Future of Wards 7 and 8

Gary D. Rappaport, is Chief Executive Officer of Rappaport, a retail real estate company he founded in 1984. Rappaport provides leasing, tenant representation, management and development services for more than 15.6 million square feet. Rappaport’s portfolio includes more than 60 shopping centers and ground floor retail in some 100 mixed-use properties, both residential and office, located primarily throughout the mid-Atlantic region. Mr. Rappaport is Principal Partner for approximately 4 million square feet of the shopping centers managed by Rappaport. He has made tremendous contributions to the shopping center industry as former Chairman and Trustee of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and through his service on ICSC’s Executive, Executive Compensation, Nominating, Government Relations, Long Range Planning and PAC committees. Additionally, his demonstration of a well-rounded competency of the industry earned him ICSC’s respected Certified Retail Real Estate Professional (CRRP) credential. Mr. Rappaport continues to lobby at the state and federal government levels on many issues important to the shopping center industry. Mr. Rappaport is committed to sharing his knowledge and experience as an entrepreneur and has authored two editions of “Investing in Retail Properties,” which explains how to structure real estate partnerships for sharing capital appreciation and cash flow. The information contained in the book is the basis for classes he teaches for ICSC’s University of Shopping Centers and as an annual guest instructor at Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, American and George Mason Universities as well as the University of Michigan and Georgetown Law Schools.

Chris Smith is the chairman and chief executive officer of WC Smith. Mr. Smith began his career with the firm in the construction group and worked in finance before launching the development arm of the business in the early 1980’s. Under his direction, the company has become a District of Columbia industry leader in the rehabilitation and revitalization of challenged neighborhoods. While enhancing its portfolio of market rate housing, WC Smith has concurrently focused on developing affordable multi-family communities and commercial properties. With a lifelong commitment to community service, Chris Smith has fostered a culture within WC Smith of improving the quality of life for residents of the District. The company and its employees routinely volunteer time and resources to build playgrounds, beautify neighborhoods, and provide recreational opportunities for DC families. In 1997, Chris was instrumental in forming a non-profit organization, Building Bridges Across the River, to fundraise and develop a $27 million cultural arts, recreation and education facility, the Town Hall Education Arts & Recreation Campus (THEARC) in Southeast Washington. THEARC was honored by the Urban Land Institute with the 2007 Award of Excellence. Mr. Smith holds a real estate brokers license in Washington, DC, and the State of Virginia. He sits on the board of directors for Building Bridges Across the River, the Washington Ballet, St. John’s College High School and the District of Columbia Building Industry Association. He has been honored with the Washington Urban League’s Whitney M. Young Service Award, the Apartment and Office Building Association’s prestigious Sidney Glassman award, the N Street Village Founder’s Award, the Property Management Association’s highest honor (the Sussman award), and Transwestern’s Trendsetter of the Year 2009. In 2007, Mr. Smith was named as one of Washingtonian Magazine’s Washingtonians of the Year, and he was the subject of a segment entitled “American Spirit” on Katie Couric’s CBS Evening News broadcast.

Thomas G. Bolen III plays an integral role in the day-to-day prospecting, canvassing and business development of Rappaport’s portfolio and brokerage assets. Prior to Rappaport, Thomas played an instrumental role in the growth and development of Florida-based Crossman and Company. With over 7 years in the retail real estate industry, he has closed over $90M+ in lease and sales value. Thomas received his bachelors and Master’s in Business Administration from Florida A&M and was a percussionist for the Florida A&M University’s Incomparable Marching 100 Band. He has earned the distinguished 2015-2016 ICSC Foundation Fiala Fellow award, where he helped increase ICSC Student Memberships among diverse student populations. Thomas is committed to growing and influencing the Commercial Real Estate industry. Locally, Thomas serves on the Young Leaders Committee with DCBIA and was awarded the 2022 DCBIA Young Leader Achievement Award. Thomas remains very active with AAREP and DMV Black Restaurant Week, and is professionally licensed in VA, DC, MD, and FL.

Christopher Earley brings over 25 years of finance and affordable housing experience to the Mid-Atlantic region, with in-depth knowledge of project underwriting, financing and development. In his role as Regional Vice President in the Mid-Atlantic region, Christopher oversees the acquisition, planning, development, and development financing of affordable housing properties in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and West Virginia. Christopher joined Michaels after 5 ½ years at Capital One Bank, where he served as a Senior Manager in the bank's Community Finance group, focusing on underwriting LIHTC and tax-exempt bond-financed transactions. Prior to that, Christopher spent 9 years serving in various roles with the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development, last serving as Chief Program Officer for the agency. Additional experiences in his background include working as a financial analyst for General Motors and as a real estate consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. In addition to his professional experiences, Christopher has strong community ties in the DC Metro area. A District of Columbia resident, Christopher serves on various boards of directors for organizations that enhance the quality of life for residents across the metropolitan area, with a focus on healthcare, housing and economic development. Christopher holds an MBA with a concentration in Finance and Real Estate from The University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from Morehouse College.

In 2018, the Anacostia BID Board of Directors announced the appointment of Kristina Noell as Executive Director. With over 20 years of experience working with small businesses and economic and neighborhood development, the board felt Kristina was an excellent choice to lead the BID in expanding its mission and reach. Before joining the Anacostia BID, Kristina served as Director of Business Development, Strategic Alliances, and Initiatives at the Washington DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP). Before WDCEP, she worked for the Washington DC Convention and Sports Authority (Events DC). Kristina has been recognized for her enthusiasm for supporting DC small businesses, creativity in accomplishing the Anacostia BID's mission, and ability to expand member capacity and success.

In her role as CEO, Naseema Shafi works to implement the strategic vision, goals and initiatives of the Board of Directors. She leads and supports the growth and oversight of the health center with a focus on the provision of high-quality, affirming care that centers the community and maintains the vitality of Whitman-Walker. Prior to her current role, Shafi served as both the Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer for Whitman-Walker as well as its Director of Compliance, overseeing various matters related to corporate compliance and risk management. Shafi joined Whitman-Walker in 2007. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, College Park and her law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law. She is a member of the Maryland State Bar. In 2016, Shafi was honored as a Minority Business Leader by The Washington Business Journal

Ralph Morton leads the Sports & Entertainment Division for Events DC representing Washington DC in the global events industry. Morton oversees event sales, bookings and sponsorships for the RFK and St. Elizabeths East Campuses that include arenas, stadiums, fields and other event venues, as well as leading DC’s efforts to attract impactful events and opportunities to the region. Prior to his position in Washington DC, he served for 16 years as the Executive Director of the Seattle Sports Commission, leading the mission of making Seattle a world-class sports destination. He previously served as Vice President of Events for the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, where he held leaderships roles for events including Super Bowls and NCAA Final Fours. He also served as Vice President of Operations for the Acxiom Grand Prix Du Mardi Gras and Entertainment Coordinator for Aggreko Entertainment Services. He is an alumnus of the University of Florida, and he and his wife Laura and four children are excited to transition to the greater DC area.

Rahsaan Bernard is the president of Building Bridges Across the River, an innovative and impactful organization that uses a multi-sector approach to reduce the barriers to social and economic mobility for low- and moderate-income residents in Washington, DC. In this role, he is responsible for leading and managing the nationally-recognized 16.5-acre, 203,000 sq. ft. Townhall, Health, Education, Arts, and Recreation Campus (THEARC), the Skyland Workforce Center, seven urban farms, and the first elevated non-vehicular park in the nation’s capital, the 11 th Street Bridge Park. His and his team’s work has been highlighted in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Washington Business Journal and countless local and national television segments. Before joining Building Bridges Across the River, Rahsaan served as the Chief Executive Officer for Beyond Excellence, a firm specializing in health management and corporate wellness programs. During his tenure at Beyond Excellence he led a team of c-suite executives on national strategy, leadership/talent development, and change management. Rahsaan’s leadership and experience has been highly sought after and he is currently serving as an appointee to the Tax Revision Commission for the District of Columbia, a trustee member of the Federal City Council, a member of Leadership Greater Washington, a member of Young President’s Organization, and holds board positions nationally at Feeding America and locally at the Capital Area Food Bank, the Catalogue for Philanthropy, and Tzedek DC. Rahsaan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems from the University of Maryland, a certificate from the Persuasive Technology Lab at Stanford University, a Master in Business Administration from Bowie State University and currently a candidate for a Master in Professional Studies from Georgetown University. He lives in Washington, DC with his wife and three children.

Timothy White currently serves as the Executive Director of Equitable Development in the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. His team manages various real estate projects and economic development initiatives in Wards 7 and 8. His duties include leading the Food Access Fund and grocery store expansion, the East Capitol Gateway Marketplace development, and the District’s partnership with Rockefeller Foundation and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) as the Chief Opportunity Zone Officer. Tim came to the position with a robust portfolio of serving District residents; he began his local government career with the District Department of Transportation as a Special Assistant, and later served as Deputy Chief of Staff for the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. He then went on to serve as Chief of Staff for the District's Department of Employment Services, where he oversaw the operations divisions and the implementation of the Paid Family Leave program. Tim most recently served as the Executive Director of the Office for East of the River Services. Prior to working for local government, Tim has over ten years in retail operations and project management, corporate retail operations; serving on teams responsible for the development, testing, and implementation of strategic initiatives, and managing a mystery shop program for over 700 locations nationwide. Lastly, Tim has extensive experience in small business consulting – business development, brand creation, and technical assistance. Tim White is originally from St. Louis, Missouri, and a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.

Jerome Nichols is a President and Co-founder of Standard Real Estate Investments, where he is focused on new business development and investment sourcing, in addition to his involvement in all major decisions pertaining to the business. Prior to co-founding Standard Real Estate Investments, Mr. Nichols spent 6 years at CBRE Global Investors as a Senior Director and Deputy Portfolio Manager of the CBRE GI U.S. Development Partners Fund Series. In this role, he served as the lead development sourcing officer for CBRE GI Americas and sourced $6 billion in deal volume. He was actively involved in several initiatives at CBRE GI, including his role as the Chair of the Social Impact Counsel. In addition to his time at CBRE GI, Mr. Nichols spent 6 years with The Bozzuto Group, a vertically integrated multifamily development and operating company. Mr. Nichols is also a former professional football player. He is an Alumnus and active supporter of the Robert Toigo Foundation. Mr. Nichols received an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BS in Business from Wake Forest University. Mr. Nichols is from Prince George’s County, Maryland and lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife and two children.

Tom Skinner is a founding member of Redbrick LMD and is one of the firm’s three Managing Partners. He has invested in and developed close to $2 billion in real estate assets and established a pipeline of over $4 billion in future development projects. Prior to founding Redbrick, Tom invested in or founded numerous operating businesses primarily in the real estate, technology and financial services industries. Tom began his professional career at McKinsey & Co. where he worked with financial institutions on strategy issues. Tom earned his Ph.D. in economics from MIT and his BA in economics from Oxford University.

Bo Menkiti is the Founder and CEO of the Menkiti Group, a real estate company dedicated to transforming lives and communities through real estate. The Menkiti Group is focused on strengthening neighborhoods through the strategic development, management, and disposition of real estate in urban markets. Mr. Menkiti also serves as CEO and is the Founding Partner of Keller Williams Capital Properties, a residential real estate brokerage managed by the Menkiti Group. Mr. Menkiti’s work has been featured in David Bornstein’s book on social entrepreneurs “How to Change the World,” and in Stephen Goldsmith’s “The Power of Social Innovation.” Mr. Menkiti has been recognized nationally by Ebony and Inc. Magazine as one of the coolest young entrepreneurs in America, and was awarded The National Association of Realtors Prestigious “30 under 30” award in 2006. Mr. Menkiti was also honored as a Minority Business Leader by the Washington Business Journal and named to the paper’s 2014 Power 100, a list of the most influential business leaders in the Washington metropolitan area. He was also recently honored by the National Association of Realtors as the District of Columbia Realtor of the Year in 2014 and as Keller Williams Realty International’s 2015 Entrepreneur of the Year. Under Mr. Menkiti’s leadership, the Menkiti Group and Keller Williams Capital Properties have been recognized by Inc. Magazine as being among the fastest growing private companies in the nation and by the Initiative for Competitive Inner City (ICIC) and Fortune Magazine as two of the fastest growing inner city businesses in America. Prior to forming the Menkiti Group and Keller Williams Capital Properties, Mr. Menkiti served as Chief Operating Officer of College Summit, a national non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the college enrollment rate of low-income students. In this capacity, Mr. Menkiti oversaw the organization’s successful growth into a multi-site national organization. Mr. Menkiti served as the 2013 President of the District of Columbia Association of Realtors and is a board member of City First Bank of DC and Dance Place. Mr. Menkiti also serves as a member of the Steering Committee of the Small Business Policy Project and on the board of DC Water, the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority. In 2015, Mr. Menkiti was inducted on the board of the Myer Foundation, the Federal City Council, and was elected as the Executive Board Member of Prolanthropy. Earlier this year, Mr. Menkiti launched the Capital Properties Menkiti Group Foundation, an organization that focuses its resources on serving the diverse social needs existing in the National Capital Area. Mr. Menkiti is a graduate of Harvard University. He lives in the District with his wife and three young sons.

Mr. Karim has served as President of Banneker since its founding in 2005. Banneker has grown from a boutique real estate development firm to a diversified, full-service real estate and construction firm specializing in facilities and construction management with federal, state and local clients. Since its founding, Mr. Karim has been responsible for Banneker winning more than $30MM in contracts and overseeing the construction of more than $200MM in public and private projects. Prior to founding Banneker, Mr. Karim served as General Counsel for a Washington, D.C. based development company. Before that, he served as a Corporate Associate with a large New York law firm. Mr. Karim received a Juris Doctor degree from Howard University where he was a member of The Howard Law Journal and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, also from Howard, where he became the first undergraduate student to serve two terms on the University’s Board of Trustees.

For the past 34 years, Jeffrey A. Banks has been providing smart banking solutions for his clients in the National Capital Region. His focus has been on local and national firms, municipalities, professional service providers and non-profits including the faith-based community. Jeff is the Vice President for Community Services for United Bank, a locally based $30 Billion Community Bank with offices in eight states and the District of Columbia. Jeff hails from Cincinnati, Ohio and was recruited to relocate to Washington, DC in 1988 to work at a local bank. Jeffrey was appointed by Mayor Muriel Bowser to the DC Financial Literacy Council where he currently serves as Board Chair. He is the Co-Chair of the Office of State Superintendent of School’s DC Career Academy Network to provide pathways for DC High School Students to enter the financial services industries. He is the Finance Committee Chair for the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, a 107-year-old national organization founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, The Father of Black History Month. He is a member of the Board of Trustees for Theatre Washington and Mosaic Theatre in Washington DC. Jeffrey sits on many other boards including the National Association of Minority Contractors-DMV, DC Children’s Trust to prevent child abuse and the Metropolitan Washington Bankers Group’s Executive Council. He has previously served on the Board of Trustees for the Potomac School in McLean, Virginia, WPFW Community Radio Station and the Woolly Mammoth Theatre. Jeffrey Banks has taught financial literacy classes in many public schools and to over 700 returning citizens or ex-offenders at Goodwill of Greater Washington. He has received many awards for community service from diverse groups like The Urban League, The Collective Empowerment Group and Cease Fire. Jeffrey Banks has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business from the University of Cincinnati. He is a member of Leadership Greater Washington’s Class of 2014. He is married to Stacie Lee Banks and they reside in Washington DC. He has two adult daughters, Jasmine Banks-Westbrook and Samarah Banks and four grandchildren.