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Speakers and Panels

Gabriel Gardner

Gabriel Gardner

Senior Director, Development

Greystar

Zach Felson

Zach Felson

Co-CIO & Head of Acquisitions

Prado Group

Dave Hopkins

Dave Hopkins

Co-President of Development and Investments

Sares Regis Group

David Feinberg

David Feinberg

Managing Partner

Sack Capital Partners

Mike Kim

Mike Kim

Sr Managing Director, Development

Mill Creek Residential

Ken McMackin

Ken McMackin

EVP

Avanath Capital Management

Doug McDonald

Doug McDonald

President and CEO

SummerHill Apartment Communities

Tyler Pullen

Tyler Pullen

Interim Director of the Builders Lab

Terner Housing Innovation Labs

Welton Jordan

Welton Jordan

Chief Real Estate Development Officer

EAH Housing

Matthew Berglund

Matthew Berglund

Director, Design

Presidio Bay

Mark MacDonald

Mark MacDonald

CEO

DM Development

Smitha Seshadri

Smitha Seshadri

EVP

BRIDGE Housing

Raoul Amescua

Raoul Amescua

EVP, Development

The Michael's Organization

Tim Haley

Tim Haley

Senior Associate

MBH Architects

Janusz Sakowicz

Janusz Sakowicz

Chief Development Officer

Colt Builders

Mark Knudsen

Mark Knudsen

Principal

Kier + Wright

Carrie Nikols

Carrie Nikols

CEO

Nikols Mortgage Fund, LLC

Lindsay Crittendon

Lindsay Crittendon

Chief Revenue Officer

Tailorbird

Omari Robinson

Omari Robinson

Head of Business Development

Villa Homes

Varun Sawhney
Moderator

Varun Sawhney

SVP, Western Region

Parity

Tim Kelly
Moderator

Tim Kelly

Partner

Allen Matkins

Paul Niewiadomski
Moderator

Paul Niewiadomski

Partner

Lubin Olson

Ed Hanley
Moderator

Ed Hanley

Managing Director

CBIZ

Steffen Nussbaum
Opening Remarks

Steffen Nussbaum

CEO

Parkstory USA

Gabriel Gardner

Senior Director, Development

Greystar

I cover all new ground up development for entire region Northern California through Northern Nevada.

I have launched our first Birchway and LTD branded (missing middle) projects in California for Greystar.

2004 and 2008 Olympian, and Olympic Gold Medalist

Zach Felson

Co-CIO & Head of Acquisitions

Prado Group

Zach is Head of Acquisitions, Co-CIO, and a member of the Executive Team at Prado Group, where he oversees all investment and acquisition activity at Prado. In this role, Zach is responsible for managing the team that sources, underwrites, structures, and executes acquisitions, dispositions, financings, and recapitalizations at Prado Group. He also works closely with the leadership of the asset management, retail, and office teams.

Prior to joining Prado Group in 2010, Zach worked at Lehman Brothers and Marcus & Millichap in New York where he won awards including #1 Broker. Zach is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC). He received his B.A. with Honors from the University of Texas at Austin.

Dave Hopkins

Co-President of Development and Investments

Sares Regis Group

Dave Hopkins joined Sares Regis Group in 2007. With Todd Regonini, Dave provides the strategic direction for Sares Regis and Regis Homes’ development activities, primarily focused on infill residential within the inner Bay Area. Dave is a member of the firm’s Investment Committee.

David Feinberg

Managing Partner

Sack Capital Partners

David Feinberg is currently a Managing Partner at Sack Capital Partners. He has closed over a billion dollars in apartment acquisitions over his career. He joined Sack Capital Partners in 2017 and is responsible for all acquisition and disposition activities. Prior to Sack Capital Partners, David was a Vice President of Acquisitions with Sares Regis, with primary acquisition responsibility for value-add multifamily properties in the Bay Area and Pacific Northwest. He closed on $333M in apartment transactions while at Sares Regis. Before joining Sares, Feinberg served as vice president of acquisitions at RREEF. He was responsible for identifying, negotiating, underwriting and closing purchases, both direct and joint venture, of more than $300 million in properties for RREEF clients. Feinberg started his career with Archstone, where he was in the acquisitions group covering the Pacific Northwest first and later the East Coast through the Boston office. Mr. Feinberg received a Bachelors of Arts from the University of Puget Sound and a Masters in Business Administration from Northwestern University – Kellogg

Mike Kim

Sr Managing Director, Development

Mill Creek Residential

Mike Kim serves as Senior Managing Director of Mill Creek’s Northern California office, where he leads the development activities in the San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, and Silicon Valley metro regions. During his 24-year real estate career, he has been involved in the development and construction of multifamily mixed-use communities, and commercial developments with aggregate values in excess of $2.2 billion in the NCAL and PNW markets.

Prior to joining Mill Creek, Mr. Kim served as Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer at SIMEON Properties where he led the firm’s multifamily and commercial development activities. He began his real estate career in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he was involved in complex urban developments across various typologies including high-rise, horizontal and vertical mixed-use, master plans, and commercial developments. Prior to his career in real estate development, Mr. Kim served the nation for seven years as a Naval Officer leading maritime missions and expeditions in all major theaters of operation.

Mr. Kim holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Science Degree from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. He has served on various boards such as the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley CA, NAIOP San Francisco, and several municipal Advisory Councils.

Ken McMackin

EVP

Avanath Capital Management

Ken serves as the Executive Vice President of Investments at Avanath. In this role, he oversees the firm's acquisition, disposition, and asset management activities. Prior to his current role, Ken served in various other departments within Avanath, including Portfolio Management, Asset Management, and Financial Planning & Analysis.

Before joining Avanath, Ken worked at Healthpeak Properties, a publicly traded healthcare REIT, where he was part of the Senior Housing Finance group. Prior to Healthpeak Properties, Ken worked at Deloitte in their Real Estate Consulting practice.

Ken earned his MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and holds a BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from California State University, Long Beach.

Doug McDonald

President and CEO

SummerHill Apartment Communities

Doug is directly responsible for Land Acquisition, Entitlements, Design and Construction, Asset Management, Asset Disposition, and Finance. Doug has been with SummerHill since 2001. Before assuming his current role as President of SummerHill Apartment Communities, Doug held the COO and CFO roles for SummerHill Apartment Communities and the CFO role for SummerHill Homes. As CFO he secured nearly $2.5 Billion in project level construction debt and equity capital. Prior to joining SummerHill Homes, Doug was Manager of Strategy and Business Architecture for Accenture in San Francisco. Doug was also Division Controller – Carolinas for Pulte Homes and Supervising Senior Accountant for KPMG Peat Marwick, both of Charlotte, North Carolina. Doug is a former certified public accountant. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration – Finance and a Master of Accounting degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Doug also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Michigan – Stephen M. Ross School of Business, where he graduated with distinction and received the annual Innovation Award. Doug is a member of the NAHB Multifamily Leadership Board and is involved with various other industry and charitable organizations.

Tyler Pullen

Interim Director of the Builders Lab

Terner Housing Innovation Labs

Tyler advises the program design and impending launch of the Builders Lab program, which will help companies pursuing innovative and industrialized construction methods refine and scale up their work. He has a background in research and practice across numerous fields in the built environment industry. These include civil and environmental engineering, construction management, energy efficient architectural design and analysis, urban planning and data science, climate change impact modeling, and housing development and policy. He also conducts research at the Terner Center. His research includes work both in the U.S. and abroad, particularly on the topic of industrialized construction as a means of expanding and improving housing production. This interdisciplinary experience and curiosity are critical in his research, which hopes to align policies and industry towards critical housing, environmental, and social goals.

Welton Jordan

Chief Real Estate Development Officer

EAH Housing

As the Chief Real Estate Development Officer (CREDO) / Assistant Secretary at EAH Housing, Mr. Jordan is responsible for all real estate development activities including, business development, real estate acquisition, rehabilitation and new construction activities in California and Hawai`i.

He presides over a current active pipeline of 60 deals totaling nearly $2 billion while leading a team of more than 25 development professionals, including several newly created positions such as director of development and director of portfolio finance and policy.

Mr. Jordan has been with EAH Housing since 2013 and is the first person to be appointed to the CREDO position in EAH Housing’s 50+ year history. Under his leadership, he has increased overall visibility of EAH within the industry, grew and spearheaded a reimagination of the real estate development department, and has expanded the organization’s footprint into Sacramento, Southern California and the Central Coast.

He has more than 15 years of experience in real estate development, construction and finance for new construction and rehabilitation of a variety of multifamily developments. He has worked with many private and public funding sources to build affordable/family, market rate, mixed income, mixed use, workforce and permanent supportive housing.

Prior to joining EAH Housing, Mr. Jordan was a Development Project Specialist for the Housing Authority of the City and County of Fresno (HACCF).

Originally from Portland, Oregon, Mr. Jordan holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics with a minor in Finance from Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and earned a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. He has worked in public and private sector housing finance throughout California and received certification as a Housing Development Finance Professional from the National Development Council.

Matthew Berglund

Director, Design

Presidio Bay

Matthew Berglund serves as the Director of Design at Presidio Bay Ventures, overseeing all design, planning, and engineering processes from ideation to fruition. As an accomplished architect, Matthew is focused on the development of high-performing buildings and the elevation of design culture within organizations.

Matthew brings two decades of experience in comprehensive building design and active construction management to the firm. Prior to joining Presidio Bay, Matthew served as Associate Principal at Handel Architects in San Francisco, leading the design and execution of multi-family, hotel, and office projects with exceptional proficiency in urban mixed-use and high-rise developments. Prior to that, with Goettsch Partners in Chicago, he was instrumental in the establishment of the firm’s Middle East operation and the completion of significant projects in the region, including the Abu Dhabi Global Market Square.

Mr. Berglund holds a Master of Architecture degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. He is a licensed member of the American Institute of Architects, a LEED Accredited Professional, and a member of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.

Mark MacDonald

CEO

DM Development

Mark MacDonald is the CEO and Co-Founding Principal of DM Development. Combining his passion for architectural design and real estate development, Mark founded DM Development in 2010 to create exceptionally designed urban infill properties that revitalize communities and promote sustainable development. Mark is actively involved in all phases of the development process with an emphasis on acquisitions, underwriting, finance, partnerships, design, entitlements, marketing and sales. Mark is an active member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), SPUR and the San Francisco Housing Action Coalition (SFHAC), and he has been a featured speaker at numerous local and regional real estate industry events. Mark received his bachelor’s in computer systems engineering with distinction from Stanford University and his master's in management from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Smitha Seshadri

EVP

BRIDGE Housing

Smitha Seshadri is Executive Vice President of Development at BRIDGE Housing Corporation and leads the organization’s real estate development activities in Northern California. Smitha brings 20+ years of experience with a strong background in architecture, community development and real estate finance. She has successfully structured several complex multi-family affordable housing developments and is responsible for overseeing the execution of several mixed-use/mixed-income developments for BRIDGE in Northern California, including new construction and acquisition-rehab over the past 5.5 years. Earlier this year, BRIDGE was honored with the “Nonprofit Developer of the Year Award” from the San Francisco Business Times for delivering approximately 1,000 new and rehabbed affordable housing units in the Bay Area over the past 2 years. Her team is currently working on 7 construction projects with a total of 735 affordable housing units and several new construction projects in predevelopment. Prior to BRIDGE, Smitha served as Vice President of Real Estate at Habitat for Humanity, San Francisco and Director of Development for the Santa Clara Housing Authority.

Ms. Seshadri holds an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California and Satellite Affordable Housing Associates.

Raoul Amescua

EVP, Development

The Michael's Organization

Senior Vice President-Development, Student Living with The Michaels Organization (Michaels), leading the company’s public-private partnerships with higher education institutions in California, by bringing nearly 20 years of real estate development and finance experience including the development of large-scale housing and dining facilities that utilized public-private partnership (P3) delivery models. In addition to delivering P3 real estatement development projects on-campus, Raoul is the company's leader for off-campus student housing development in California.

Tim Haley

Senior Associate

MBH Architects

Timothy Haley, Architect, is an innovative and client-focused Senior Associate at MBH Architects with over 20 years proven success providing quality designs for multi-family residential projects and mixed use developments. As Technical Director of MBH’s Housing Studio and a leader of the firm’s design technology practice group, he is a strong proponent of leveraging technology to bring about the most creative and expedient solutions to design and construction challenges. Timothy uses his extensive knowledge of design technology to advise on projects across the firm from workspace and laboratory to hospitality and modular housing. Creating projects to meet the clients’ needs by synthesizing program context, technology, and budget, Timothy is recognized for his top performance by repeat client selection and architectural awards of merit

Janusz Sakowicz

Chief Development Officer

Colt Builders

Janusz Sakowicz is the Chief Development Officer and Managing Partner at Colt Builders, where he leads national and regional strategy across preconstruction, estimating, and project execution. Since joining Colt in 2013, Janusz has been instrumental in expanding operations into new markets and driving scalable systems that have enhanced performance across the company’s multi-regional platform.

With over 15 years of experience in commercial construction, Janusz has worked in nine states across the U.S., holding leadership roles and playing a key role in Colt’s growth. Prior to Colt, he managed construction teams in Massachusetts, where he began his career while earning a degree in Political Science in Worcester, MA.

Janusz specializes in multi-family, senior living, and student housing projects—key segments of focus for Colt Builders. His project experience ranges from complex urban infill developments to large-scale, garden-style communities.

In his current role, Janusz oversees key development functions that support Colt’s growth, with a focus on operational efficiency, client relationships, and strategic partnerships. He works closely with field leadership and executive teams to ensure alignment between project delivery and long-term business objectives.

Janusz is passionate about building strong teams, fostering innovation in construction operations, and delivering results that exceed client expectations.

Mark Knudsen

Principal

Kier + Wright

Mark Knudsen, PE, QSD/QSP, has spent more than two decades helping complex projects take shape across the Bay Area. As a Principal at Kier + Wright and leader of the firm’s Silicon Valley civil engineering department, Mark works closely with developers and project teams to solve the infrastructure and site development challenges behind projects of every scale. As prefab, modular, and mass timber continue gaining momentum, he brings a grounded understanding of how these evolving approaches are changing project coordination, timelines, and long-term sustainability throughout the region.

Carrie Nikols

CEO

Nikols Mortgage Fund, LLC

Carrie is CEO of The Nikols Company, which is Manager of Nikols Mortgage Fund, LLC, a private commercial real estate construction & bridge lender providing $5-40 million loans on California properties. She directly leads all loan originations and structuring, and oversees closings, loan servicing and loan payoffs. She has led Nikols Mortgage Fund since 2008, closing over $1.3 billion of loan commitments. Carrie’s commercial real estate experience, which spans more than four decades, ranges from institutional permanent lending and large balance bridge loans to smaller bank and private money construction and tailored transactions. As the top producing Region Manager for DaimlerChrysler Capital Services, Carrie originated and was responsible for a portfolio of $10 to $75 million highly leveraged commercial property bridge loans, all handled as agreed with no defaults. She has also pioneered various loan structures and product types including mezzanine loans, tax-exempt bond letter of credit enhancements with taxable tails, assisted living facilities, self-storage facilities and single-tenant biotech properties. Carrie has also written approximately 50 income property and residential subdivision appraisals as a state certified appraiser and MAI candidate. She holds a California Real Estate Sales license and graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration-Real Estate Finance.

Lindsay Crittendon

Chief Revenue Officer

Tailorbird

Lindsay Crittendon is Chief Revenue Officer at Tailorbird, an AI-powered platform streamlining CapEx planning for multifamily owners and operators. Tailorbird is the third AI company where Lindsay has led and scaled operations. She brings 15+ years of executive experience across proptech, insurtech, and health tech, including leadership roles at Hippo and Headspace. A strategic operator, Lindsay specializes in bringing category-defining products to market and driving growth through operational rigor. She is a founding member of Operators Guild, a startup advisor, and a University of Iowa alum based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Omari Robinson

Head of Business Development

Villa Homes

Omari Robinson is a business development and real estate executive focused on helping organizations identify new growth opportunities and bring innovative housing solutions to market. As a leader at Villa Homes, he works with multifamily owners, developers, and strategic partners to expand housing supply through offsite construction and ADU development. He specializes in identifying underutilized real estate opportunities and developing partnerships that unlock additional value through innovative housing solutions.

Prior to Villa Homes, Omari served as Vice President of Acquisitions & Business Development at redT Homes and Vice President of Acquisitions & Investor Relations at Skymount Property Group, where he led business development, acquisitions, and investor relationships. Earlier in his career, he developed his sales and client acquisition expertise at Paycom and began his professional career in group sales with the Cleveland Browns.

Omari earned his Bachelor's degree in Sport and Fitness Administration and Business from Grand Valley State University, where he was also a collegiate football player. His background across athletics, technology sales, real estate, and business development has shaped a collaborative, relationship-driven leadership style centered on creating long-term value for clients, partners, and the communities they serve.

Varun Sawhney

Moderator

Parity

Varun Sawhney is Senior Vice President of the Western Region at Parity, where he leads the company's expansion across California and the Pacific Northwest. His career has focused on helping real estate owners and operators adopt technology-driven solutions that improve building performance, reduce operating costs, and advance sustainability goals across energy, water, and facilities operations.

Prior to joining Parity, Varun held leadership roles at Redaptive and HydroPoint, where he worked with some of North America's largest commercial, multifamily, and institutional organizations on energy efficiency, Energy-as-a-Service, and water conservation initiatives. Earlier in his career, he held business development and sales leadership positions with ServiceChannel, GridPoint and other technology companies serving the built environment. Varun holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from The George Washington Un

Paul Niewiadomski

Moderator

Lubin Olson

Paul J. Niewiadomski is a Partner in Lubin Olson’s Real Estate and Finance Groups. He has

represented clients in hundreds of multifamily acquisitions, dispositions and financings, as well

as the formation of numerous joint ventures to acquire and develop multifamily/residential

assets. He has experience with market, rent controlled, senior and affordable housing. He

previously worked as counsel to the Asset and Economic Development group at the County of

Santa Clara, where he participated in the structuring and negotiation of a number of public-

private developments resulting in thousands of multifamily units.

Ed Hanley

Moderator

CBIZ

Ed Hanley is a Managing Director in CBIZ’s San Francisco tax practice, where he advises high-net-worth individuals, business owners, and closely held companies on complex tax matters. His work focuses on strategic tax planning, real estate investments, business transactions, succession planning, and long-term wealth strategies.

Ed has extensive experience working with real estate owners, investors, and

developers, helping clients structure acquisitions, dispositions, and partnerships

while maximizing tax efficiency. He is known for providing practical, business-

focused advice and collaborating closely with legal and financial advisors.

Before joining CBIZ, Ed worked in Ernst & Young’s National Tax Department and later served as tax counsel at GE Capital. In 2002, Ed was recruited to Shea Labagh Dobberstein, CPAs in San Francisco to lead its tax practice. Following the firm’s merger with CBIZ in 2021, he continues to serve his clients on the CBIZ platform.

Ed earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard University and his law degree from Boston College Law School.

What You'll Learn

What You’ll Learn:

  • Hear from top investors and lenders on where institutional capital is re-entering the NorCal market, how deals are being structured today, and what it takes to get transactions across the finish line.

  • Gain insight into how developers and builders are navigating cost escalation, entitlement tools, and site selection to determine what projects still pencil in NorCal today.

  • Discover how operators are running high-performing assets in a tightening market, from setting rents and managing costs to retaining residents in a record-rent environment.

  • Learn how developers and nonprofits are financing, building, and preserving affordable and workforce housing across Northern California amid new state and federal funding dynamics.

  • Explore the design, amenity, and delivery strategies behind NorCal's top-performing luxury assets and what's driving demand at the high end of the market.

  • Gain insight into who is renting across Northern California, where demand is concentrating, and how operators are using data and leasing strategies to drive retention and occupancy.

How You’ll Do More Business: Northern California's multifamily market is at an inflection point with vacancy having dropped to 4.4%, the lowest since 2014, and average rents have hit a record $3,200 per month. Institutional capital is returning, and AI-sector employment is reshaping demand. Join us for a full day of candid conversations on where the market is headed and how to position your business for what's next.

Who You’ll Meet During Networking: Owners, developers, investors, brokers, city and government officials, business consultants, architects, engineers, lawyers, accountants, and bankers.

Why You Should Attend: Bisnow events bring together the biggest power players in the industry to help you identify opportunities, build your network, and expand your business. With the largest audience of commercial real estate professionals in the world, no one knows how to help your business more than we do.

For questions, recommendations, comments, or press inquiries, please email our event producer, Bora Altunay, at bora.altunay@bisnow.com.

Interested in Sponsorship? Contact max.stein@bisnow.com to get information on sponsorship, pricing, and availability at this event.

Agenda

Time Activity
4:00 PM
5:00 PM
Breakfast & Networking
5:00 PM
5:45 PM
Capital Markets & Investment: The NorCal Re-Entry

Valuation Resets, Capital Stack Restructuring, and Where Institutional Equity Is Placing Bets Across NorCal

5:45 PM
6:30 PM
Property Management & Operations: Driving NOI & Asset Performance

PropTech, AI, Resident Experience & Operational Strategies Behind High Performing Multifamily Assets

6:30 PM
7:30 PM
Lunch and Networking
7:30 PM
8:15 PM
What’s Breaking Ground Today: Construction & Feasibility

Navigating Cost Escalation, Site Selection, Entitlement Tools, and Pipeline

8:15 PM
9:00 PM
Affordable & Workforce Housing: Development, Pipeline & Demand

Building and Preserving Housing Across Northern California

9:00 PM
9:20 PM
Networking and Coffee Break
9:20 PM
10:05 PM
Alternative Delivery Methods & Construction Innovation

The Building Methods, Technologies and Partnerships Reducing Cost, Risk and Time to Market

10:05 PM
10:50 PM
Luxury Assets & Design: Building for the Top of the Market

Building Experiences and Differentiating High-End Multifamily in NorCal

10:50 PM
11:30 PM
Closing Networking

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