San Diego Student Housing & Higher Education Conference

Mr. Schulz is the University Architect at San Diego State University, responsible for long range planning, real estate, design and construction for the university. He has overseen over $2.4 Billion in projects to date at SDSU. Mr. Schulz brings to his position over 40 years experience in design and construction, and project oversight on more than $4 billion of public facilities. He is a licensed architect and a senior building official in California. He has a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Ball State University, and Master of Architecture from Cal Poly Pomona, and is a proud husband, father, grandfather, and Aztec for Life.

Alex Leonard is a Senior Director of Development for Greystar Real Estate Partners. He is responsible for sourcing, coordinating, and executing project development for Greystar-owned projects in Southern California submarkets of the company’s Western region and is implementing the entitlements and construction of over 2,500 apartment homes worth over $1b in capitalized costs. Before joining Greystar in 2018, he was senior manager of development at AvalonBay Communities, where he delivered over 3,000 apartment homes, totaling over $1.2b in capitalized cost, in urban and suburban communities throughout Southern California. Alex holds a master’s degree in real estate from the University of San Diego and a bachelor’s degree in finance and sociology from the University of Nebraska. He is an active member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI). He serves as a board member for HomeAid San Diego, a non-profit dedicated to building multi-unit housing for San Diego’s temporarily homeless. Alex is an Academy of Magical Arts (the Magic Castle) Associate member. He also is furthering his education by pursuing a sommelier diploma from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) and currently holds the Level 3 sommelier designation.

As Director of Development for the Michaels Organization, Abbie Hawkins brings 10 years of experience in real estate entitlements, permitting, development, and financing for all asset classes including retail, hospitality, senior and student living, affordable and market rate multifamily housing projects throughout California and the western region. Abbie has responsibility for all aspects of development, and vast experience with CEQA, due diligence, entitlements, project design, and project management . Abbie received her Bachelors of Science in Real Estate from San Diego State University.

Doug Austin, FAIA, is Founder, Chairman and CEO of AVRP Studios, a California-based architectural firm well known for its expertise in the design of affordable housing and the urban environment. Mr. Austin is recognized by his peers as a visionary design leader. Since establishing his firm in 1976, he has led teams in designing projects both domestically and internationally including urban infill, development, mixed-use, housing, education, corporate office, multigenerational space and healthcare that have been recognized with over 150 awards for design excellence. Mr. Austin has played a unique role in San Diego’s success downtown. He chaired the Design and Construction Task Force for the City’s ballpark and Ballpark District. Doug also served as the Vice Chairman of San Diego’s Centre City Development Corporation that oversaw the planning and development for downtown during a time when The City experienced its biggest growth in San Diego history. Mr. Austin was recognized in a special commendation by the Mayor and City Council as one of San Diego’s leading visionaries, “Mr. Austin has been an important guardian of the design of the skyline of downtown San Diego. He has made his mark on the future of downtown”. In the book, The Executive Architect the authors wrote “No architect we have met is more successful in achieving building value, performance, and image on every project”. Nominated for design excellence and service to the profession, Mr. Austin was one of the youngest members ever to be elevated to Fellow in the American Institute of Architects in 1991. Doug’s passion for architecture and his mission to make housing available to all, led him to some of the first micro-unit housing during the 80s in trying to make homes naturally more affordable through design as an alternative to unsustainable government subsidies. He challenged the building Industry, who was faced with inclusionary housing issues, to build two projects that ranged in size from 195 SF per unit to 295 SF. The premise was simple “if people can’t afford more there should be a good option to buy or rent less?” In its outside-the-box nature, the firm was recently awarded US and International patents for a new methodology involving prefabricating modules that act as the formwork for Concrete buildings up to 75 stories in height that hold the potential to save significant construction cost and time in the process. Austin serves as Chair of the Advisory Board for YIGBY (Yes in God’s Backyard), which is an organization committed to finding innovative ways to house its poor and homeless. YIGBY is one of many ways that represent AVRP Studios’ commitment to the larger goal of housing for all. Austin served as the Vice chairman of San Diego’s Redevelopment Agency and currently completed 8 years as a Planning Commissioner for the City of San Diego. Mr. Austin recently accepted the position as Director of Government Relations for the AIA San Diego Chapter. Austin received his B’ARCH from Cal Poly SLO, where he is an Honored Alum and serves on the President’s Council of Advisors. His firm sponsors a grant each year for “Housing Innovations”. Austin has furthered his post graduate education studying at Harvard’s Graduate Center for Design and participating in the exploration of workforce housing at Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing.