2021 ULI Housing Opportunity Conference

When

Mar 16 – Mar 17, 2021

Choose Your Calendar

    Where

    Global ULI Online
    Register Yourself Register Two or More

    Agenda

    March 16

    10:15am - 11:30am

    Housing Markets Outlook 2021

    March 16

    11:45am - 12:30pm

    Overcoming Barriers to Multifamily Development

    March 16

    11:45am - 12:30pm

    Contextual Placemaking: Mixed-Use Spaces that Serve their Communities

    March 16

    11:45am - 12:30pm

    Enhancing Community and Corporate Returns through Inclusive Equitable Development Practices

    March 16

    2:00pm - 3:00pm

    Perspectives on Housing and Equitable Development from the New Administration

    March 16

    3:15pm - 4:00pm

    Transcending the Redline: Case Studies in Planning for Prosperity

    March 16

    3:15pm - 4:00pm

    Low-Density Rental Housing

    March 16

    3:15pm - 4:00pm

    Preserving Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing through Partnership

    March 16

    4:00pm - 4:30pm

    Pathways Toward Healthy, Equitable Housing

    March 16

    4:00pm - 6:00pm

    ULI Terwilliger Center Board Meeting

    March 16

    7:30pm - 8:30pm

    Perspectives on Housing and Equitable Development from the New Administration (Rebroadcast)

    March 16

    7:30pm - 8:30pm

    Housing Markets Outlook 2021 (Rebroadcast)

    March 17

    10:30am - 11:30am

    The Future of US Housing Finance

    March 17

    11:45am - 12:30pm

    Creating a Housing Policy for the 21st Century: Multifamily and Single-family Markets that Meet Future Needs

    March 17

    11:45am - 12:30pm

    Something Old, Something New: Adaptive Re-Use Developments

    March 17

    11:45am - 12:30pm

    Lifting All Boats: Extraordinary Returns on Mixed-Income Housing Development

    March 17

    2:00pm - 3:00pm

    Making the Numbers Work for Sustainability

    March 17

    3:00pm - 4:00pm

    Terwilliger Center Home Attainability Index Discussion

    March 17

    3:15pm - 4:00pm

    COVID's Impact on Housing Development, Access, and Affordability

    March 17

    3:15pm - 4:00pm

    Leveraging Investor-Funded Housing Models to Meet Broader Community Housing Needs

    March 17

    3:15pm - 4:00pm

    Harnessing Housing Development Time and Cost through Technology

    March 17

    4:30pm - 5:30pm

    Virtual Networking Reception

    March 17

    7:30pm - 8:30pm

    Making the Numbers Work for Sustainability (Rebroadcast)

    March 17

    7:30pm - 8:30pm

    The Future of US Housing Finance (Rebroadcast)
    ULI’s premier annual housing conference brings together a diverse mix of private and nonprofit real estate developers, public officials, urban and regional planners, housing advocates, architects, investors, and lenders with one common goal – to expand opportunities for a full range of residential development in their communities.

    Speakers

    Speaker

    Kimberly Vermeer

    President, Urban Habitat Initiatives Inc.

    Kimberly Vermeer, LEED AP Homes, is a multi-disciplinary green building and sustainability practitioner, with a special focus in the multifamily affordable housing sector. Through her company, Urban Habitat Initiatives Inc., she offers strategic consulting to community development corporations and other affordable housing developers to advance sustainability and climate resilience. Committed to delivering the benefits of green building to vulnerable populations, Kim works with teams to incorporate energy efficiency and renewable energy, water conservation, healthy housing and climate resilience into their projects. She directs project certification through LEED or Enterprise Green Communities rating systems, as well as the LEED for Neighborhood Development (ND) rating system for larger master-planned projects. Ms. Vermeer is co-author, with Walker Wells, of the forthcoming book Blueprint for Greening Affordable Housing, Revised Edition, published on July 2020. Ms. Vermeer is also an experienced teacher and educator, and was recently a Practitioner Scholar at UMass Boston, co-teaching an environmental science capstone course. She has also developed, planned and facilitated many professional education and peer learning events. Her background includes housing finance, policy and development. She also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Kingdom of Tonga. She received her bachelor’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Master in City and Regional Planning degree from the Harvard Kennedy School.

    Speaker

    Ali Wolf

    Chief Economist, Zonda

    Ali Wolf is the Chief Economist for Zonda. As head of the Economics Department, Ali manages and analyzes the content for Zonda, provides data analytics, runs special research projects, and presents nationwide, covering topics across the housing market and the wider economy. Ali has focused much of her career on understanding prior recessions and led the charge on ‘Millennials discussing Millennials’ in the homebuilding space. Highly regarded as an industry expert, Ali is quoted frequently in national publications including Bloomberg TV, CNBC, NPR Marketplace, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and Yahoo! Finance. Prior to joining the Zonda team, Ali worked for another consultancy firm and was a researcher for both the Canadian and UK Parliaments. Ali holds a Bachelor’s Degree from The Ohio State University in Economics and a Master’s Degree from the London School of Economics in Real Estate Economics and Finance.

    Speaker

    Maureen Waters

    Partner, MetaProp Ventures

    As Partner at MetaProp, Maureen utilizes her PropTech expertise and relationships to extend our global reach and in-house capabilities with strategic partners and portfolio companies. She is also focused on strengthening the existing community programs including the MetaProp Accelerator at Columbia University. Maureen’s unique skill set spans building and scaling successful real estate and tech teams and organizations: from inception to unicorn with extensive experience transforming businesses. Prior to MetaProp, Maureen was President of Ten-X, the largest online commercial real estate marketplace, powering more than 90 percent of all online sales (backed by Google Capital and Stone Point Capital and acquired by Thomas H. Lee Partners in 2017 for $1.6B). Maureen led the strategic transformation of the business to expand beyond the traditional ways of transacting real estate including digitizing the operating model and launching non-auction products and services. She previously served as Chief Commercial and Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer at Ten-X. Prior to joining Ten-X, Maureen was head of real estate and asset management at Bill Gates Investments. She also spent 15 years at Cushman & Wakefield, where she served as Chief Strategy Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, Head of Business Development and six years at CBRE where she began her career. Maureen has received many notable honors and awards during her real estate career including Real Estate Forum Women of Influence, Commercial Property News Stars to Watch, YWCA Academy of Women Achievers, Wealth Engine’s Top CMOs to Watch, News Funnel’s Top Women in Real Estate, Real Estate Forum’s Top Bosses. Maureen has a BA in Economics with a minor in Marketing from the University of St. Thomas and an MBA in Finance from Fordham University. She has been featured in many publications and media including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Crain’s, Fortune and Inc.

    Speaker

    David Quart

    Northeast Regional Real Estate Market Leader, VHB

    David Quart is the Northeast Regional Real Estate Market Leader at VHB, a national planning, engineering, and design firm with clients in the real estate, transportation, institutional, and energy markets. David leads the firm’s integrated real estate services practice to support new development, redevelopment, land acquisition, permitting compliance, and transportation improvements. Previously, David spent nearly 14 years in New York City government, holding leadership roles at the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the NYC Economic Development Corporation. David was instrumental in helping create the Housing New York plan, gaining approval of the City’s first Mandatory Inclusionary Housing law, and launching the planning process which led to the release of New York City’s Where We Live NYC Plan, the City’s blueprint to break down barriers to opportunity and build more integrated, equitable neighborhoods. In addition, he has advanced and delivered transformational projects that strengthened the city’s housing stock and central business districts and increased public access to the waterfront. David serves on the Board of Directors for the Regional Plan Association. He holds a BS in Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Urban Planning from NYU Wagner where he also serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor. He lives in the Bronx with his husband and their rescue dog, Rosie.

    Speaker

    Richard Gollis

    Principal, The Concord Group, LLC

    Richard M. Gollis is a co-Founder and Principal of The Concord Group based in the Newport Beach office. The firm also has offices in San Francisco, New York and Atlanta. As a founding partner, Richard has crafted and cultivated the firm’s unique approach to advisory services, integrating deep market knowledge with creative analytics to provide best-in-class solutions to a diverse range of clients. Richard’s expertise in strategic market analysis, development programming, transaction due diligence and valuation extends across all real estate asset classes. With a career in real estate spanning New England, Atlanta and Southern California, Richard offers an exceptional breadth of experience that makes him a trusted advisor to private- and public-sector clients alike. He works frequently with cities on solving complex development challenges in partnership with world-class developers and financial institutions. Across the country, Richard has led TCG teams on projects that have positively influenced infrastructure and development patterns including: new redevelopment in the urban core; redevelopment of suburban retail to mixed use; transit-oriented nodes and corridor development plans. Respected as a thought leader in real estate, Richard is often quoted in major publications and he is frequently sought after as a speaker at key industry events. Richard was elected a Trustee of the Urban Land Institute in 2012 and has been a Governor of the ULI Foundation since 2006. He is currently Chair of the Suburban Development and Redevelopment Product Council. Richard has served as Chair of the Community Development Council (two terms) and Juror for the Awards for Excellence and is Chair/Past Chair of the Orange County District Council. Richard serves on the Advisory Board of Jamboree Housing Corporation, a leading community development organization specializing in affordable housing. In addition, he is on the Leadership Board of the Department of Urban Plan

    Speaker

    Catherine Buell

    Head of Community Development, Amazon

    As Head of Community Development, Catherine Buell is responsible for long-term and innovative programs that address civic priorities in the communities where Amazon employees live and work. Catherine helped launch and oversees Amazon’s Housing Equity Fund, a more than $2 billion commitment to preserve and create over 20,000 affordable housing units in Washington State’s Puget Sound region; Arlington, Virginia; and Nashville, Tennessee—three communities where the company has or expects to have at least 5,000 employees each in the coming years. Amazon’s Housing Equity Fund will help preserve existing housing and help create inclusive housing developments through below-market loans and grants to housing partners, traditional and non-traditional public agencies, and minority-led organizations. Catherine previously served as the President and CEO of the Atlanta Housing Authority (d/b/a “Atlanta Housing” or “AH”) where led the agency’s strategic, financial and operational efforts by providing housing to more than 23,000 of Atlanta’s low-and extremely low-income households. While at Atlanta Housing, Catherine led the development of the agency’s five year plan, called “Vision 2022” (Live, Work, Thrive), aimed at increasing the number of households served, increasing investments in family self-sufficiency efforts and agency fiscal responsibility. During her tenure, she advanced major real estate efforts including partnerships with the Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. to develop affordable housing near the popular BeltLine and also work with Invest Atlanta to purchase the 19-acre Civic Center site in downtown Atlanta. She also served as Vice President of Policy and Programs for the Greater Washington Partnership, a first-of-its-kind civic alliance of CEOs in the Washington D.C. region, where she focused on a range of issues include regional housing policy issues. Prior to her time in Atlanta, Catherine served as the executive director of St. Elizabeth’s East, one of the District of Columbia’s largest mixed-use redevelopment projects. As a result of her tenure, St. Elizabeths East became home to the District’s Entertainment and Sports Arena which hosts the Washington Mystic’s performance arena and Wizards practice facility, the Residences at St. Elizabeths (a mixed-income multi-family housing development), the R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center and Gateway D.C. Ms. Buell also served as the Chair of the Washington D.C. Historic Preservation Review Board and earned a number of awards for her revitalization efforts – the Built by Women DC Award and Historic Preservation Review Board Chair’s Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation among them. Catherine also serves on a number of boards, including Community of Hope (DC), Greater Greater Washington and the Anacostia Coordinating Council. She started her career as an attorney with Patton Boggs LLP where she counseled institutional investors on real estate assets and private equity funds in the United States, South America, and Europe. She is a cum laude graduate of Spelman College and the Georgetown University Law Center.

    Speaker

    Cindy Chetti

    Senior Vice President for Government Affairs, National Multifamily Housing Council

    Cindy Vosper Chetti is Senior Vice President for Government Affairs, with responsibility for implementing strategy for all legislative and regulatory issues of interest to the National Multi Housing Council and National Apartment Association Joint Legislative Program. For the previous 10 years, Chetti was the lead housing policy expert for the House Financial Services Committee, working as a member of the Senior Professional Staff for the Committee’s Republicans. Prior to that, she served six years with the House Financial Services Committee's Financial Services and Consumer Credit subcommittee. Chetti began her career working for former Congresswoman Marge Roukema (R-NJ), rising from a legislative assistant to Chief of Staff. Chetti holds a B.S. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University.

    Speaker

    Ed Walter

    Global Chief Executive Officer, Urban Land Institute

    W. Edward (Ed) Walter, a widely renowned real estate industry leader and most recently the Steers Chair in Real Estate at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, is ULI's Global Chief Executive Officer. Walter brings to ULI more than 35 years of management experience in the real estate profession across a variety of disciplines including hotels, multifamily, and land development, with a strong emphasis on capital markets and investments. From 2007 through 2016, he served as Chief Executive Officer, President and Director of Host Hotels and Resorts, Inc., where he led a $19 billion-plus global lodging real estate investment trust (REIT) with a high-performing portfolio of more than 110 hotels around the world. Prior to becoming Host’s CEO, he served as the company’s Chief Financial Officer for more than four years and served in other executive roles at Host for seven years prior to being named the CFO. Walter’s service at Host overlapped with his four-year tenure at Georgetown, where he created and taught the Real Estate Public Equity course, which is designed to explore multiple aspects of REITs.

    Speaker

    Ethan Handelman

    Deputy Assistant Secretary - Office of Multifamily Housing Programs, HUD

    Ethan Handelman is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Multifamily Housing Programs at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He was appointed in February 2021 by the Biden-Harris Administration. The Office of Multifamily Housing Programs administers the Federal Housing Administration mortgage insurance program for multifamily properties and oversees more than 23,000 assisted properties, including affordable housing for the elderly and persons with disabilities. Approximately 2.6 million families find housing in the Multifamily’ s portfolio of 30,400 properties, which are found in every state and some U.S. territories―urban, suburban, and rural areas. Prior to joining HUD, Ethan was a Senior Policy Analyst at the Federal Housing Finance Agency in the Office of Housing and Community Investment, which oversees the affordable housing mission activities of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks. There he wrote the amendments to the housing goals for the Federal Home Loan Banks, worked on the Duty to Serve program, and other affordable housing policies. Prior to joining FHFA, he spent seven years as Vice President for Policy and Advocacy at the National Housing Conference (NHC), finishing his time as Acting CEO. While at NHC, Ethan directed the policy agenda aimed at ensuring affordable housing for all, led national working groups, spoke, and wrote extensively, and testified before Congress. Ethan also previously led the advisory practice at Recap Real Estate Advisors, assisting public and private-sector clients to understand and shape the affordable housing financial and policy environment. Ethan received his Master of Arts in International Relations from Harvard University and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from University of Michigan. He previously served as president of the board of Housing Unlimited, a nonprofit housing provider in Montgomery County, Maryland.

    Speaker

    Vincent Reina

    University of Pennsylvania Dept of City & Reg Planning

    Vincent Reina is an Assistant Professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning, and the Faculty Director of the Housing Initiative at Penn at the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on urban economics, low-income housing policy, household mobility, neighborhood change, and community and economic development. Reins has also engaged with the field of practice in various ways. In 2017 he helped the City of Philadelphia develop its framework and strategy for preserving its stock of existing subsidized housing, in 2018 worked with City of Philadelphia to write its first citywide housing plan, in 2019 worked with stakeholders in Cincinnati to develop a housing strategy, and is currently working with Cleveland to develop its 10-year housing plan. He holds a PhD in Public Policy and Management from USC, an MBA with a concentration in Economics and Real Estate Finance from NYU's Stern School of Business, an MSc in Comparative Social Policy from the University of Oxford, and a BS with honors in Urban Studies from Cornell University.

    Speaker

    Emily Bouton

    Development Coordinator, Beacon Communities

    Emily Bouton is a Development Director for Beacon Communities LLC and has been at Beacon for over ten years. She is responsible for managing development projects through their lifecycle, from planning, design and financing through construction and lease-up. She holds a B.A. from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor.

    Speaker

    Kimberly Vermeer

    President, Urban Habitat Initiatives Inc.

    Kimberly Vermeer, LEED AP Homes, is a multi-disciplinary green building and sustainability practitioner, with a special focus in the multifamily affordable housing sector. Through her company, Urban Habitat Initiatives Inc., she offers strategic consulting to community development corporations and other affordable housing developers to advance sustainability and climate resilience. Committed to delivering the benefits of green building to vulnerable populations, Kim works with teams to incorporate energy efficiency and renewable energy, water conservation, healthy housing and climate resilience into their projects. She directs project certification through LEED or Enterprise Green Communities rating systems, as well as the LEED for Neighborhood Development (ND) rating system for larger master-planned projects. Ms. Vermeer is co-author, with Walker Wells, of the forthcoming book Blueprint for Greening Affordable Housing, Revised Edition, published on July 2020. Ms. Vermeer is also an experienced teacher and educator, and was recently a Practitioner Scholar at UMass Boston, co-teaching an environmental science capstone course. She has also developed, planned and facilitated many professional education and peer learning events. Her background includes housing finance, policy and development. She also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Kingdom of Tonga. She received her bachelor’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Master in City and Regional Planning degree from the Harvard Kennedy School.

    Speaker

    Lorenzo Perez

    Principal & Co-Founder, Venue Projects

    Lorenzo Perez, is co-founder and directing principal of Venue Projects, an inspired redevelopment practice based in Phoenix, Arizona. Advocates for LOCAL community, culture and commerce, Venue crafts one of a kind environments and experiences throughout the Metro Phoenix market. A native Phoenician, Lorenzo holds a Bachelors Degree in Architecture from Arizona State University, an active Arizona real estate license, and has been working in the Valley real estate development industry over 25 years. A long time member of the Urban Land Institute, a sincere believer in design and context sensitive development, Lorenzo is often invited to share his passionate perspective on Venue’s artistic approach to developing human centric places. Notable redevelopment projects include The Newton (Formerly The Beefeater); The Orchard, The Windsor, The Alhambra (Mesa, AZ) and Arrive Hotel.

    Speaker

    Sonia Huntley

    Senior Vice President, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Urban Land Institute

    Sonia Huntley is an association industry veteran with nearly 30 years membership engagement, marketing, fundraising and customer service experience. Most recently she served as the Urban Land Institute’s Vice President for Global Customer Service where she was responsible for the deployment of global support across ULI’s three regions. In this role she led a high performing team who consistently exceeds service level targets including a 90% CSAT responsible for nearly 70,000 customer interactions annually. In 2020, she began co-leading ULI’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiative where she managed the efforts of the DEI staff taskforce of 70+ ULI team members. She also currently serves on the partnership working group for the DEI Council. Previously, Sonia worked for the Division of University Relations at the University of Maryland where she was Director of Membership and Marketing for the Alumni Association. At the University of Maryland she developed strategies leading to increased retention rates, 45% growth in membership, and executed the launch of the associations’ lifetime member recognition wall. During her tenure at the University she also worked for the Annual Fund where she served at the Director of Emerging Constituent Philanthropy responsible for DEI focused philanthropic engagement. She received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and an MBA from the University of Maryland Global Campus.

    Speaker

    Mark Oberholzer

    KTGY Architecture + Planning

    Context is everything. In cities like Los Angeles, context includes not just existing buildings and neighborhoods, but an emerging sense of urban identity and possibility. Mark Oberholzer’s strength is engaging with the context of client goals, zoning complexity, urban design, stakeholder influences, economic imperatives and design integrity to tease out extraordinary architectural solutions. Over the last five years, Mark has been at the forefront of KTGY’s expertise in innovative construction techniques – harnessing the design possibilities of modular construction, bearing steel stud systems and heavy timber. Mark sees construction technology as another part of the context of design, bringing a conviction that collaboration, imagination, hard work and a sense of humor are the best tools to reaching the goal of better design.

    Speaker

    Mark Angelini

    President, Mercy Housing Lakefront

    Mark Angelini is the President of Mercy Housing Lakefront (MHL), one of the largest and most innovative community development organizations in the Midwest. MHL has developed, owns and operates 52 properties in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana, providing more than 9,000 people per year with service-enriched affordable and supportive housing. Residents include low-income individuals and families, seniors, veterans and the chronically homeless. Mark has more than 30 years of experience in economic, community and real estate development, including predevelopment project planning, property disposition, developer negotiation and development management. Mark’s efforts in public, private and non-profit firms and institutions have revitalized numerous communities in Chicago, its suburbs, downstate Illinois and in Milwaukee. Mark serves on the Lending Board of Cinnaire and is member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago's Community Investment Advisory Council.

    Speaker

    Mary Jane Jagodzinski

    Senior Vice President - Housing and Real Estate Development, Community HousingWorks

    Ms. Jagodzinski heads the 20-person Housing and Real Estate Development department of non-profit Community HousingWorks. At CHW, headquartered in San Diego, she has developed or supervised construction of over 2,000 affordable apartments throughout California, with a total project cost of approximately $600 million, and a pipeline of 1,400 apartments. While at CHW, Ms. Jagodzinski has led developments that have been nationally recognized for innovation in sustainability, design and finance, including receipt of a ULI 2008 Award of Excellence –The Americas and a Novogradac Journal of Tax Credits Award for Innovative HUD Finance. Prior to CHW, Ms. Jagodzinski’s experience included: regional head of a national developer’s commercial development group where, in joint ventures with an institutional investor she developed over 500,000 sf of retail, office, hotel and mixed-use projects; Vice President of a national engineering/environmental firm providing advisory services to the financial and investment industries; and, entitlement consultant for several large master plan developments. Previously, she held senior positions with the State of California including: the first Executive Director of the California Debt Limit Allocation Committee (CDLAC); and, Principal at Assembly Ways and Means Committee, as fiscal committee expert on taxation and housing. Mary Jane Jagodzinski received her Bachelor of Arts from CSU Sacramento, and her Master in Business Administration from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. She has presented nationally on sustainable affordable housing, including at the ULI Shaw Forum. She served as a member of the Board of Directors of the San Diego Housing Federation (2011-2017, President, 2014-16), and as an invited member of the California Energy Commission’s Affordable Housing Advisory Committee for the New Solar Homes Partnership.

    Speaker

    Vicki Davis

    President, Urban Atlantic

    Vicki Davis is responsible for managing the acquisition, planning, design, and implementation of all Urban Atlantic projects, and asset management of properties that the company owns and its Mid-City Community CDE investment portfolio. With over 30 years of experience in real estate development, she formerly served as Deputy Director of the Maryland Housing Fund and Maryland DHCD -Division of Credit Assurance. Her experience also includes portfolio management for MNC Financial-South Charles Realty and multifamily development for Trammell Crow Residential. As the principal with oversight for development and asset management for Urban Atlantic, Ms. Davis has managed development of over $2 billion in real estate projects and overseen a portfolio of over $5 billion in real estate investments. She has developed over 8,800 multifamily residential units and 934,000 commercial square feet for Urban Atlantic, including 11 large-scale public-private redevelopments and Transit Oriented Development for local jurisdictions, transit authorities and public housing authorities in Virginia, Washington, DC, Maryland, Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey and Tennessee. Ms. Davis holds a MBA in Finance from American University, an MS in Engineering & Construction Management from University of Texas, and a BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Maryland. She taught for 12 years in the Johns Hopkins Real Estate MBA program and is a LEED AP. She serves on the Boards of the Building Industry Association, Capitol Riverfront Business Improvement District (BID), ULI Terwilliger, and CulturalDC.

    Speaker

    Catherine Buell

    Head of Community Development, Amazon

    As Head of Community Development, Catherine Buell is responsible for long-term and innovative programs that address civic priorities in the communities where Amazon employees live and work. Catherine helped launch and oversees Amazon’s Housing Equity Fund, a more than $2 billion commitment to preserve and create over 20,000 affordable housing units in Washington State’s Puget Sound region; Arlington, Virginia; and Nashville, Tennessee—three communities where the company has or expects to have at least 5,000 employees each in the coming years. Amazon’s Housing Equity Fund will help preserve existing housing and help create inclusive housing developments through below-market loans and grants to housing partners, traditional and non-traditional public agencies, and minority-led organizations. Catherine previously served as the President and CEO of the Atlanta Housing Authority (d/b/a “Atlanta Housing” or “AH”) where led the agency’s strategic, financial and operational efforts by providing housing to more than 23,000 of Atlanta’s low-and extremely low-income households. While at Atlanta Housing, Catherine led the development of the agency’s five year plan, called “Vision 2022” (Live, Work, Thrive), aimed at increasing the number of households served, increasing investments in family self-sufficiency efforts and agency fiscal responsibility. During her tenure, she advanced major real estate efforts including partnerships with the Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. to develop affordable housing near the popular BeltLine and also work with Invest Atlanta to purchase the 19-acre Civic Center site in downtown Atlanta. She also served as Vice President of Policy and Programs for the Greater Washington Partnership, a first-of-its-kind civic alliance of CEOs in the Washington D.C. region, where she focused on a range of issues include regional housing policy issues. Prior to her time in Atlanta, Catherine served as the executive director of St. Elizabeth’s East, one of the District of Columbia’s largest mixed-use redevelopment projects. As a result of her tenure, St. Elizabeths East became home to the District’s Entertainment and Sports Arena which hosts the Washington Mystic’s performance arena and Wizards practice facility, the Residences at St. Elizabeths (a mixed-income multi-family housing development), the R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center and Gateway D.C. Ms. Buell also served as the Chair of the Washington D.C. Historic Preservation Review Board and earned a number of awards for her revitalization efforts – the Built by Women DC Award and Historic Preservation Review Board Chair’s Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation among them. Catherine also serves on a number of boards, including Community of Hope (DC), Greater Greater Washington and the Anacostia Coordinating Council. She started her career as an attorney with Patton Boggs LLP where she counseled institutional investors on real estate assets and private equity funds in the United States, South America, and Europe. She is a cum laude graduate of Spelman College and the Georgetown University Law Center.

    Speaker

    AZ Abiud

    Chairman, Acumen Companies

    As a serial entrepreneur, AZ began his entrepreneurial career at the age of seventeen. While in college he began a property management company master leasing from landlords and subletting to students. The success of this business led him to his first million dollars in revenue before the age of twenty-one. Since his first venture at age seventeen, AZ has been able to start multiple successful businesses and has received a couple of recognitions. In 2013 his development company, UIG, was named one of the five fastest-growing real estate firms in DC by Inc. Magazine, a phenomenal feat for any young entrepreneur. In 2015, Blackbusiness.org, an independent non-profit organization, named AZ’s company as a top 5 Black-owned company on its “Fastest-Growing Companies in America” list. In 2016 AZ’s new venture, Acumen Capital, ranked number two on INC. 5000 fastest-growing companies in DC. In the same year, Inc. Magazine once again named AZ, first place in the top 10 fastest-growing companies led by an African-American nationwide. AZ has now taken the number one place from his previous number four place held in 2013, while he was CEO of Urban Investment Group. In 2017, the DC Chamber named him Young Entrepreneur of the Year. As principal of Acumen, AZ led the company to 7th place on Washington Business Journal list of DC's 50 fastest-growing companies of 2017. In 2018, Washington Business Journal listed AZ, as Chairman of Acumen Companies, as a 40 Under 40 Honoree. Also in 2018, under AZ’s leadership, Washington Business Journal listed Acumen Companies as one of the region's fastest growing companies for the second year in a row. In 2019, New York City's The Network Journal listed AZ, Chairman of Acumen Companies, as a 40 Under 40 Honoree.

    Speaker

    Sasha Forbes

    Natural Resources Defense Council

    Sasha Forbes is the Director of Community Collaboration and Policy in the Healthy People and Thriving Communities (HPTC) program and the Policy Lead in the Strong Prosperous and Resilient Communities (SPARCC) initiative. Sasha works with community partners to accelerate community-led development that centers racial equity, builds a culture of health, and prepares for a changing climate with a focus on affordable housing, parks and open space, a restorative economy and transit. Sasha holds a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Florida. She is based in Lauderhill, Florida.

    Speaker

    Mary Jane Jagodzinski

    Senior Vice President - Housing and Real Estate Development, Community HousingWorks

    Ms. Jagodzinski heads the 20-person Housing and Real Estate Development department of non-profit Community HousingWorks. At CHW, headquartered in San Diego, she has developed or supervised construction of over 2,000 affordable apartments throughout California, with a total project cost of approximately $600 million, and a pipeline of 1,400 apartments. While at CHW, Ms. Jagodzinski has led developments that have been nationally recognized for innovation in sustainability, design and finance, including receipt of a ULI 2008 Award of Excellence –The Americas and a Novogradac Journal of Tax Credits Award for Innovative HUD Finance. Prior to CHW, Ms. Jagodzinski’s experience included: regional head of a national developer’s commercial development group where, in joint ventures with an institutional investor she developed over 500,000 sf of retail, office, hotel and mixed-use projects; Vice President of a national engineering/environmental firm providing advisory services to the financial and investment industries; and, entitlement consultant for several large master plan developments. Previously, she held senior positions with the State of California including: the first Executive Director of the California Debt Limit Allocation Committee (CDLAC); and, Principal at Assembly Ways and Means Committee, as fiscal committee expert on taxation and housing. Mary Jane Jagodzinski received her Bachelor of Arts from CSU Sacramento, and her Master in Business Administration from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. She has presented nationally on sustainable affordable housing, including at the ULI Shaw Forum. She served as a member of the Board of Directors of the San Diego Housing Federation (2011-2017, President, 2014-16), and as an invited member of the California Energy Commission’s Affordable Housing Advisory Committee for the New Solar Homes Partnership.

    Speaker

    David Brickman

    Former CEO, Freddie Mac,

    Up through January of this year, David Brickman was Chief Executive Officer of Freddie Mac, one of the largest providers of mortgage financing in the U.S. Prior to that he was President. He also served as a member of the company’s Board of Directors. During his tenure he led the 2+ trillion-dollar company through a period of significant growth, change, and disruption as a result of the COVID crisis and associated recession. Brickman spent most of his career at Freddie Mac working in and leading the Multifamily business, where he presided over a remarkable period of growth – raising annual production from $16 billion in 2010 to almost $80 billion in 2018. He also established the company's flagship K-Deal securitization program as one of the leading securitized products in the structured finance markets. Brickman also drove significant innovation and an expansion in Freddie Mac's products and offerings – particularly those serving the growing need for affordable and workforce housing. Brickman completed all doctoral coursework for the Ph.D. program in economics and real estate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He holds a master's degree in public policy from Harvard University and a bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He has also served as a Professorial Lecturer at George Washington University and an Adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University.

    Speaker

    Emily Dowdall

    Policy Director, Policy Solutions, Reinvestment Fund

    Ms. Dowdall is Policy Director for Reinvestment Fund’s Policy Solutions group. She helps clients apply research results in making data-driven programming and investment decisions. Recent projects include the development of neighborhood investment strategies for Pittsburgh and Indianapolis, residential market studies in New Orleans and Denton, TX, and research on unsubsidized affordable housing in legacy cities. She is facilitating a multiyear, mixed-method analysis of evictions in Philadelphia that is designed to yield changes in process, resource allocation, and outcomes. Ms. Dowdall also teaches courses in the City Planning and Urban Studies programs at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to Reinvestment Fund, she led research efforts on critical issues facing Philadelphia and other cities for the Pew Charitable Trusts, producing major reports on topics including gentrification, property taxes, and school building closures and reuse. She has a Master of City Planning degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in Metropolitan Studies from New York University.

    Speaker

    Arlan Collins

    CEO, Sustainable Living Innovations

    Arlan has been CEO of Sustainable Living Innovations (SLI) for the past 5 years. He is recognized within the construction industry as an innovator in his approach to client services and in managing the regulatory and community review process. He has successfully represented many Northwest clients in public hearings for environmental rulings, rezones, variances and building code negotiations and is a regular speaker and panels/symposia participant on the advantages of a holistic outlook on real estate opportunities and the economics required for implementation.

    Speaker

    Ron Terwilliger

    Chairman, Terwilliger Pappas Multifamily Partners

    Ron Terwilliger is Chairman of the ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing, which focuses on workforce, and affordable housing, furthering the development of mixed-income communities with a range of housing options. He also serves as Chairman of the Enterprise Community Partners Board of Trustees. Ron is additionally past Chairman of the International Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity and currently chairs Habitat’s Global Development Council. He is Chairman Emeritus of Trammell Crow Residential Company, a national residential real estate company and the largest developer of multifamily housing in the U.S. for several decades during his tenure as CEO. Ron is an honor graduate of the United States Naval Academy. After serving five years in the Navy, he received his MBA degree with High Distinction from the Harvard Graduate School of Business where he was elected a Baker Scholar. Ron is past Chairman of the Urban Land Institute and currently serves as a Trustee. He is also Chairman Emeritus of the Wharton Real Estate Center. Ron serves as on the board of I Have a Dream Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to educating low-income children. Ron serves on the boards of the U. S. Naval Academy Foundation, the Urban Institute and Horatio Alger Association. Ron’s philanthropic contributions include a $5 million gift to establish the ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing. Ron’s $5 million gift to the Enterprise Foundation created the Enterprise Terwilliger Fund – targeted to create 2,000 affordable homes annually. Ron also made a $5 million gift to Enterprise and the Urban Institute to provide Resident Services to low income families. He has pledged and contributed more than $50 million to the U.S. Naval Academy. His $100 million legacy gift to Habitat for Humanity International will help 60,000 families access improved housing conditions. Ron is prepaying $15 million of that gift to create the Terwilliger Center for Innovation and Shelter to bring market-based solutions to low income families worldwide to improve their housing conditions. Ron was inducted into the National Association of Homebuilder’s Hall of Fame in 2008. In 2009, Ron was honored by the National Housing Conference with the Housing Leader of the Year Award. Ron was honored in 2009 by the United States Naval Academy as a Distinguished Graduate for his lifetime commitment to service, personal character and distinguished contributions to our nation. In 2012, Ron was honored with the National Patriotism Award by the National Foundation of Patriotism. Ron was the recipient of the 2013 ULI J.C. Nichols Prize for Visionaries in Urban Development. Ron was also selected for the Prestigious Horatio Alger Award – Class of 2014, bestowed upon individuals who have succeeded in spite of adversity and who are committed to supporting young people in pursuit of increased opportunities through higher education. Ron received the 2017 Edward W. Brooke Housing Leadership Award for his outstanding contributions to elevating the national discussion on rebalancing federal housing policy to better serve the needs of low-income households.

    Speaker

    Tony Pickett

    Grounded Solutions Network

    Tony Pickett is the Chief Executive Officer of Grounded Solutions Network, a national nonprofit organization with over 200 members. Working together with local community leaders, Grounded Solutions advances its mission to cultivate communities — equitable, inclusive and rich in opportunity — by implementing affordable housing solutions that last for generations. Tony’s over 35 years of professional community development experience includes successful permanently affordable shared equity housing development and thought leadership; promoting inclusive housing policies and expanding the use of community land trusts for racial equity impact. Tony’s prior experience includes his role as the Senior V.P. of Master Site Development for the Denver, Colorado based Urban Land Conservancy. His accomplishments there are collectively described by collaborators as innovative - thinking about and achieving equitable outcomes in a comprehensive and cross-disciplinary manner. Under Tony’s leadership Grounded Solutions has launched multiple successful national programmatic initiatives, including a multi-city land bank/land trust partnership (“Catalytic Land Cohort”), an inclusive policy focused multi-city cohort (“ForEveryoneHome”) and an exciting 10-year expansion vision for “Lasting Affordability in Housing Now” to achieve 1 million homes. Tony contributes his time and expertise to support the national nonprofit boards of the Up for Growth Coalition, Center for CLT Innovation and Vermont Energy Investment Corporation. He is also a founding member of the national community development sector CEOs of Color Circle. Tony is a graduate of the Cornell University School of Architecture, Art and Planning and a strong advocate for holistic and equitable community development initiatives.

    Speaker

    Meegan Denenberg

    Co-founder, Little Giant Creative

    Meegan Denenberg is the co-founder of Pipeline Philly and Meta Global LLC, parent company to Little Giant Creative, with over 20 years of strategic branding, creative communications and agency experience. She is the driving force and creative oversight behind all of LGC’s client work and Creative Cities Lab, an organization committed to racial and socioeconomic equity as cities invert and demographics shift, via programs that include Institute of Hip Hop Entrepreneurship and A Dream Deferred. Meegan co-created Women Led Cities, an initiative for women of all urban fields to come together and share ideas, tactics, and a unified vision towards equitable city development and planning. LGC is a partner of S&R Holdings, a real estate initiative that focuses on properties in emerging neighborhoods that nurtures public engagement and local communities.

    Speaker

    David Garcia

    Policy Director, Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley

    David Garcia is the Policy Director for the Terner Center. He leads the Terner Center’s engagement in local, state and federal housing policy and supports the generation of research-driven policy ideas, proposals, and papers. Prior to joining Terner Center, David worked in real estate development in Stockton, California, and prior to that, worked as a research analyst with the Government Accountability Office in Washington, DC.

    Speaker

    Deb Bilek

    Vice President, Advisory Services, Urban Land Institute

    Deborah Kerson Bilek is the Vice President of Advisory Services at the Urban Land Institute. In this capacity, Deb oversees the daily operations of ULI’s $3.5 million Advisory Services Program (ASP), a signature initiative that empowers ULI members to offer solutions to challenging issues in communities around the world. If you were to ask Deb to describe her job, she would say, “I put people in rooms and make them talk to each other.” Deb is passionate about building community, and her work centers on facilitating multisector collaboration to achieve a common purpose. She facilitates groups and individuals with different interests around issues of importance to the economic competitiveness of the Metropolitan Region. Most recently, the programs she manages touch on issues related to economic development, equity of opportunity, housing affordability, and transportation. Prior to joining the advisory services team, Deb was the Senior Director of Community Outreach at ULI Washington, a district council of the Urban Land Institute. Before ULI, Deb worked as a planner with the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, where she served as professional staff to the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board and managed leadership development programs for citizens. Deb began her career as a Presidential Management Fellow with the U.S. Federal Transit Administration, where she also had the opportunity to serve as staff to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations. Deb holds an Executive Certificate in Facilitation from Georgetown University. She earned her Masters degree in Public Administration from New York University, and her an undergraduate degree in Anthropology from Washington University in St. Louis. She resides in Silver Spring, Maryland, with her husband and two young kids.

    Speaker

    Ethan Handelman

    Deputy Assistant Secretary - Office of Multifamily Housing Programs, HUD

    Ethan Handelman is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Multifamily Housing Programs at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He was appointed in February 2021 by the Biden-Harris Administration. The Office of Multifamily Housing Programs administers the Federal Housing Administration mortgage insurance program for multifamily properties and oversees more than 23,000 assisted properties, including affordable housing for the elderly and persons with disabilities. Approximately 2.6 million families find housing in the Multifamily’ s portfolio of 30,400 properties, which are found in every state and some U.S. territories―urban, suburban, and rural areas. Prior to joining HUD, Ethan was a Senior Policy Analyst at the Federal Housing Finance Agency in the Office of Housing and Community Investment, which oversees the affordable housing mission activities of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks. There he wrote the amendments to the housing goals for the Federal Home Loan Banks, worked on the Duty to Serve program, and other affordable housing policies. Prior to joining FHFA, he spent seven years as Vice President for Policy and Advocacy at the National Housing Conference (NHC), finishing his time as Acting CEO. While at NHC, Ethan directed the policy agenda aimed at ensuring affordable housing for all, led national working groups, spoke, and wrote extensively, and testified before Congress. Ethan also previously led the advisory practice at Recap Real Estate Advisors, assisting public and private-sector clients to understand and shape the affordable housing financial and policy environment. Ethan received his Master of Arts in International Relations from Harvard University and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from University of Michigan. He previously served as president of the board of Housing Unlimited, a nonprofit housing provider in Montgomery County, Maryland.

    Speaker

    Ed Walter

    Global Chief Executive Officer, Urban Land Institute

    W. Edward (Ed) Walter, a widely renowned real estate industry leader and most recently the Steers Chair in Real Estate at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, is ULI's Global Chief Executive Officer. Walter brings to ULI more than 35 years of management experience in the real estate profession across a variety of disciplines including hotels, multifamily, and land development, with a strong emphasis on capital markets and investments. From 2007 through 2016, he served as Chief Executive Officer, President and Director of Host Hotels and Resorts, Inc., where he led a $19 billion-plus global lodging real estate investment trust (REIT) with a high-performing portfolio of more than 110 hotels around the world. Prior to becoming Host’s CEO, he served as the company’s Chief Financial Officer for more than four years and served in other executive roles at Host for seven years prior to being named the CFO. Walter’s service at Host overlapped with his four-year tenure at Georgetown, where he created and taught the Real Estate Public Equity course, which is designed to explore multiple aspects of REITs.

    Speaker

    William Miller

    Principal, Dwell Design Studio

    Ryan Miller received his Masters of Architecture from Clemson University and is a registered Architect in Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. A Principal and Director of our Retail and Mixed-Use Studio, Ryan has more than 25 years of experience in various project types with an emphasis on the design of retail in projects, both renovation and new construction, from single-tenant upfits to large mixed-use developments with an emphasis on the authenticity of the project and placemaking. He also has significant experience in multifamily housing which makes him an important asset to the mixed-use experience of our firm. He is well versed in all aspects of design, planning and building coordination issues, and focuses on listening and helping clients envision possible projects from inception to completion in the model of the “Renaissance Architect”.

    Speaker

    Paige Mueller

    Managing Director, Eigen10 Advisors, LLC

    Paige Mueller is a co-founder of Eigen 10 Advisors, LLC which provides real estate consulting services in the areas of market and investment analyses, capital formation, investor communications, asset and partner due diligence, portfolio strategy, research and data analytics. She has more than 30 years of experience working with both LPs and GPs, including the creation of a pension consulting practice that approved $2.5 billion of equity placements in multiple property and vehicle types from 2012 to 2015. She led investment strategy and research for the Americas at GIC Real Estate, one of the largest global sovereign wealth firms, and was previously at LaSalle Investment Management, providing support for investment, brokerage, REIT, site selection and knowledge management teams. She has published multiple research studies on the US housing and student housing markets. She graduated with an MBA in Finance from Indiana University, taught at the U.C. Berkeley Real Estate Development & Design graduate program, has developed and taught courses at the NCREIF Academy and is recognized as a CRE and Hoyt Fellow.

    Speaker

    Payton Chung

    Managing partner, Westover Green

    Payton Chung is a housing developer and author who writes about the inter-related crafts that build cities – architecture, development, finance, landscape, planning, and transportation. He has written for the Urban Land Institute, Greater Greater Washington, the American Institute of Architects, Streetsblog USA, the Congress for the New Urbanism, the Metropolitan Planning Council (Chicago), and the Real Estate Research Corporation. He is also working on building environmentally responsible, moderately priced homes in the southeastern US. He studied environmental policy at the University of Chicago and urban planning at Virginia Tech, is a LEED Accredited Professional in Neighborhood Development and a member of the Congress for the New Urbanism. He sees the promises and perils of planning every day as a resident of the Southwest Urban Renewal Area in Washington, DC.

    Speaker

    Kendyl Larson

    Director, Research and Planning, Polk County Housing Trust Fund

    Kendyl Larson is the Director of Research and Planning for the Polk County Housing Trust Fund. Her role focuses on providing research, writing and design services to help educate and advocate for housing affordability. She also assists the Supportive Services Committee with the review and selection process for annual grants that provide homeowners with case management, financial education and workforce preparation. Kendyl monitors and reports the outcomes of the programs and provides additional support to help achieve outstanding results. Kendyl’s research work is focused on the Undesign the Redline: DSM project studying the impact and legacy of redlining in the Des Moines Metro. She works with staff at PCHTF and other community members to understand the best way the Des Moines community can equitably move forward to mitigate past injustices. Kendyl earned a master’s degree in City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning from Iowa State University with a focus on social justice and equity planning, and her bachelor’s degree from Gustavus Adolphus College with a degree in History and a minor in Sociology/Anthropology. While at Gustavus she was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa honor society, was a member of the women’s soccer team, the St. Lucia Choir, and graduated Magna Cum Laude. Throughout her academic career she has spent time researching equity issues. Her undergraduate thesis examined how the Fair Housing Act of 1968 did not remove housing discrimination in Hennepin County, MN and how today there are still many cases of discrimination. Her master’s project, The Legacy of Redlining and Segregation in Des Moines, examines how race continues to play a role in the development and redevelopment of Des Moines. In 2019 the American Planning Association named her Outstanding Graduate Student of the Year from Iowa State University.

    Speaker

    Charles McNally

    Director of External Affairs, Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy

    Charles McNally is Director of External Affairs at the NYU Furman Center. Previously, he served as a Public Affairs Officer and Special Assistant in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s New York Regional Office. Before joining HUD, Charles practiced Community Development in Togo and Madagascar as a Peace Corps Volunteer. He has a Master’s in Public Administration from Rutgers University-Camden.

    Speaker

    Anne McCulloch

    President and CEO, Housing Partnership Equity Trust

    Anne Segrest McCulloch leads Housing Partnership Equity Trust, a social purpose apartment REIT founded and owned by nonprofit affordable housing developers, with investments from leading foundations and institutional and impact investors, to acquire and preserve affordable housing. In this role, she is responsible for all aspects of its P&L, including developing and leading HPET’s acquisition and investment strategy, managing its asset portfolio and engaging with investors. Anne previously served as Fannie Mae’s SVP for Credit and Housing Access, leading efforts to expand lending in emerging multicultural markets and improve borrower access to mortgage credit and affordable housing. She also served as divisional general counsel for Fannie Mae’s apartment finance business, with responsibility for a $200B debt and equity portfolio. She also served as Chief of Staff to the Chairman and the CEO and as a member of the company’s senior management committee as the company successfully completed the largest-ever public company restatement, while responding to the housing and humanitarian crisis along the Gulf Coast created by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Anne has served in a range of public sector leadership roles, with HUD, the FDIC, and the RTC. Anne is Chair of the board of governors of the National Housing Conference and is a member of the NAREIT (National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts) Advisory Board of Governors, the Fannie Mae Affordable Housing Advisory Council, and the board of directors of the National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders. She previously served as a member of the advisory boards of the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, the Moelis Institute for Affordable Housing Policy at New York University, NCB CDC, the Tulane Fund, and VOANS CDE Inc. She has been honored as one of the Washington-area’s leading business- women by Washington Business Journal and as a Woman of Influence by Housing Wire. Admitted to the District of Columbia and Louisiana Bars, she earned her Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Arts degrees from Tulane University.

    Speaker

    Adam Ducker

    Chief Executive Officer, RCLCO

    Adam Ducker is Chief Executive Officer of RCLCO and oversees the firm’s Real Estate Economics and Management Consulting Practices. Adam joined RCLCO in the mid-1990s as an associate directly after graduate school and learned the trade with the firm. He is a recognized expert in strategic planning for real estate companies, investment analysis, market and financial analysis, and marketing of real estate assets. He has particular depth of expertise in high-density housing, retail/entertainment, and hotel development. Adam is a member of the Executive Committee of RCLCO, which manages shared resources and oversees overall company strategy. He also sits on the board of the RCLCO Foundation. Adam is a frequent speaker on topics ranging from place-making, urban redevelopment, retail trends, and in-town housing. His writing has been widely published and quoted in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Urban Land, Real Assets, among others. He is an active member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), vice chair of the Redevelopment and Reuse Council, and a board member of the Terwilliger Center for Housing. A native of the New York metropolitan area, Adam received Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Columbia University.

    Speaker

    Catherine Buell

    Head of Community Development, Amazon

    As Head of Community Development, Catherine Buell is responsible for long-term and innovative programs that address civic priorities in the communities where Amazon employees live and work. Catherine helped launch and oversees Amazon’s Housing Equity Fund, a more than $2 billion commitment to preserve and create over 20,000 affordable housing units in Washington State’s Puget Sound region; Arlington, Virginia; and Nashville, Tennessee—three communities where the company has or expects to have at least 5,000 employees each in the coming years. Amazon’s Housing Equity Fund will help preserve existing housing and help create inclusive housing developments through below-market loans and grants to housing partners, traditional and non-traditional public agencies, and minority-led organizations. Catherine previously served as the President and CEO of the Atlanta Housing Authority (d/b/a “Atlanta Housing” or “AH”) where led the agency’s strategic, financial and operational efforts by providing housing to more than 23,000 of Atlanta’s low-and extremely low-income households. While at Atlanta Housing, Catherine led the development of the agency’s five year plan, called “Vision 2022” (Live, Work, Thrive), aimed at increasing the number of households served, increasing investments in family self-sufficiency efforts and agency fiscal responsibility. During her tenure, she advanced major real estate efforts including partnerships with the Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. to develop affordable housing near the popular BeltLine and also work with Invest Atlanta to purchase the 19-acre Civic Center site in downtown Atlanta. She also served as Vice President of Policy and Programs for the Greater Washington Partnership, a first-of-its-kind civic alliance of CEOs in the Washington D.C. region, where she focused on a range of issues include regional housing policy issues. Prior to her time in Atlanta, Catherine served as the executive director of St. Elizabeth’s East, one of the District of Columbia’s largest mixed-use redevelopment projects. As a result of her tenure, St. Elizabeths East became home to the District’s Entertainment and Sports Arena which hosts the Washington Mystic’s performance arena and Wizards practice facility, the Residences at St. Elizabeths (a mixed-income multi-family housing development), the R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center and Gateway D.C. Ms. Buell also served as the Chair of the Washington D.C. Historic Preservation Review Board and earned a number of awards for her revitalization efforts – the Built by Women DC Award and Historic Preservation Review Board Chair’s Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation among them. Catherine also serves on a number of boards, including Community of Hope (DC), Greater Greater Washington and the Anacostia Coordinating Council. She started her career as an attorney with Patton Boggs LLP where she counseled institutional investors on real estate assets and private equity funds in the United States, South America, and Europe. She is a cum laude graduate of Spelman College and the Georgetown University Law Center.

    Speaker

    Max Levine

    Co-Founder & CEO, Nico

    Max is co-founder and CEO of Nico, the Neighborhood Investment Company. Nico has pioneered a new model for community wealth and is the sponsor of Nico Echo Park, Benefit Corp., the world’s first Neighborhood REIT. Max has worked in real estate investment and the hospitality industries for 15 years, including as CFO of Storage Deluxe and a principal of Mile End Delicatessen in Brooklyn. Max enjoys exploring neighborhoods, spending time with his family, and cooking. He is a renter and lives in Silver Lake with his wife Kari, son Oliver, and dogs Bako and Remy.

    Speaker

    Matthew Putterman

    Associate Director, JLW

    Matthew is a Senior Director in the Houston office of JLL Capital Markets, Americas. He joined JLL as part of the HFF acquisition and has nine years of experience in real estate capital markets. He has successfully completed capitalizations on a range of commercial property types, including multi-housing, single family rental portfolios, office, retail, mixed-use, and industrial. Matthew is primarily responsible for originating debt and equity placement transactions. During his tenure at HFF, he completed in excess of $3.5 billion of real estate capitalizations. Prior to joining HFF in July 2011, Matthew worked as a real estate leasing and sales agent for Austin City Realty, LLC.

    Speaker

    Dawnita Wilson

    VP, Diversity & Inclusion, JBG SMITH

    Dawnita Wilson currently serves as the Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion for JBG SMITH, an S&P 400 company that owns, operates, invests in, and develops a dynamic portfolio of high-quality mixed-use properties in and around the Washington, DC metro area. Dawnita joined JBG SMITH in late 2019, bringing close to15 years of strategic Diversity and Inclusion expertise, having led Diversity and Inclusion efforts globally and regionally, for Fortune 500 companies and others such as Sodexo, Highmark and UPMC (the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center). Since joining JBG SMITH, Dawnita has successfully developed and executed a comprehensive, multi-year Diversity and Inclusion strategy, focused on sustainable cultural and behavioral change. With a focus on 5 strategic pillars, the transformational framework has been a catalyst for advancing Diversity and Inclusion at JBG SMITH. From building competency and driving accountability, to implementing more inclusive systems, practices and processes, Dawnita is committed to breaking down exclusive structural barriers, creating equity, and changing the narrative around Diversity and Inclusion in the Real Estate industry. In addition, Dawnita has created various programs and initiatives designed to engage and connect employees internally, while building and fostering D&I partnerships externally. Her leadership has led to the launch of the JBG SMITH Inclusion Community, an inaugural formal Mentoring program called “The Lion’s Guild”, and their first D&I newsletter, the JBG SMITH “Community Connection”, just to name a few. As a thought leader and strategic business partner, Dawnita also serves as a trusted advisor to c-suite executives, operational leaders and board members. She holds a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management from La Roche University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Administration of Justice from the University of Pittsburgh. She has maintained her Professional in Human Resources (PHR) Certification since June of 2006.

    Speaker

    Jeremie Greer

    Co-Founder/Co-Executive Director, Liberation in a Generation

    Jeremie Greer has dedicated his life and career to the advancement of racial and economic justice. Growing up in the historically Black Rondo Neighborhood, in St. Paul, Minnesota, he has always been attuned to the intersection between race and economics. He began his career in the Columbia Heights and Shaw neighborhoods in Washington, DC, organizing youth and tenants to fight back against the economic forces rapidly gentrifying that community. Working at the national level in the federal government’s premier policy agency, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and at two national non-profits, the Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC) and Prosperity Now (formerly CFED), he has become a national policy expert on the causes and the policy solutions to close racial wealth gap. Jeremie has a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from the University of St. Thomas, a Master’s in Public Policy from George Mason University, and is currently working on an Executive Education Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from Harvard University’s Kennedy School. Jeremie is also a Soros Equality Fellow.

    Speaker

    Paula Munger

    AVP, Industry Research & Analysis, National Apartment Association

    Paula Munger is the AVP of Industry Research and Analysis for the National Apartment Association and is responsible for leading research efforts on topics of importance to the industry. She gathers, analyzes and synthesizes data and information to arrive at the most meaningful and relevant insights. Paula’s research aids NAA members in their business initiatives, as well as NAA advocacy and public relations efforts. Her background includes positions at the Federal Reserve System, Cushman & Wakefield, the University of New Orleans Real Estate Research Center and the New York City Office of Management and Budget. Paula is a member of the National Association for Business Economics, The Counselors of Real Estate® and the Urban Land Institute, where she served on the Housing Initiative Council for the Washington, D.C. chapter.

    Speaker

    Kimberly Driggins

    Executive Director, Washington Housing Conservancy

    Kimberly Driggins is the Executive Director of the Washington Housing Conservancy (WHC). Launched in 2018, WHC preserves affordable and workforce housing, prevents displacement, and promotes economic mobility, especially for low- and moderate-income African Americans and other people of color. WHC is committed to creating thriving, inclusive, mixed-income communities throughout the D.C. region. Ms. Driggins has an extensive background in urban planning and real estate development and prior to her appointment at WHC, she served as Director of Strategic Planning/Arts and Culture for the City of Detroit’s Planning and Development Department. Ms. Driggins also served as Associate Director of Citywide Planning for the District of Columbia’s Office of Planning from 2008-2015. Ms. Driggins is a nationally recognized expert in urban placemaking and has creative placemaking projects in both Detroit and Washington, DC. She currently serves on the boards of Project for Public Spaces, PennPraxis, and was Board Chairperson for Gehl Institute 2017-2019. She has a BA degree from Hampton University, an MPP from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. Ms. Driggins was awarded the prestigious Loeb Fellowship from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design in 2015.

    Speaker

    Daryl Carter

    Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Avanath Capital Management

    Daryl J. Carter is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Avanath Capital Management, LLC, a California-based investment firm that acquires, renovates, and operates apartment properties, with an emphasis on affordable and workforce communities. Mr. Carter directs the overall strategy and operations of the Company. Since its formation in 2008, Avanath has acquired $1.5 billion of properties in 12 states in the U.S., comprising 8,000 apartment units. Avanath is vertically integrated and is an SEC registered investment advisor and an institutional fund manager, with capabilities that include acquisition sourcing and underwriting, construction, asset management, and on-site property management. Mr. Carter has 37 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry. Previously, he was an Executive Managing Director of Centerline Capital Group. Mr. Carter became part of the Centerline team when his company, Capri Capi¬tal Finance, was acquired by Centerline in 2005. Mr. Carter co-founded and served as Co-Chairman of the Capri Capital family of companies. He was instrumental in building Capri to a diversified real estate investment firm with $8 billion in real estate equity and debt investments under management. Prior to Capri, Mr. Carter was Regional Vice President at Westinghouse Credit Corporation and a Second Vice President at Continental Bank. Mr. Carter holds a Master’s in Archi¬tecture and a Master’s in Business Administration, both from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture from the University of Michigan. Mr. Carter serves on the Visiting Committee of the MIT Sloan School of Management. In 2015, Mr. Carter received the MIT Sloan School Distinguished Alumni Award and served as the 2015 commencement speaker for the Sloan School MBA graduation. Mr. Carter is a Past Chairman of the National Multifamily Housing Council. Previously, Mr. Carter served as an independent director on the boards of the following companies: Catellus Development Corporation (CDX), Silver Bay Realty Trust (SBY), and Whitestone REIT (WSR).

    Speaker

    Paul Bernard

    Consultant, Pareto Ventures

    Paul is a former Executive Vice President for the Urban Land Institute (ULI), a nonprofit education and research institute that focuses on issues of land use, real estate and urban development. His responsibilities included management of Advisory Services, Urban Plan, Professional Development and the Awards programs. Prior to joining ULI, Mr. Bernard served as Vice President at Enterprise Community Partners, Inc., where he led the organization’s national public-sector and community development advisory practice. Previously, Paul held several senior roles in government and the private sector, including Senior Vice President at Walker & Dunlop (NYSE: WD) where he led the company’s Investment Advisory practice. He was also a Principal and Division Head at MunieMae (NYSE: MMA), managing the growth and operations for approximately $1.0 billion in institutional capital. Mr. Bernard also held senior positions at the City of Detroit, where he was appointed by Mayor Dennis Archer as the Director of Planning and Development and at Public Financial Management (PFM), where he was a Senior Managing Consultant for federal, state and local municipalities and public authorities. Mr. Bernard holds a master's in Public Policy from Harvard University, an MBA and a bachelor’s degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University.

    Speaker

    Jess Neubelt

    Real Estate Development Manager, Enterprise Community Development, Inc.

    Ms. Neubelt is a Real Estate Development Manager at Enterprise Community Development (ECD), where she works on all aspects of the acquisition, preservation, and redevelopment of projects undertaken by ECD. With an academic and professional background in historic preservation, she leads ECD’s adaptive reuse and historic preservation projects, including the adaptive reuse of an historic convent within a larger mixed-income, mixed-use new construction project in Richmond; the $15M adaptive reuse of an historic school into 50 senior RAD units, also in Richmond; and the adaptive reuse of the school’s annex into a community-serving commercial and program space. She also supports new construction projects. Prior to joining ECD, Ms. Neubelt was a project manager for Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven, a non-profit which specialized in the renovation and subsidized sale of vacant single-family homes in the city’s historic neighborhoods. She also has several years of experience working on a wide range of historic preservation projects including the restoration, documentation, and adaptive reuse of buildings up and down the East Coast. Ms. Neubelt, a recipient of Virginia Housing Alliance’s 2020 Emerging Leader Award, holds master’s degrees in Historic Preservation and City & Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania. She is also a graduate of Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY, and is originally from Mystic, CT. She lives in Washington, DC with her husband Harry and 2 adopted cats, Millie and Charlie.

    Speaker

    David Brickman

    Former CEO, Freddie Mac,

    Up through January of this year, David Brickman was Chief Executive Officer of Freddie Mac, one of the largest providers of mortgage financing in the U.S. Prior to that he was President. He also served as a member of the company’s Board of Directors. During his tenure he led the 2+ trillion-dollar company through a period of significant growth, change, and disruption as a result of the COVID crisis and associated recession. Brickman spent most of his career at Freddie Mac working in and leading the Multifamily business, where he presided over a remarkable period of growth – raising annual production from $16 billion in 2010 to almost $80 billion in 2018. He also established the company's flagship K-Deal securitization program as one of the leading securitized products in the structured finance markets. Brickman also drove significant innovation and an expansion in Freddie Mac's products and offerings – particularly those serving the growing need for affordable and workforce housing. Brickman completed all doctoral coursework for the Ph.D. program in economics and real estate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He holds a master's degree in public policy from Harvard University and a bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He has also served as a Professorial Lecturer at George Washington University and an Adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University.

    Speaker

    Thomas Kennedy

    Affordable Housing Development Advisor, Pinellas Planning Council

    Tom is a commercial real estate professional and consultant with extensive experience involving multifamily, office and industrial properties. He is currently the Affordable Housing Development Advisor for Pinellas County Government providing consulting and outreach services for the Penny IV Affordable Housing Program. This program, utilizing a Infrastructure Sales Surtax, is incentivizing affordable and workforce housing with its estimated $80 million in funding. In addition to extensive real estate experience Tom has significant professional experience and expertise in growth management and economic development, land development and regulatory affairs, as well as emergency management, working with government at the federal, state, regional and local levels. With a strong lifelong commitment to community involvement, Tom currently serves on 2 non-profit boards addressing education and special needs, the Pinellas County Economic Development Council, the NAIOP Tampa Bay Board and other selected industry, government, and philanthropic oversight committees. Tom is the President of Westport Group and Westport CRE.

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