renting a home can be scary and overwhelming, but Natalia’s unique blend of skills, experience and her calm demeanor instantly put her clients at ease and set them up for success.
And it’s not just us saying that; her clients agree!
"I highly recommend Natalia. She went above and beyond when it came to helping me find a place in what has to be the most cut throat Chicago market that I have ever seen. If you want a Realtor that will fight for her clients when it comes to negotiating all while providing quality results fast, she is without a doubt the person to work with. Her professionalism and communication were unmatched compared to experiences I've had working with other brokers. If I ever have another need for a realtor I will absolutely be working with her again and will be sure to refer friends and family to her!" – Brandon G
Natalia’s a big believer in balancing work with exploration. When she’s not out exploring the city with her clients, she’s probably not in the city at all! Whether she’s flying back to Poland to reconnect with family or adventuring to a new country, traveling is her way of staying inspired. When she is in town, you can find her at local farmers markets and street fests, taking a stroll on the 606 with her close friends, rollerblading by the lake, or hanging at home with her very opinionated cat, Nikita.
Nasir, a Schaumburg native, is Moda Group’s go-to numbers guy — the one who actually enjoys digging into spreadsheets and running the scenarios that help clients feel confident about their biggest investment: their home. With an MBA in Finance from Santa Clara University and nearly a decade in corporate finance at several Fortune 100 companies, he’s got the kind of financial toolkit that gives his clients a real edge in this market.
In those roles, he learned how to think strategically, stay calm under pressure, and make data-driven decisions — all while juggling moving parts and tight deadlines. Whether he was managing multi-million dollar budgets or forecasting for fast-moving sales teams, he got really good at zooming out to see the big picture, then zooming in to sweat the details. Now, he brings that same precision and care to every real estate deal, helping his clients not just buy or sell, but build long-term wealth.
But Nasir’s not just about the numbers. Before all that, he spent five years in sales and customer service roles — the kind where listening well and going the extra mile weren’t optional. That’s where he learned the value of real relationships and how much trust really matters. It’s why he’s known for white-glove service and why clients feel taken care of every step of the way.
These days, you’ll find Nasir in Noble Square, where he lives with his wife, Maliha, and their cat, Coco. He’s usually on his way to a new coffee spot or trying to talk someone into joining him for Thai food again. And while he’ll always have a soft spot for Schaumburg (especially for clients looking to buy or sell there), Chicago’s mix of culture, charm, and constant reinvention is what really inspires him. It’s a city that makes space for ambition and authenticity — and that’s exactly the kind of experience he aims to create for every client he serves.
Compass
2350 N Lincoln Ave
Ste 3 Chicago, IL 60614
Moda Group
