AMA ROMAINE orchestrates the complex legal machinery of Progress Residential, where she serves as general counsel for a housing giant that shelters over 250,000 residents across 100,000 homes nationwide.
Based in Atlanta, GA, her legal oversight spans acquisitions, dispositions, securities, employment matters, governance, litigation and compliance – all while she quietly reshapes what leadership looks like in corporate America.
Before joining Progress, the leading single-family rental management services platform, Ama transformed legal strategy at Blackstone as managing director and global general counsel in real estate asset management. There, she pioneered the first operations-focused legal support function for the company's real estate managers while advising a global team overseeing more than 40 portfolio companies. Her expertise in litigation, compliance, ESG, and risk management made her indispensable to Blackstone's sprawling real estate empire.
The hospitality industry benefited from her innovative approach when she served as general counsel and chief compliance officer at G6 Hospitality, parent company of Motel 6 and Studio 6. She launched their ESG platform ‘Lighting the Way’ and developed the company's first compliance program, attracting socially conscious investors in the process.
"As a Black woman in a leadership role at Progress Residential, I am mindful that representation matters," Romaine told Black News. "I am committed to using my platform to make a meaningful impact on the communities where we operate."
When asked about facing discrimination, Ama revealed a glimpse of vulnerability beneath her polished exterior: "While I don't subscribe to the adage that you can't be what you can't see, I know that there were times when the lack of representation made my journey lonelier, which sometimes led to self-doubt."
Ama’s experience also includes a role as vice president and senior counsel for brands at Hilton Worldwide.
Beyond boardrooms, Ama co-founded The Initiative: Advancing the Blue & Black Partnership, tackling the fraught relationship between communities and law enforcement. This nonprofit work reveals her belief that legal expertise carries responsibility beyond corporate walls, establishing her as a leader who is as committed to her community as she is to her profession.
To rising Black professionals navigating their own paths, Ama offers wisdom earned through experience: "Establish clear objectives for yourself that are directionally certain but be nimble and agile. Be open to various possibilities and build relationships broadly – including with people who don't look like you because no one achieves success alone or in a vacuum."
