Our team is on-site seven days a week, focused solely on Kiawah River. Through close relationships with the developer, Builders Guild, Architectural Review Board, lenders, inspectors, and closing professionals, we help streamline every step of the process. Whether preparing a home for market or introducing a prospective buyer to the community, we provide knowledgeable guidance rooted in firsthand experience and a genuine connection to life along the river.

Beyond showcasing homes, we help prospective buyers understand what it means to live here—from gathering under the live oaks to enjoying the amenities, traditions, and connections that make Kiawah River unlike anywhere else.

Learn More About our Team Below 

Originally from the Carolina coast, Jeff has spent more than 35 years helping people discover exceptional waterfront communities and the lifestyles that come with them. An avid boater, he and his wife Sandy share a deep appreciation for the rivers, waterways, and natural beauty that make Lowcountry living so special.

Before joining Kiawah River, Jeff served as President and Broker-in-Charge of Daniel Island Real Estate, where he played a leadership role in guiding one of the Southeast’s most celebrated master-planned communities through its final phases of development. Prior to Daniel Island, he spent 16 years as Director of Sales at Bald Head Island Real Estate, another nationally recognized coastal community.

Those experiences shaped Jeff’s belief that people aren’t simply searching for a home—they’re searching for a lifestyle. His approach is centered on helping buyers understand what it feels like to become part of a community and envision how they will spend their days there.

That perspective makes Kiawah River a natural fit. Whether introducing buyers to life on the water, the extensive trail network, or the connections formed among neighbors, Jeff enjoys helping families discover not just where they want to live, but how they want to live.

jleonard@kiawahriver.com 

Charleston-native Gabriella Andrews spent her childhood taking full advantage of the Lowcountry’s waterways, history and natural beauty. As a Kiawah River Sales Executive, that affection for the outdoors makes doing her job as authentic as the Kiawah River lifestyle itself. “I love being at Kiawah River because we are not just selling a home, we are selling a lifestyle and a sense of place.”

Andrew’s love of nature led her to college at the University of Montana in Missoula where she received a BA in Photojournalism. Prior to college, she attended Ashley Hall School in Charleston. After spending five years in luxury real estate marketing for a developer of world-class, private sporting clubs, Andrews transitioned into real estate sales. Her properties ranged from The Greenbrier Sporting Club at the renowned Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia to exclusive private island developments in the Turks & Caicos Islands and the Bahamas. She gained invaluable experience working closely with national and international sales teams, architects, builders, designers and homeowners and earned her 100-ton Captain’s license in 2005.

Andrews shares her passion and strong connection to the long-term vision for the Kiawah River community with her husband David, son Charlie as well as Goose, her yellow lab and a foster goat named Garrett from The Goatery at Kiawah River Farm.

gandrews@kiawahriver.com

Chris Drury knows the value of family. When he’s not coaching Kiawah River’s dedicated team of sales agents as the broker-in-charge of residential real estate sales, he’s traveling with his wife of 40 years, Mary Lynn, to visit their 4 children and 7 grandchildren. A native Southern Floridian and Florida State University alumnus, Drury has called Kiawah and the surrounding Lowcountry home for the past 20 years.

Prior to joining Kiawah River in 2020, Drury served as president and broker-in-charge across the river at Kiawah Island Real Estate (KIRE), where he oversaw the closings of more than $3.6 billion in sales across 2,765 luxury real estate transactions. During his 14 years with KIRE, their market share exceeded 85% as Drury led the sales team to record sales and market growth. Before KIRE, Drury led sales teams in various communities throughout Florida including Weston, a master-planned suburban community in Broward Country, where his team sold over 1,700 homes within one year. During his time at Weston, it was in the top five selling master planned communities in the nation. As vice president of sales, he also oversaw the Saussy Burbank Mid-Atlantic division where his teams predominantly sold spec homes and developer lots in the Carolinas.

Drury continues to share a wealth of professional and personal assets with the Kiawah River family including a healthy sense of humor and positive attitude. In his role at Kiawah River, Drury is a “player coach” – managing the team as well as working with buyers and sellers to help them realize their dreams. We are grateful and look forward to him sharing his wealth of knowledge for years to come.

cdrury@kiawahriver.com

“You can buy a home anywhere. The real question is whether you can see yourself living the lifestyle.” That’s a conversation Dean Haeusser has with prospective buyers often. For Dean, finding the right home starts with finding the right community, which is why he encourages clients to experience Kiawah River beyond the homes and homesites. From the waterfront trails and working farm to the connections formed among neighbors, he believes it’s the lifestyle that ultimately helps people determine whether a place feels like home.

It’s a perspective rooted in personal experience. After spending time at Kiawah River, Dean and his wife Tammy fell in love with the community, the people, and the way of life so much that they purchased a homesite of their own and are building a home here. As future residents themselves, they’re excited to become neighbors and share in the experiences that make life along the river so special.

Dean first discovered the Charleston area while visiting for a golf tournament in the late 1990s. After experiencing the Lowcountry’s natural beauty and laid-back pace, he called Tammy and told her, “We’ll live here one day.” More than 20 years later, that dream became a reality when Dean joined the Kiawah River team in 2021.

With more than 15 years of real estate experience, Dean has worked with clients in some of the Southeast’s most desirable communities, including Kiawah Island, Reynolds Lake Oconee, and now Kiawah River. Prior to real estate, he spent 22 years with PING Golf, where he built a career centered on relationships, service, and helping people make informed decisions.

Those experiences continue to shape Dean’s approach today. He sees himself as a trusted resource and guide, taking the time to listen, understand his clients’ goals, and help them explore all that Kiawah River has to offer. Whether you’re considering a waterfront homesite, a custom home, or simply wondering if the community is right for you, Dean enjoys helping families discover what makes life along the river so special.

dhaeusser@kiawahriver.com

A Charleston native, Kayla spent her childhood exploring the trails and fishing the shores of what is now Kiawah River, developing a deep connection to the land and waterways that continue to shape her passion for the Lowcountry.

She holds a graduate degree in Engineering from Clemson University and a Master of Business Administration from University of South Carolina. Prior to joining the Kiawah River team, she built her career in real estate development in Denver, where she worked on the design and execution of large-scale master-planned communities. In that role, she collaborated closely with builders, architects, planners, and development teams to bring complex residential projects to life.

By combining her lifelong connection to Kiawah River with more than 15 years of experience in real estate development, residential sales, and construction, she offers clients a unique perspective and comprehensive understanding of the community. Her expertise spans every stage of the development process, allowing her to guide clients with both local insight and industry knowledge.

When she’s not helping clients discover life at Kiawah River, you’ll likely find her enjoying one of Charleston’s many beaches, spending time outdoors, or playing with her beloved “bad dog,” Shug, and her adopted Kiawah River kitten, Tiny.

knelson@kiawahriver.com