Lake Oconee business leader and entrepreneur Riezl Baker was recently elected to serve as an officer and national trustee of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA). Baker was elected during NaFFAA’s 16th National Empowerment Conference, Aug. 14-15, at the Hyatt Regency Aurora-Denver Conference Center in Aurora, Colorado.
The event brought together hundreds of leaders, professionals, advocates, entrepreneurs, public servants, and young, emerging trendsetters from across the United States under the theme, “Harnessing the Power of Community: Starting With Us.”
The Conference placed a strong emphasis on mental health, including discussions about cultural barriers, awareness, access to resources, and the need for greater advocacy and support. Founded in 1997, NaFFAA is the largest nonpartisan, nonprofit national affiliation of Filipino American institutions, organizations, and individuals.
“Mental health is not an issue that belongs to one community; it is an issue affecting families across America,” Baker said. “Organizations like NaFFAA can use their collective voice to increase awareness, bring experts and community leaders together, and advocate for resources and funding. When an organization represents millions of people, that voice can make a real difference.”
A significant focus for the conference was promoting youth engagement and leadership development through NaFFAA’s Emerging Leadership Institute, bringing younger Americans into conversations about civic responsibility, service, and community leadership.
Baker spoke alongside entrepreneurs and business leaders from different industries in a crowded room of young citizens, sharing her experience in building a business and personal brand from the ground up.
“Entrepreneurship is still the emblem of this country,” she said. “When you have an idea and are willing to work, you have the opportunity to create something that never existed before.”
Baker said she built a successful brand over her more than 25-year career, despite there being no predetermined formula.
“When I started in real estate, no one gave me a road map. What I had was a willingness to work hard and a passion for serving people,” she said. Over time, the relationships she built became the business, Baker added, explaining its reputation became the brand. Baker also spoke about the Filipino concept of Bayanihan, the tradition of people working together for the good of the community. For Baker, business success and community involvement are inextricably connected.
She stressed that her involvement with NaFFAA also remains deeply personal.
“I am very proud of my Filipino heritage, and I am equally grateful as a citizen of this country and for the opportunities it has given me,” Baker said. “To have the opportunity to serve an organization that brings those two parts of my life together is incredibly meaningful.”
Baker has called Georgia’s Lake Country “home” since 1997. She and her husband, Ted Baker, co-founded Luxury Lake Oconee Real Estate Group, a boutique brokerage specifically serving Lake Oconee and its surrounding Georgia Lake Country market. Baker built her business largely through relationships, referrals, and a dedicated, service-driven approach rooted in her earlier career in hospitality.
She has been recognized among the top 1% of real estate professionals nationally and has consistently ranked among Georgia’s leading individual real estate agents. Her career sales have surpassed $1 billion, and she has received numerous industry recognitions for sales performance, leadership, and community impact.
Beyond real estate, Baker maintains extensive community involvement in the Lake Country area, particularly in healthcare, the arts, education, and philanthropy. She has served in leadership roles supporting St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital and the Oconee Performing Arts Society, and supports several initiatives to support the long-term vitality of the community.
About Riezl Baker and Luxury Lake Oconee Real Estate Group
Riezl Baker is the top real estate agent and market expert in Lake Country and Reynolds Lake Oconee, Georgia with an extraordinary $129 million sold in 2025 and $1 billion in career sales. With 25 years of experience, Riezl has built a reputation for excellence, trusted guidance, and unmatched market knowledge in real estate.
Nationally recognized as a Top Luxury Real Estate Leader by Modern Luxury and named a 2025 Real Estate Luminary by RISMedia, Riezl is also recognized by The Atlantan as an expert in vacation and second-home markets. A sought-after public speaker, she has been invited to share her insights at leading real estate conferences in Las Vegas, including the RISMedia CEO & Leadership Exchange, and her expertise has been featured in Mansion Global and on Fox News.
Known for her strategic vision, deep community roots, and results-driven approach, Riezl Baker continues to set the standard for real estate at Lake Oconee and Lake Country, Georgia locally respected, nationally recognized, and consistently delivering at the highest level.
Luxury Lake Oconee Real Estate Group is a premier, award-winning brokerage based in Greensboro, Georgia, specializing in lakefront and golf community properties throughout Lake Country and Reynolds Lake Oconee. Co-founded by Riezl and Ted Baker, the firm has redefined the standard of excellence in Georgia’s luxury real estate market through its commitment to integrity, personalized service, and innovative marketing. With a proven track record representing some of the region’s most exclusive properties, Luxury Lake Oconee Real Estate Group continues to set the benchmark for exceptional results and client experience. (www.luxurylakeoconee.com; www.riezlbaker.com)
