Sarah has overseen the procurement or provision of public support to leverage over $2.5 billion of private investment in mid-western cities. In her most recent role, she directed the team at the DEGC responsible for attracting and facilitating development in Detroit. As a Detroit resident herself, Sarah is personally invested in the city’s revitalization. She has completed several historic renovations in the city’s North End and serves on the board of Central Detroit Christian CDC. She earned a BA from Wheaton College in International Relations; a Masters in Urban Planning and a Real Estate Development Certificate from the University of Michigan

Jean-Michel Wasterlain is the Managing Partner and co-founder of Next

Cities Investment (“Next Cities”). Next Cities redevelops and manages

properties in cities that are emerging magnets for technology, creativity,

and innovation. By converting underutilized buildings into flexible spaces to

live and work, Next Cities brings new vitality to the neighborhoods in which

they invest.

Prior to founding Next Cities, Mitch’s career has covered all aspects of real

estate investment, financing, and development. He has served as CEO of

ORIX Capital Markets, where he managed a $12 billion portfolio of real

estate assets. He previously co-founded NorthStar Realty Finance, a public

REIT with over $20 billion in assets, and served as its Chief Investment

Officer.

Mitch holds an MBA from the Wharton School and a BA in Economics with

Honors and Distinction from Stanford University. He is a founding member

of the CRE Finance Council (formerly CMSA), and he is co-Chair of the

Urban Land Institute’s Urban Revitalization Council.

Michael Poris, AIA, is founding principal of McIntosh Poris Architects, a full-service architecture, interior and urban design practice in Birmingham, MI. Since returning to Detroit in 1994, Michael has been working to implement change in his hometown preserving many of Detroit’s 20th-century landmark buildings, historic districts, and iconic neighborhoods. Michaels design leadership has helped transform Detroit with projects such as the Foundation Hotel, and the East Riverfront framework plan. His work has won over 160 design awards including 30 AIA Honor awards, over 80 Detroit Design Awards and been published in over 100 publications worldwide including Dwell, Urban Land, Architectural Record, and Interior Design. Michael is currently working on an adaptive reuse of the 600,000sf Fisher Body plant in Detroit, and a 600 prefabricated home community in Colorado.

Michael was recently awarded the AIA Detroit Charles Blessing Award recognizing an individual who shows leadership in planning and civic issues and exemplifies the vision, commitment and the accomplishments of Charles A. Blessing, the visionary Detroit city planner, who committed himself to the pursuit of a higher quality of life for all. McIntosh Poris Architects has recently earned the prestigious title of Firm of the Year for 2024 from the American Institute of Architects, Michigan.

Patrick graduated from the Broad College of Business at Michigan State University. He has directly overseen millions of dollars' worth of construction and demolition work as a result of his accreditation as a State of Michigan and Ohio Asbestos Abatement Supervisor, Licensed Residential Builder and Asbestos Abatement Trainer. In 2006, Patrick co-founded Beal Incorporated, a Michigan-based demolition contractor. Beal Incorporation has won several awards relating to fast growth, including being listed third in the INC 500 Fastest Growing Companies in America 2010 Edition. Not only does Patrick assure the success of Detroit Training Center as Chief Executive Officer, he instructs onsite at the training facility and also at correctional facilities. Last year, he was honored by Detroit Young Professionals for the Vanguard Awards and Detroit Training Center won the Motor City Match and NEIdeas awards.

Mark is a real estate developer, financier and attorney with 30+ years of experience in

envisioning, structuring and executing complex and transformative market rate and

affordable multifamily and mixed-use developments. Since 2014, he has taken part in

the development and financing of 9 ground-up, existing and major rehab developments

including 2,000+ residential units with 7 developments in the City of Detroit. Combined

capital stacks exceed $300 million including 4 Qualified Opportunity Zone Funds (QOF),

and the first one in Detroit. Mark is an expert in creating non-profit Community Land

Trusts (CLTs), an innovative means of developing permanent affordable housing, with

six such developments underway in the City of Detroit. In law school, Mark founded

Toxicheck, later merging with Environmental Data Resources Inc. (EDR), today the

nation’s leading environmental information services company. Mark is a Member of the

State Bar of Michigan and practiced law at Miller Canfield, creating the firm’s Climate

Change Practice Group. He earned his BS in Economics, Phi Beta Kappa from

Michigan State University, and his JD from the Wayne State University Law School.

Throughout his 20+ years’ experience in Commercial Real Estate, Brandon has demonstrated significant hands-on transaction experience and proven leadership directing debt and equity investments in retail, multifamily, parking, office, industrial and hospitality properties. He has held senior positions structuring and originating debt and equity investments, including restructuring, asset redevelopment and loan sales at Fifth Third Bank, Wells Fargo Bank and a boutique brokerage firm acquired by GMAC, with applied expertise in the following areas:

•Origination, Underwriting & Structuring for Portfolio and Securitization – Debt & Equity

•Commercial Real Estate Investment Management, Acquisitions, Operations & Dispositions

•Advisory and Placement

•Distressed Asset Resolution and Loan Workouts

Chris is the Business Development Director, Ohio at Nuveen Green Capital. Chris has over twenty years of experience in commercial real estate, including working in areas of accounting, asset management, acquisitions, dispositions, underwriting, financing and investor relations. Prior to Greenworks Lending, Chris was Vice President, Investor Relations at White Oak Partners. Additionally, Chris spent eleven years with Washington Prime Group, formally Glimcher Realty Trust, as Senior Director, Investments, where he sourced new acquisition opportunities, oversaw the financial underwriting function, managed the relationships with joint venture partners, and oversaw financial projections on development and redevelopment opportunities. He also spent 10 years at Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS), in the Real Estate Accounting and the Real Estate Investment Division, where he managed several portfolios totaling over $1.5 billion in market value consisting of various property types.

Chris received his MBA from The Dauch School of Business at Ashland University and his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from The Ohio State University. He is also a Certified Public Accountant, licensed in Ohio.

Andrew is responsible for all aspects of property management accounting, corporate accounting, construction accounting, financial services, asset management, information technologies, and human resources. Mr. Gutman's focus is on internal and external client services and the provision of timely and accurate client-required information and maximizing asset value. He has been responsible for direct oversight of over $100,000,000 in debt and equity vehicles for the organization and for clients.