Staff
Phone: (865) 584-8647 ext. 9
E-mail: lyle@kaarmls.com
Lyle Irish joined KAAR in June 2011 as the Executive Vice President after having served as the Administrative VP at the Memphis Association of Realtors. He also previously managed a national title company based in Memphis. Lyle is a University of Tennessee graduate with JD from University of Memphis. Active in community and civic organizations, he is currently serving as President of the Clarence Brown Theatre Advisory Board of Directors and is a current member of 2019 Leadership Knoxville.
Jared Hencke joined in the fall of 2018 as a Member Services Representative and was promoted to MLS Coordinator in the fall of 2019. Jared assists members with Supra key and lockbox support, Flexmls assistance and general member services. Jared has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Carson-Newman University.
Phone: (865) 584-8647 ext. 8
E-mail: james@kaarmls.com
James moved from West Virginia to Tennessee in 2013 to attend Johnson University. Four years later he continues to call Knoxville home. James joined KAAR in October of 2016 as Professional Standards Administrator.
- Oversees KAAR Young Professionals Network (YPN)
- Liaison to Grievance Committee
- Liaison to Professional Standards Committee
Phone: (865) 584-8647 ext. 5
E-mail: steve@kaarmls.com
As the Business Manager, Steve Lawson is responsible for the day-to-day accounting and operations of the Association’s budget. He serves as the liaison to the Finance & Budget Committee and oversees all aspects of the MLS and membership dues billing. Steve has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Tennessee and is a Certified Public Accountant.
- Liaison to Budget & Finance Committee
Phone: (865) 584-8647 ext. 7
E-mail: caitland@kaarmls.com
Caitland Orlicz oversees commercial events, education and assists with the commercial MLS as the Commercial Services and Communications Director. In addition to her day-to-day role with commercial Realtors, she also maintains and manages the kaarmls.com website, social media pages and newsletters to KAAR members. She joined the association in 2013 after working as a marketing assistant at a commercial real estate firm in Charleston, SC. Caitland has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications & Writing from Maryville College.
- Liaison to Commercial Committee
- Liaison to Community Involvement Committee
Phone: (865) 584-8647 ext. 3
E-mail: carleen@kaarmls.com
Prior to being hired in her current position, Carleen owned her own business for 17 years, where she focused on writing, editing, and graphic design. She wrote and edited major proposals for large government agencies and corporations in the US, Canada, and the Mid East. Prior to that she was a Graphics/Proposal Manager for Duratek/Westinghouse, Communications Director for United Way, Charleston, SC and before that, public relations specialist for the Charleston County School District. Carleen has been assistant editor of two national magazines (Houston, TX) and editor of a local newspaper (Charleston, SC). She and her husband have two daughters and a granddaughter. She enjoys travel, and has ventured as far as Afghanistan and Dubai, with plans to continue traveling. As a member of Akima, Carleen volunteers at various agencies throughout the community.
- Liaison to Education Committee
Phone: (865) 584-8647 ext. 4
E-mail: donna@kaarmls.com
Donna Roach is currently the MLS Director and the committee liaison to the Residential MLS Committee. She also works with various vendors in regards to the 
MLS System. Donna began her career with the Knoxville Board of Realtors in 1976, with around 500 members. She began her role at KAAR by typing listing information on cards to be sent to the book publisher to publish the MLS Books. Since then, the MLS has gone from printed books to a computerized MLS system. In her tenure here at the Association, she was instrumental in completing six MLS system conversions. Donna currently holds the following designations: RCE (Realtor Certified Executive), GRI (Graduate Realtor Institute), ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative), and ePro.
Donna attended University of Tennessee and graduated from Draughons Business College. She is a member of the Reindeer Owners and Breeders Association and works on the Newsletter committee. With members throughout the United States and Canada, it remains the largest organization of its type in North America. Dedicated to the advancement of public awareness of reindeer, ROBA also supplies the membership with reindeer education, research, and conservation. These goals help to develop and enhance the abilities of members to maintain healthy herds and reindeer business operations.
- Liaison to Residential MLS Committee
Phone: (865) 584-8647 ext. 6
E-mail: jennifer@kaarmls.com
Jennifer Roche obtained her Tennessee real estate license in 2007. After completing her law degree in 2013 at the University of Tennessee, she went on to 
practice as a Real Estate Title Attorney with Adams Law Firm. In 2014, Jennifer joined KAAR as its Governmental Affairs Director where she leads action on local legislative and regulatory issues that affect the real estate market across KAAR’s 12-county region in East Tennessee.
In addition to her law degree, Jennifer recently earned her REALTOR Association Certified Executive (RCE) designation. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance (French Horn) from Stephen F. Austin State University, and completed her Master’s Degree in Music Performance from Florida State University. She previously performed with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra from 2005 – 2015.
- Liaison to Governmental Affairs Committee
- Liaison to RPAC Committee
- Oversees Local Political Coordinator Program
Alex Stevenson joined the KAAR staff in the fall of 2019 as a Member Services Representative. Alex assists members with Supra key and lockbox support, Flexmls assistance and general member services. Alex is a recent transplant from Columbus, OH, and he received an Economics degree from the Farmer School of Business at Miami University in Oxford, OH. In his spare time, he enjoys ballroom dancing with his fiancee, playing ultimate Frisbee outdoors and spending time at the gym.
For the past 15 years, Teresa Tillery has served as the Membership Director at KAAR, and even before that, she worked part-time as a file clerk and assisting Donna with the MLS. Teresa oversees membership of KAAR Realtors, appraisers, and affiliates, and she assists in orchestrating new member orientation. Teresa currently holds the ePro certification.
