Bay Area Student Housing Summit

Julie Skolnicki is senior managing director of University Partnerships for Greystar, leading on-campus development, acquisition, and long-term management partnerships nationally. She has executed over $3 billion in mixed-use student life projects during her career advising and developing for universities, with an additional $2 billion in the pipeline. Julie joined Greystar in 2018 through the company’s acquisition of student housing leader EdR, where she served as senior vice president of university partnerships. She came to EdR in 2013 with 15 years of higher education planning and implementation experience at Brailsford & Dunlavey (B&D), the University of Cincinnati, and Turner Construction.

Since 1994, David Seward has served as the Chief Financial Officer of UC Hastings College of the Law where he is responsible for financial and business management functions and capital planning where he leads implementation of the school’s long range campus plan which will culminate in the development of a new graduate Academic Village. Active in the Tenderloin, Seward recently concluded his second four year term on the Board of Directors of the Tenderloin Community Benefit District, an organization focused on sidewalk cleaning, graffiti removal, and neighborhood improvement. He also serves on the board of the Tenderloin Museum. Mr. Seward grew up outside Detroit and graduated from the University of Michigan also attending the University of San Francisco, graduating with an MBA in Finance.

Rosemarie Rae brings more than 35 years of experience in finance and administration to her role as UC Berkeley’s Vice Chancellor of Finance and Chief Financial Officer. During the course of her work in the public and nonprofit sectors, she has developed a wide depth and breadth of knowledge in budget and financial management, strategic planning, and operations. The Office of the Vice Chancellor of Finance includes Capital Strategies, the Controller’s Office, Finance & Capital Asset Strategies, Financial Planning & Analysis, University Business Partnerships & Services, and the Immediate Office. Together these teams oversee university financial services and controls, lead an integrated approach to planning and development, provide accurate and timely information and analyses to inform campus decision-making in service of UC Berkeley’s mission of teaching, research, and public service. Rosemarie takes great pride in how our institution shapes higher education and her focus on collaboration, accountability, and the greater harmonization of operating and capital planning continues to further the goal of financial sustainability. Prior to coming to Berkeley, she served as the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer of The National Trust for Historic Preservation, she also served as an Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer, and Chief Financial Officer at Volunteers of America; held senior leadership positions at Experience Works and LORAL Space and Communications; and was a principal and founder of Balrae Associates, an Information Technology services firm. Rosemarie holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Radford University and a masters degree in public administration from American University.

Based in Solana Beach, Mr. Vasbinder’s primary responsibilities include identifying, negotiating and acquiring development opportunities throughout the Western US. Since joining the company in 2008, he has been responsible for the acquisition and development of over 3,200 residential units with a valuation over $1.2B. He is currently active in a number of markets, including Los Angeles, Santa Monica, San Diego and Austin. He is a member of the San Diego Building Industry Association and the Mission Valley Planning Group.

Jim is the University Architect and Associate Vice Chancellor in charge of Design and Construction Management. As Associate Vice Chancellor & University Architect at Design and Construction Management (DCM), Jim leads a highly-skilled team of 100 professionals, with the responsibility for management of the campus-wide building program, currently in excess of $1.5B. Our team at DCM provides engineering planning, design services, integrated capital and space planning, real estate services, contract and construction management and stewardship for the nearly 1,300 buildings on the UC Davis campus and throughout California. Jim received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architecture at the University of Maryland, College Park. He is a member of the Association of University Architects, the Society for College and University Planning, and APPA: Leadership in Educational Facilities (formerly the Association of Physical Plant Administrators), as well as the American Institute of Architects. He is a LEED-accredited professional (LEED is the U.S. Green Building Council’s rating system, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

Ken Lowney founded Lowney Architecture in 2003 and is the President of the firm. Mr. Lowney has worked with small and large companies, non-profits, city governments, communities and private developers in Northern California and throughout the United States. Project expertise includes grocery stores, retail, multi-family housing, restaurants, offices, parking structures and master planning. Lowney Architecture has won particular acclaim for its vertical grocery store and prefabricated multifamily housing designs. The firm has won numerous design awards from professional organizations, including the Golden Nugget Award and the American Institute of Architects. The San Francisco Business Times consistently ranks Lowney Architecture amongst the top firms in the greater Bay Area. Ken’s approach to architecture is rooted in his belief that architecture is more than simply buildings; and, if thoughtfully and responsibly done it can positively contribute to society and advance a community. In his hometown of Oakland, Ken leads discussions about community and economic development while serving leadership roles in SPUR, the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and the Oakland Land Use Committee. On regional and national levels, Ken participates as a full member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Small Scale Development Council and the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Northern California Program Committee where he frequently speaks about design innovation and the future of cities. Ken graduated from Occidental College with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, studied architecture at the Architectural Association in London, and earned a Master’s degree from the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc).

With over 20 years of experience in technical building, Zach Murphy currently serves as CEO of Digital Building Components. Zach began his career at DPR Construction, with a focus on biotech manufacturing projects. As many of these projects occurred during plant changeovers, successful execution required performing the majority of work before the project site was accessible. This drive toward off-site fabrication culminated in a completely modular sterile fill and finish facility which was fabricated in Sweden and delivered to South San Francisco, CA. Zach successfully guided the design team through the local permitting process, developed the site construction and installation estimates, and executed the preparation and assembly work on-site. Over the last decade, Zach executed large healthcare and office campus projects, leveraging Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) as a key planning tool. Combining VDC with off-site fabrication drives greater predictability into the design process. By using this integrated approach, Zach has maximized off- site fabrication early in the design and procurement phase for many projects. These projects achieved a level of quality unattainable through conventional means, and recognized a reduced margin of error associated with cost and schedule. In his current role, Zach leads Digital Building Components. Digital Building Components uses digital fabrication to transform computer models and CAD/CAM drawings directly into precise-to- spec building assemblies of load-bearing cold-formed steel structures, and interior/exterior building panels. Zach is a digital fabrication evangelist; his experience has demonstrated that the best way to see cost, speed, and quality benefits, while achieving the customer’s bespoke architecture, is to resolve the design in the computer model, fabricate digitally, and leverage digital technology in the field for installation.

Born in Burbank, Calif., Fr. Fitzgerald earned a B.A. in History from Santa Clara University in 1980. Two years later he entered the Society of Jesus, beginning his religious formation at the Jesuit Novitiate in Montecito, California. After First Vows, he was sent to study Philosophy at the Jesuit-run Hochschule fuer Philosophie in Munich, Germany. He then returned to the United States to teach at Jesuit High School in Sacramento. Fr. Fitzgerald earned the M.Div. degree in 1991 and a Pontifical Licentiate with an emphasis in Ecclesiology at Weston School of Theology, Cambridge MA in 1993. He attended the University of Paris - La Sorbonne, where he earned a D.E.A. (diplôme des études approfondies) and a Docteur ès Lettres (Ph.D.) in the Sociology of Religion. Concurrently he worked towards an S.T.D. (Pontifical Doctorate) in Ecclesiology from the Institut Catholique de Paris. Prior to USF, he served as Professor of Religious Studies and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Fairfield University. After joining the department of Religious Studies at Santa Clara in 1997, Fr. Fitzgerald taught courses and conducted research under the rubrics of both Systematic Theology and Sociology of Religion. He is the author of the book L'Église comme lieu de formation d'une conscience de la concitoyenneté (Presses Universitaires du Septentrion, 1999) and numerous scholarly articles and popular essays. He served four years as faculty-in-residence for the Loyola Residential Learning community at Santa Clara and was director of the interdisciplinary Catholic Studies minor for seven years. He served as an adjunct lecturer at the Education College in Xiamen, China (1991) and as a visiting lecturer at Hekima College, Nairobi, Kenya (2004). While at Santa Clara Fr. Fitzgerald served as Associate Dean and Senior Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Fr. Fitzgerald currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Loyola University in New Orleans; the Board of Governors of the Commonwealth Club; and the Board of Regents of Archbishop Mitty High School. His prior board service includes the Ecclesiastical Board of the School of Theology and Ministry at Boston College and the Board of Trustees of Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

Meckel has a long association with the college. In 1985, he was hired to develop CCA's architecture program and served as founding chair for two years. From 1987 to 1992, he was campus architect, responsible for developing facilities to support the college's growing enrollment. He was appointed dean of the School of Architectural Studies in 1992 and served in that capacity until 2000. Following an academic restructuring in 2000, Meckel became special assistant to the president, advising on facilities and strategic planning.

Joel Roos joined Pacific Union Development Company in 1993 as Vice President of Development. He is responsible for generating new development opportunities as well as managing the day-to-day development of the company’s projects. Joel specializes in complex, large-scale, mixed-use urban infill projects. He is currently the Project Director for a 580 bed mixed-use student housing project at San Francisco State University which is being developed in conjunction with PUDC’s partner, American Campus Communities. Joel is also managing the $150 Million expansion to the Jewish Home of San Francisco, a 300,000 square foot addition to the existing 374 bed skilled nursing facility in the Excelsior District of San Francisco. Joel acted as the Owner’s Representative on the recently completed historic renovation of the Presidio Theatre, a 600-seat facility located on the Parade Ground of the Presidio. He was the Project Director on the Stadium Garage and Maxwell Sports Field development at UC Berkeley which PUDC currently owns and manages. He has managed the EIR and entitlements for the SF Museum of Modern Art expansion project, as well as, the recent improvements to Lick Wilmerding High School and Marin County Day School. Within the last several years, Joel completed a garage structure for the University of California, San Francisco, under a P3 arrangement with UCSF and the UC Board of Regents. He also completed the development of the Acacia Creek Continuing Care Retirement Community project in Union City, Ca, a multi-structure 450,000 square foot development on a 10-acre campus, as well as the development of the Phases I, II and III of the San Francisco Friends School. Joel is a graduate of Hampshire College with a BA in Architectural History. He has served on several nonprofit boards including the San Francisco Jewish Home for the Aged and the San Francisco Friends School. Joel currently sits on the Board of Congregation Emanu-el. Joel. He is a member of ULI, SPUR and Lambda Alpha.

Ann Volz has over 25 years of real estate experience in program/project management, property management, student management, business development, and marketing. She has been actively involved in virtually all aspects of project development, from strategic planning through ongoing operations in student housing. Her background includes leadership positions at a national program-management firm and an international architecture firm, as well as being on the management team of three large development projects, a significant mall renovation and a 52-story urban mixed-use building. As Senior Project Executive with The Scion Group, Ms. Volz provides and supervises delivery of student housing real estate advisory services to Scion’s clients. With a strong focus on higher education residential life facilities over the past 15 years, Ms. Volz bears keen expertise and experience in market studies, programming, P3 Advisory Services and owner’s representation. Ms. Volz received her Bachelor of Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance and Marketing.

Brian Roeder is a principal with Page, a multidisciplinary design practice with seven offices in the U.S., two international offices, and over 600 employees. Page has worked with higher education institutions across the U.S., and Brian has led many of those projects. Brian understands campus life from the 'inside out', having led the design of teaching and research facilities as well as student life projects. His portfolio includes new construction, master planning, mixed-use, and strategic university partnerships. His most recently completed P3 student housing project is for the University of California, Merced. At UC Merced, as a member of the Plenary development team, Page designed Granite Pass, two new 100,000 GSF undergraduate student housing facilities. Combining live/learn spaces, the housing wings are connected by a centralized “hub” containing study rooms and lounge spaces, while ground level public spaces include classrooms and office suites for student clubs and organizations. This project received LEED Platinum certification and is the first building in the UC Merced 2020 expansion project to achieve this designation.

Amanda has worked in the development and construction of primarily affordable housing for more than 15 years. She has overseen the new construction and rehabilitation of more than 1,200 multifamily units and more than 100,000 square feet of commercial space in California and Arizona. Amanda has led business development for modular project management and general contractors, and owners’ representation and construction management for affordable housing development. She specializes in groundbreaking, sustainable projects that have a compassionate component. At CRATE, Amanda’s industry knowledge and ability to attract and manage deal flow are optimized. In her current role, she focuses on client development, pipeline management, and the orchestration of complex construction needs and demands.