Tina R. Makoulian is the Practice Leader of Ballard Spahr's Real Estate Development and Transactions Group. She concentrates on complex real estate development, acquisition and disposition of commercial properties, commercial leasing, and zoning and land use.

Tina represents owners and developers of all property types. She has extensive experience with office, retail, and industrial leasing, on both the landlord and the tenant side. She frequently handles portfolio acquisitions and dispositions, particularly in the multifamily area. In her land use work, she has assisted hospitals, universities, retail developers, and residential developers in obtaining all forms of zoning relief and subdivision and land development approvals. Her clients have included national retailers, a Major League Baseball team in the development of a new ballpark, and a developer who restored and converted a historic structure and constructed new facilities for use by an international hotel chain.

Angelina Perryman serves as the Vice President of Administration for Perryman Construction. Perryman Construction is one of the leading, full-service construction companies on the East Coast, self-performing project planning, management and construction for major projects in the region. She is responsible for managing the administrative operations including human resources, risk management, and strategic and corporate planning. She currently serves as the Philadelphia chapter President of the National Association of Women in Construction and was Chair of the 2016 Student and Volunteer Engagement Committee for MAGIC Philadelphia Camp; a free camp for girls between 7th and 12th grade to gain hands on exposure to careers in construction. Her work was recognized by Engineering News Record (ENR) Magazine on the 2018 list of Top 20 Under 40 Young Professionals in the Construction Industry. Ms. Perryman received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA and Executive Leadership Education from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth University in Hanover, NH.

Liz joined Colliers in 2015. Before becoming a broker, her experience was as a real estate/transactional attorney advocating for clients in commercial and residential real estate transactions. She graduated cum laude with a degree in finance and international business from the University of Pittsburgh and earned her law degree from Hofstra University specializing in private commercial and corporate counseling. Liz brings a broad array of skills to the Colliers office team which include process management, associated with managing large client accounts, and financial and legal analytics.

Jaime Flaherty is a Vice President and the CFO of U3 Advisors. With a background in real estate economics, Jaime joined U3 Advisors in 2010 and provides expertise in market, financial, fiscal, and strategic analysis. In addition to her work with clients, Jaime manages the internal operations of the firm. At U3 Advisors, Jaime has served as a project manager for a wide variety of assignments and clients, including off-campus real estate strategies, the formation of business improvement entities, predevelopment due diligence, tailoring organizational and financial structures, and campus master planning analysis. Her skills include detailed market research, complex financial modeling, and tailored quantitative analysis. Jaime currently manages real estate advisory services and the campus planning process for the University of the Sciences, including due diligence efforts for key market transactions. She serves as the lead for Lehigh University’s strategic neighborhood investment initiative, which includes creating implementable programs for key focus areas. Jaime is also working with a coalition of stakeholders in Trenton to form a new entity to focus on economic development for the downtown area. In addition, Jaime continues to advise on the University of Maryland and University of Washington. Prior to U3, Jaime worked in the Washington D.C. and New York offices of Economics Research Associates. Jaime has over nine years of experience working as an economic real estate consultant for all major land use categories, including residential, retail, hotel, office, institutional, and research. Jaime received undergraduate degrees in business and psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. She has a Masters in City Planning, as well as a Certificate in Real Estate Development, from the University of Pennsylvania. She is an active member of the Urban Land Institute.

Rosemary Loverdi represents real estate developers, family-owned real estate investment funds, retailers, manufacturers, and other middle-market companies in commercial real estate transactions. In the public sector, Rosemary has advised economic development agencies and state authorities in procurement matters, including structuring requests for proposals (RFPs), and has also represented public and quasi-public entities in real estate transactions.

Rosemary regularly counsels clients in leasing, acquisition, construction, and financing matters. Her engagements have included mixed-use developments, condominium projects, multi-tenant and single-user office, warehouse, and shopping center retail leasing. Rosemary has also structured joint ventures for project development. She has represented both landlords and tenants, lenders and borrowers, and sellers and purchasers of real estate and therefore has an understanding of the concerns of both parties to a transaction.

After serving as Executive Secretary since 2015, Rosemary is the President-Elect of the Philadelphia chapter of Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW). She was a member of the March of Dimes Transportation, Building & Construction Awards Luncheon Board for four years, and was the co-chair of the Development Committee for Green Building United (formerly Delaware Valley Green Building Council) from 2015-2016.

Rosemary is committed to raising awareness regarding how heart disease and stroke affect women in particular, and has served as a member of the Executive Leadership Teams and the Corporate Leadership Teams for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign since 2007. She co-chaired the Corporate Leadership Team for three years.

Autumn R. Harris has over 15 years of commercial real estate

finance experience with both institutional banks and arranging

finance for a private commercial real estate owner and developer.

Autumn has served as Director of Finance for a private

commercial real estate owner and developer since 2015. As such

she was responsible for managing the debt portfolio inclusive of

construction project loans, property acquisition loans, refinance

and oversight of the existing loan 70 plus property portfolio.

Prior to joining this private owner/developer Autumn spent 10

years with institutional banks including PNC Bank and RBS

Citizens within the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia markets. She

served most recently as a Relationship Manager for PNC Bank's

Institutional Commercial Real Estate Lending department. As a

banker, Autumn has been responsible for financing office, retail,

apartment, warehouse/industrial and hospitality projects.

During her time in institutional banking she completed the RBS

Citizens Credit training program, managed a portfolio with loan

sizes ranging from $5MM-$150MM, has prepared credit approval

packages for loan approval and managed a portfolio of loans to

private developers and Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITS”),

including involvement with the syndication department.

Autumn’s experience in institutional banking combined with

financing for a private owner/developer has provided her an

intense knowledge of collateral evaluation, loan structure,

regulatory compliance, cash flow projections, exit scenarios,

market analysis and organizational structure.

Autumn is very active in the commercial real estate industry and

has established long term relationships with capital providers

through her active involvement. Autumn currently serves as the

immediate Past President on the board of Commercial Real Estate

Women (“CREW”) Pittsburgh. She has been involved with both

the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia Chapters of CREW since 2003,

serving board seats inclusive of President, President Elect,

Program Director, Public Relations Committee Co-Chair, Delegate

for CREW Network (an international organization with over

10,000 members), and Nominating Committee for CREW Network.

Autumn is also an active member of NAIOP Commercial Real

Estate Development Association since 2011 and has been active

with the Urban Land Institute (“ULI”) and International Council

of Shopping Centers (“ICSC”). She also has her Real Estate

Salesperson license which she obtained in 2007.

Autumn Harris started her career with a boutique commercial real

estate investment bank out of Philadelphia in 2003 and is a

graduate of Temple University’s Fox School of Business.

Ms. Doelger is responsible for acquisitions, dispositions and asset management. Previously, Ms. Doelger was an Associate Director of Redevelopment at Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust, where she was responsible for project management and financial analysis of redevelopment projects within the company’s portfolio of enclosed shopping malls. Prior to joining PREIT, Ms. Doelger was a Senior Development Manager for Buckingham Companies, where she secured entitlements and directed building design for a variety of product types including market-rate apartments, student housing, senior housing, townhomes, and mixed-use properties. Ms. Doelger is also experienced in the development and leasing of retail properties, having directed real estate and development for Taco Bell in the Philadelphia area. She started her career with Kravco Company as an Urban Retail Specialist.

Ms. Doelger holds an MBA with a concentration in Real Estate from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where she was a Palmer Scholar and Co-President of the Wharton Real Estate Club. She also holds a Masters of City Design and Social Science from the London School of Economics and Political Science, where she received a Thouron Scholarship. Ms. Doelger graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Urban Studies and Classical Studies.

Ms. Doelger is a member of the Commercial & Retail Development Council of the Urban Land Institute, and was a co-founder of the Indiana District Council of ULI in 2007. Ms. Doelger has served on a variety of nonprofit boards in the Philadelphia area, and currently is a Director of the Passyunk Avenue Revitalization Corporation.

Anne Bovaird Nevins serves as President of PIDC where she is responsible for the organization’s efforts to develop and implement collaborative strategies designed to drive economic growth to every corner of Philadelphia. In this role, Anne leads PIDC’s efforts to strengthen relationships with the public, private and philanthropic sectors to promote business growth, investment and development across the city and throughout its economy. She also directs internal activities around business development, capitalization, impact assessment, and the development and delivery of real estate and financing products that fill project financing gaps for neighborhood and large-scale commercial, industrial and mixed-use developments, deliver capital to growing businesses, and energize the development of the city’s workplaces of the future.

Prior to her appointment as President in January of 2020, Anne served as PIDC’s Chief Strategy and Communications Officer, a key member of the executive team where she oversaw capitalization, product development, strategic communications, and partnerships. Prior to this role, Nevins served as PIDC’s Senior Vice President for Marketing and Business Development for six years where she led a team that transformed PIDC’s brand identity, developed new lending products, and generated 360 loans to small, diverse, and growing businesses investing over $117 million dollars located in 94% of Philadelphia’s zip codes. Anne has served on the Mayor’s Refinery Advisory Group for the City of Philadelphia, co-managed Philadelphia’s Amazon HQ2 bid, and has created and led PIDC and ULI Philadelphia’s partnership advisory committee on the future of work and its impact on industrial and commercial land.

From 1999 to 2001, Anne served in the White House Office of Cabinet Affairs, which is responsible for coordination between the President and all cabinet agencies. She then joined the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and managed the logistical and hospitality arrangements for all U.S. dignitaries attending the Olympics. Anne then managed corporate sponsorships for the Kimmel Center, the regional performing arts center in Philadelphia. She next served as Director of Development for Historic Philadelphia, Inc. and raised substantial funds to renovate Franklin Square, an 8-acre urban park in the center of Philadelphia’s historic district. Anne has a Masters in Business Administration from the Wharton School and a Bachelors Degree in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania. She lives with her family in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia and serves on the Board of Directors of the Friends of Bache-Martin, supporting the neighborhood public school.

As co-founder and managing partner of Capstan Tax Strategies, Terri helps commercial real estate owners and investors realize significant tax savings by utilizing valuable engineering-based tax depreciation and incentive strategies.

During her 24 years in commercial real estate, Terri has authored a number of articles and has been a frequent speaker on cost segregation studies, addressing such national audiences as the American Institute of CPAs and the Edward Jones All Star Tax Series. As tax law and regulations evolve, Terri works collaboratively with real estate owners and their advisors to take complicated information and present it in a streamlined manner, ensuring that clients understand opportunities to maximize tax deductions.

Terri is a past president of CREW Philadelphia, a past CREW Network director, and a past CREW Foundation trustee. She holds the designation of Counselor of Real Estate and is Chair-Elect of the Delaware Valley Chapter. Terri has been recognized by SmartCEO Magazine as a Brava! Award winner and in 2017 as a member of the Future 50.

Terri is a 1982 graduate of the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa.

Anne Klein is a 33-year veteran, and consistent top producer, of the commercial real estate industry. Based in southern New Jersey, Ms. Klein provides tenants and owners with a wide range of services including workplace strategy, labor pool analysis, state incentive shopping and acquisitions/dispositions. In addition to representing tenants in the U.S. and throughout the world, Ms. Klein has extensive experience representing local and institutional owners to market their properties, increasing the value through successful leasing and sales.

Kathy joined Brandywine in 1997, and worked as the Director of Leasing for Southern New Jersey. In 2004, she relocated to Pennsylvania, serving as the Director of Leasing, overseeing Brandywine's King of Prussia and Southern Chester County assets. Currently, she is the Senior Vice President of Leasing, and oversees the leasing efforts of Brandywine’s Pennsylvania suburban assets . Kathy has participated as a member of Commercial Real Estate Women, Inc. of Washington, D.C. (CREW), NAIOP, Businesses Committed to Burlington County (BC 2), the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, the marketing committee for Saint Pius X School, and she is involved with the Chester County Commercial Industrial Investment Council, Inc. (CCII) and Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC). She is also on the Physical Improvements Committee for the King of Prussia Business Improvement District. Kathy holds real estate licenses in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and she received her B.S. degree from West Chester University.

Amanda helps her clients navigate the legal and emotional intricacies that impact the preservation of family and personal wealth through multiple generations. Amanda also advises her clients on legal strategies to address family and monetary problems with an aim towards protecting her clients' assets and minimizing both their legal risks and their tax and other financial liabilities. If family discord leads to litigation, however, Amanda is an experienced and savvy advocate for her clients in matters associated with estate, trust, and fiduciary litigation. Her clients include high net worth individuals, beneficiaries,

and families; private and charitable foundations; family offices; and individual and corporate fiduciaries.

A substantial number of Amanda's clients are high net worth women who have either inherited significant wealth or who have independently built and grown significant wealth. Amanda understands the delicate interplay between the transition of wealth and the preservation of the family unit, through her work as an attorney advising high net worth individuals and families on estate, tax, and wealth planning and business succession planning matters. Amanda's knowledge of the law is recognized by her peers and various state legal organizations and associations which regularly invite Amanda to speak, publish, and instruct other attorneys on topics including estate, wealth, and tax planning, will and trust disputes, fiduciary litigation, trust and estate litigation, and charitable trust and nonprofit issues. Recognized as a legal influencer by Lexology, Amanda recently received the Content Marketing Award in Q4 of 2018 for her work on the firm’s trusts and estates litigation blog, At Your Bequest. She has served as an expert witness in Pennsylvania

courts in areas associated with estate and trust litigation, including fiduciary surcharge disputes. Amanda is currently serving a three-year term as a member of the Council for the Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, which provides advice and comment to the Pennsylvania legislature on proposed changes to Pennsylvania law associated with real property, probate, and trust-related laws. She serves as a legal adviser to Chestnut Hill Conservancy and Historical Society and also as an adjunct professor of law at Villanova University School of Law, where she instructs on the subject of wealth and transfer of taxation.

Amanda is one of only nine other lawyers in Pennsylvania who is recognized for excellence in and as a leading practitioner in the area of private wealth law by Chambers and Partners within its 2017 and 2018 High Net Worth Guide. Her understanding of complicated tax issues stems not only from her practical legal experience but also from her dual advanced legal credentials. Amanda earned her undergraduate degree from The Pennsylvania State University and her law degree from the Roger Williams School of Law in Rhode Island, where she graduated with honors. Amanda also holds an LL.M. in tax from the Villanova University School of Law Graduate Tax Program, as well as an LL.M. in trial advocacy from Temple University Beasley School of Law, where she graduated with high honors and was the sole recipient of the faculty award for outstanding achievement in courtroom presentation and performance.

As Senior Vice President of Development, Sarina spearheads all of Post Brothers’ development projects and brings a wealth of experience in complex project planning, contractor negotiations, and every facet of project management. Sarina’s work on Post Brothers’ best-in-class residential portfolio includes the $250 million renovation of historic Presidential City, which was the largest redevelopment project in Philadelphia. Under Sarina’s leadership, Presidential City was transformed from an under-utilized, semi-suburban complex into the city’s largest luxury residential community, complete with a brand new, resort-style amenity center - Sora Pool Club. Other projects worth noting include The Atlantic at the Avenue of the Arts, Rittenhouse Hill and The Piazza in Northern Liberties. Prior to joining Post Brothers, Sarina received her Bachelor’s of Architecture degree from Drexel University. She managed over $400 million in projects for SgRA Architecture, including the Le Meridien Hotel and the Parc Rittenhouse, and before that spent 12 years as with KMA Architects and PZS Architects. Sarina was recognized nationally as one of Connect Media’s Most Influential Women in Real Estate 2018, and has received the State Policy Network Helen S. Krieble Unsung Hero for Freedom Award. Several of the Post Brothers projects she played key roles on have gained both regional and national industry recognition for their quality and economic development value. Sarina is a Founding member of the ABC Philadelphia Regional Council, board member of the Association of Builders and Contractors of Eastern PA, serves on the Board of Directors of the Building Industry Association of Philadelphia and is also currently the Vice Chair of the Government Affairs Committee at the BIA. These are just some of the positions Sarina holds across multiple industry organizations.

Felicite Moorman is an attorney turned multi-exit technology

entrepreneur. She’s received EY’s Entrepreneur Of The Year®

Award and has earned an international reputation as a go-to IoT

industry expert, developing pioneering strategic partnerships and

unprecedented technology strategies and initiatives for the Internet

of Things.

Moorman is the CoFounder of STRATIS, a RealPage Company,

and SaaS Platform for large-scale Internet of Things installations.

STRATIS was named a top ten “Best Company in America” by

Entrepreneur Magazine and ranked in the top twenty percent of Inc

Magazine’s “Fastest Growing Companies” three consecutive years

prior to acquisition. Moorman was simultaneously CEO of BuLogics,

which designed, built, and certified hardware, software, and

ecosystems for the Internet of Things.

Moorman is an international speaker and columnist, and has been featured as a thought leader in dozens of mass media outlets and publications including: U.S. News & World Report, Fast Company, Inc Magazine,

Entrepreneur Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, Yahoo! News, Philadelphia Inquirer, The Boston Globe, the Huffington Post, and others. She’s also a frequent writer, speaker, and presenter on the Internet of Things

and has been featured at CES, SXSW, Samsung DevCon, Eric Ries’ Lean Startup Conference, Smart Cities Innovation Summit Asia, NMHC OpTech, NAA Apartmentalize, Greystar’s Innovation and WAM Summits,

and more.

Prior to STRATIS and BuLogics, Moorman launched the Emerging Technologies Division for GE’s Consumer and Home Electronics brand. Moorman quickly established her reputation in technology,

engaging eight Fortune 500 companies in less than eighteen months, entering new vertical channels, and creating and beginning execution on the strategic plan to dominate the Internet of Things lighting

peripherals market. Today the GE lighting line is a part of nearly every home automation and security platform offered in the United States.

Early in her career, Moorman led a team that became the most sought after marketing and management partnership in Baltimore real estate. She expanded the companies to include nationwide finance, brokerage, legal, and insurance offerings. Moorman oversaw $1.5 billion dollars of transactions in less than five years, including property acquisition management for the $500 million dollar expansion of Rutgers University.

Moorman recognizes the importance of giving back, especially within the Philadelphia community, and volunteers her time and expertise to the following organizations: NAA & NMHC’s Real Estate Technology

Alliance (IoT Committee Co-Chair), Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs Accelerator (Lead Mentor), SXSW (Mentor), Lean Startup Conference (Mentor), Philly Startup Leaders (Mentor), Dreamit Ventures (Mentor),

and Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce (Small Business Board Member). She is also a community activist and Chair of East Falls Forward, a Philadelphia Registered Community Organization focused on the

revitalization of the Riverfront Business District. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law and a Law School Club Founder.

Anne Fadullon is the Director of Planning and Development for the City of Philadelphia. She also chairs the Philadelphia City Planning Commission and the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority board.

Her cabinet-level department has a broad purview. It plans the City’s land use, promotes affordable housing, preserves historic resources, and supports public art. It assists for-profit and nonprofit developers as they move their projects through the approval process. The Department helps develop and implement the City’s zoning code. Most importantly, it engages Philadelphia’s residents.

The Department’s mission is to promote well-planned neighborhoods with affordable housing options, protected historic resources and public art.

Anne has 30 years of development experience in both the private and public sectors. She has developed affordable, mixed-income, market-rate and mixed-use projects. While in the private sector she was president of the Building Industry Association of Philadelphia.

Anne has a bachelor’s degree in urban studies and economics from Lehigh University. She has a master’s degree in city planning from the University of Pennsylvania.

When not promoting strong communities, Anne is looking for new places to kayak or wandering through the woods.

Lauren Gilchrist is the Executive Vice President and Market Leader of the Greater Philadelphia Region. Gilchrist oversees Newmark Real Estate’s (Newmark’s) full suite of service offerings, managing strategic planning, revenue growth and profitability, recruitment and business development in the company’s Philadelphia, Wayne, Southern New Jersey and Delaware offices.

Based in the Philadelphia CBD office, Gilchrist holds appointments to the Board of Directors for the Philadelphia Facilities Management Corporation/Philadelphia Gas Works, Philadelphia Orchestra, Old City Community Fund, M&T Bank Advisory Board and the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of NAIOP—where she served as Chapter President from 2019 to 2020. In addition, Gilchrist has been recognized by the Philadelphia Business Journal as a 40 Under 40 honoree and a Woman of Distinction, and a Philly Power Woman by Bisnow.

Prior to joining Newmark, Gilchrist was the Managing Director of Research at Longfellow Real Estate Partners, where she directed research strategy, content creation and thought leadership, and provided market research to drive project underwriting and execution. Previously, Gilchrist also held roles as Senior Vice President of Research at JLL, Manager of Research & Analysis at the Center City District and Program Manager at the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness.

Missy Quinn joined C&W in 1988 and is currently the Director of Corporate Occupier and Investor Services (CIS) in Philadelphia for Cushman & Wakefield of Pennsylvania, Inc. Ms. Quinn directs the management and operation of a portfolio consisting of approximately 10 million square feet of office, retail and industrial properties throughout the Delaware Valley, Central Pennsylvania and South Jersey. Her responsibilities include asset management, budget formulation and analysis, cost control, lease administration and tenant construction.

As a 25-year veteran of commercial real estate, Ms. Quinn has experience in various aspects of commercial, industrial, and retail real estate including the development and implementation of policies and procedures for property management and leasing, business and marketing plan development, contract negotiation, project management, feasibility studies and asset valuation.

Ms. Quinn is a graduate of Holy Family College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Management and Marketing. She is an active member of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) and currently serves as an Officer of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors for BOMA Philadelphia. Ms. Quinn holds an RPA designation through Building Owners and Managers Institute (BOMI) as well as a LEED Green Association through the UGBI and is also a member of the Delaware Valley Green Building Council (DVGBC). Additionally, she is a member of the Drexel University Property Management Industry Advisory Board.

Julia serves as Chief Investment Officer at Dranoff Properties, Inc. She oversees the funding for all development projects including acquisitions, investments, and new construction. Julia coordinates project pre-development budgeting, pro forma modeling, capital raising, and due diligence, working with a range of lenders and investors. She also works to develop public-private partnerships and with government agencies to source and shape economic development programs.

Prior to joining Dranoff Properties, Julia gained professional experience at JPMorgan Chase working on strategic projects and business development opportunities for the Investment Bank. Prior to JPMorgan, she spent several years as a strategic consultant for Accenture.

Julia earned her B.S. in Civil Engineering from Princeton University and her M.B.A. in Real Estate and Finance from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Anne Papageorge is the Senior Vice President for Facilities and Real Estate Services at the

University of Pennsylvania. Anne joined the University in October 2006 and has responsibility

for Planning; Design and Construction; Facilities Operations, Maintenance, and Utilities; and

Real Estate Operations and Development. She oversees a department of approximately 1,000

staff, $200 M in operating expenses and a capital budget averaging approximately $350 M per

year, the Penn Connects campus development plan, and the Environmental Sustainability

Advisory Committee responsible for developing and implementing the Climate and

Sustainability Action Plan for the university.

Anne is a licensed landscape architect and was previously the Senior Vice President and

Memorial Design Director for the Lower Manhattan Development Corp., managing the planning,

design and construction of the nearly $1 billion project encompassing the World Trade Center

Memorial, Memorial Museum, Visitor’s Center and related facilities.

Prior to joining the LMDC in 2004, she worked in design and construction for the City of New

York, where she served as first deputy commissioner of the Department of Design and

Construction, managing a staff of 1,200 and overseeing 750 projects valued at $4.4 billion.

Anne holds a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from the State University of New York

College of Environmental Science and Forestry School of Landscape Architecture and an

M.B.A. from the City University of New York Baruch College. She serves on the executive

boards for Longwood Gardens, the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania, the

University City Science Center, and the Schuylkill River Development Corporation; she also

serves on the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Executive Leadership Team.

Councilwoman Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez is a veteran activist with over 30 years of service to the City of Philadelphia, currently serving a third four-year term on Philadelphia City Council. Maria has advocated tirelessly for creating and preserving family-sustaining jobs, investing in a trained and educated workforce, reducing blight and transforming vacant land, keeping families in their homes, mandating ethics and transparency in government, revitalizing neighborhood economies, reforming unsafe demolition practices, and securing the rights of women, families, and workers across the City.

Maria made history in November of 2007 when she rallied grassroots support and nearly 80% of the vote towards becoming the first Latina elected to a district seat in City Council. Maria quickly became a rising star for her hard work and commitment to government reform. Her “Freshman 15” reforms, with colleagues Bill Green and Curtis Jones, Jr., improved transparency, modernized our municipal government, and saved the City over $60 million annually. In 2008, Maria was named “Best of Philly” new Councilperson and among the City’s future women leaders to watch by the Philadelphia Daily News. In 2009, Philadelphia Magazine named Maria one of the “Most Influential 50” in the City of Philadelphia.

During her most recent term, Maria’s legislative achievements included the historic creation of a Philadelphia Land Bank, which vests strategic neighborhood revitalization in a single, transparent agency that empowers residents, small businesses, community groups, non-profits, and developers across the City to transform and re-purpose vacant and blighted land. Maria also led historic business tax reform to make Philadelphia’s manufacturing industry competitive again in the global marketplace by reducing tax liability for local businesses by nearly 50%, while ensuring that companies headquartered outside the City pay their fair share. Maria fought to keep Philadelphians in their homes by passing tax foreclosure reform, AVI assistance for vulnerable homeowners, a Longtime Owner-Occupant Program (LOOP), a strong Homestead exemption, and a property tax deferral program. Maria passed landmark water affordability legislation to ensure that all Philadelphians can access clean and affordable running water, by tethering repayment to ability to pay. And Maria fought tirelessly for demolition reform, introducing thorough legislation that requires demolition projects submit and abide by a comprehensive safety plan. In recognition of Maria’s expertise, Mayor Nutter appointed her to serve on a Special Investigating Committee on Demolitions Practices, a Blue Ribbon Commission of national experts on demolition and building safety standards, and the Police Oversight Committee.

Maria currently serves City Council as Chair of the Committees of Appropriations; Chair of the Committee on Licenses and Inspections; Vice Chair of the Committee on Streets and Services; and Vice Chair of the Committee on Public Health and Human Services. Maria also serves as a member of the following committees: Rules; Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs; Education; Labor and Civil Service; and Housing, Neighborhood Development, and the Homeless.

Prior to serving on City Council, Maria served as the Regional Director for the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA), serving Pennsylvania and Delaware. At PRFAA, Maria mounted a historic, seven-city voter registration and Get-Out-the-Vote (GOTV) campaign registering over 32,000 new voters and produced an estimated increase of 35% of the Latino turnout in the campaign’s targeted areas.

Maria is a founding member of the Pennsylvania Statewide Latino Coalition and served as its first Co-Chair of the Board of Directors. From June 1996 to June 2000, Maria served as the first female and youngest Executive Director of ASPIRA, the largest Latino educational institution in Pennsylvania. Maria’s accomplishments at ASPIRA included the creation of the first bilingual charter school in Pennsylvania (Eugenio Maria de Hostos Community Charter School), and the development of a multi-million dollar school and administrative office building in her neighborhood of Hunting Park.

From 1988 through 1996, Maria served in several city government positions including Deputy Commissioner of Elections and Legislative Assistant in City Council. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Women’s Campaign Fund, a statewide political action committee working to elect progressive women to the State Legislature.

Maria grew up in the Hunting Park section of the City and now resides in the eastern North Philadelphia neighborhood of Norris Square. She proudly represents both neighborhoods. Maria is married to Tomas Sanchez, JD. Maria and Tomas have two sons, Edgar and Tomasito, and are grandparents to Jace Antonio.