Lexie Albe is the Managing Director at the Southwest Business Improvement District (SWBID), where she oversees the day-to-day work of connecting people and places in the Southwest DC community. She brings nearly 10 years of experience in community engagement, transportation planning, partnership development, and arts-based place activation to the SWBID team. Lexie’s previous roles have included work with national transportation and economic development associations and work with both local and federal government.

Maria Thompson joined Hoffman & Associates in 2015 and as Executive Vice President of Construction oversees construction for all projects including The Wharf Phase 2, Waterfront Station, Seaboard Station, and West Falls Church, representing over $3B of Hoffman’s expanding portfolio.

With nearly three decades of industry experience, Thompson has managed projects totaling nearly $4B in the DC Metro Area. She previously served as Vice President of Business Acquisition at Balfour Beatty and started her career as a Project Engineer at Clark Construction.

Maria is a LEED® Accredited Professional and earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Morgan State University and M.S. in Management from the University of Maryland University College.

Greg Van Wie is Vice President, Director of Development for Jefferson Apartment Group headquartered in McLean, Virginia. He is responsible for underwriting new development projects and overseeing site acquisition, development and construction activities. While with Jefferson Apartment Group, Mr. Van Wie has had direct oversight of multiple projects, totaling almost 1,000 units of new development. Mr. Van Wie has ten-plus years of industry experience in the development, construction, and operation of large-scale multi-family and commercial developments. Prior to joining Jefferson Apartment Group, Mr. Van Wie was employed by Bonaventure Realty Group, where he served as the Asset Manager of a 13-property portfolio of apartment communities totaling over 4,000 units.

Prior to joining Bonaventure in 2009, Mr. Van Wie worked for JPI East and Clark Construction in multiple preconstruction and project management roles throughout the Mid-Atlantic. Mr. Van Wie graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor’s of Urban and Environmental Planning and received a Masters of Science in Real Estate from Johns Hopkins University.

Mr. Van Wie is a member of the Executive Committee of the JHU Real Estate Alumni Forum. He is also a Co-Chair of DCBIA’s Young Leader’s Committee and a member of the Urban Land Institute. Mr. Van Wie is married with one child and lives in the District of Columbia.

Bob Murphy is the Managing Principal for MRP Realty. He has over 34 years of experience in commercial real estate operations, ownership and investment. He joined Trammell Crow Company (TCC) in 1987, managing the firm’s regional operations for many years as Principal. Bob’s last role with TCC was area president of the development and investment group in the Mid-Atlantic where Bob and his team completed $1.8B of investments totaling over 10 million square feet. He co-founded MRP Realty (MRP) in 2005, capitalizing on his in-depth knowledge of Mid-Atlantic real estate markets, extensive network of capital relationships, and his reputation as a collaborative and creative partner to drive the firm. Under Bob’s leadership, MRP has deployed nearly $7.8B of office, residential/mixed-use and industrial developments and acquisition investments with an active pipeline totaling over 8 million square feet. He has actively participated in leadership roles at NAIOP and ULI and at various charitable activities during his career; currently serving on the board of Habitat for Humanity of Washington D.C. Bob received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Notre Dame; his M.B.A. in Finance at Columbia Business School; and was an officer in the United States Army.

David Roberts joined Hoffman & Associates in 2016, and as Senior Vice President of

Development, manages several projects across the region including two major developments in

Southwest DC – Waterfront Station II and Parcel B at Audi Field in partnership with DC United.

David brings more than 15 years of real estate development and asset management experience

in both the public and private sectors. Prior to joining Hoffman & Associates, David served as the

Director of Facilities and Asset Management for the Department of Homeland Security

Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency. In this position, David oversaw the real estate

acquisition, construction and asset management services to support the agency’s domestic

operations. David also served as Director of Real Estate Asset Management for the Deputy

Mayor’s Office for Planning and Economic Development where he served as a board member

for the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation.

David graduated from The University of Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and the

University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business with a Master of Business

Administration.

Kristin Connall is a vice president of development for Akridge and is responsible for coordinating all aspects of commercial real estate development activities from acquisition to completion, including financing, entitlements, design, construction, marketing, and leasing.

Kristin has more than ten years of experience in the commercial real estate industry. Since joining Akridge, she has overseen The Stacks, a proposed 2.1 million-square-foot mixed-use development located in the Capitol Riverfront’s Buzzard Point neighborhood on the Anacostia River. The project is adjacent to DC United’s new Major League Soccer stadium, Audi Field and will contain approximately 2,500 residential units as well as retail, hotel, and office space. Phase 1 of The Stacks broke ground in 2022.

Prior to joining Akridge, Kristin was in commercial real estate lending with CapitalSource, then transitioned to commercial real estate acquisitions and development at StonebridgeCarras, where she worked on the entitlement of a 1.2 million-square-foot mixed-use project in Alexandria, VA. She has held subsequent development roles at Forest City and EastBanc, overseeing urban mixed use projects in Southeast and Northwest Washington, DC. Prior to her real estate career, Kristin worked for two of the largest private equity firms in the Washington region, American Capital and Allied Capital, where she evaluated both existing and prospective middle market investments.

Kristin is an active member of Urban Land Institute (ULI), and participated in the ULI Young Leaders Mentorship Group from 2013 to 2015, and ULI’s NEXT program from 2018 to 2020.

Kristin graduated Magna Cum Laude from Boston College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Marketing. She earned her MBA in Finance and Economics from The University of Chicago, Booth School of Business.

Tommy Wells is the director of the Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE). Appointed January 2015, he is chiefly responsible for protecting the environment and conserving the natural resources of the District of Columbia. Tommy’s team is comprised of approximately 300 environmental professionals collectively working to improve the quality of life for residents and the natural inhabitants of the Nation’s Capital.

Most recently, Tommy served as the DC Councilmember representing Ward 6—a position he held since 2006. During his time on Council, he garnered broad support for his efforts to make the District livable and walkable for all. Tommy worked with the City’s leadership and, in particular, residents of Ward 6 to create a shared and respected place where drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, and exercise enthusiasts can co-exist safely. Known for his neighborhood-focused development, Tommy championed efforts to ensure availability of public transit, including the construction of new streetcar lines and the expansion of the DC Circulator. As Chair of the DC Council Committee on Transportation and the Environment, he worked to double the city’s Capital Bikeshare program.

In 2009, Tommy crafted The Anacostia River Clean Up and Protection Act of 2009, to implement $0.05 fee on disposable bags. This landmark legislation prompted thousands of District residents to curb use of plastic bags and instead opt for reusable, green alternatives. Seventy-five percent of DC residents reported a decrease in their use of disposable bags once the bill took effect on January 1, 2010. The legislation also established a fund to restore District water bodies, including the Anacostia River; support the distribution of reusable bags in the District; install trash traps; and provide environmental education for District students. These and other efforts, championed by Tommy, have helped position the District as a model for sustainable green living for jurisdictions nationwide.

With a career in public service that spans 32 years, Tommy’s commitment to District residents--particularly children--is unwavering. In 1996, he led a successful class action lawsuit, LaShawn v. Barry, to address the city’s failure to protect children in its care. In 1991, he took the helm of the DC Consortium for Child Welfare, where he helped to create neighborhood-based family service collaboratives to coordinate the delivery of city and nonprofit resources to underserved District residents. He was the architect of a groundbreaking program to match foster families with children affected by HIV/AIDS and he led the drive to create the DC Family Court,–resulting in a 300 percent increase in the number of foster children adopted into permanent homes each year.

A passionate innovator and student of cutting edge solutions, Tommy earned his law degree from the Columbus School of Law at Catholic University in 1991 and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Minnesota in 1983. He and his wife, Barbara, a writer and arts enthusiast, are residents of Ward 6 in the District.

Angie M. Gates is the president and chief executive officer of Events DC,

the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia.

Gates leads the organization tasked with generating economic and

community benefits for DC residents and businesses through premier events.

Under Gates’ leadership, Events DC continues its mission of building

community connections through impactful events and programming. As the

conventions, meetings, sports, and entertainment industries continue to

evolve, Gates is tasked with driving sustainability, innovation and a thriving

tourism economy in DC that will serve as a national model.

Dr. Angie M. Gates has decades of experience in the venue management and

entertainment industries and a deep understanding of Washington, DC.

As the former Director of the Office of Cable Television, Film, Music, and

Entertainment (OCTFME), Dr. Gates served as the DC Film Commissioner

and oversaw the Comcast, Verizon, and RCN District of Columbia Cable

Franchise agreements. In 2019, Mayor Muriel Bowser established the DC

Creative Affairs Office under Director Gates’ leadership.

Dr. Gates served as the Director of the Office of Motion Picture and

Television Development before that office merged with the District's Office

of Cable Television. Prior, Director Gates served as D.C. Mayor Muriel

Bowser’s Director of Inauguration, Director of Operations for the Mayor’s

Transition Team and Traveling Chief of Staff during Mayor Bowser’s first

term campaign. For Mayor Bowser’s second term Inauguration, Gates

served as Executive Producer of the DC Proud 2019 Inaugural Celebration

in honor of Mayor Bowser’s historic milestone as the first female two-term

Mayor of Washington, DC.

Emmy Award-winning Executive Producer Gates made history when the

District of Columbia Government won its first Emmy Award at the 60th

Annual National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Award show.

The Emmy was presented for the magazine format talk show “The 202” Bell

Biv DeVoe episode. “The 202” airs on OCTFME’s DCN Network. She also

led the efforts in the historic launch of DC Radio 96.3HD4; the District of

Columbia’s first owned radio station, and second full powered municipally

owned and operated HD radio station in the nation. Dr. Gates continues to

play a pivotal role in the Mayor Muriel Bowser Presents 202Creates

initiative which highlights the diverse and vibrant creative community in the

District of Columbia.

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Director Gates was appointed by Mayor

Bowser to serve on the Washington, DC, ReOpenDC Advisory Group, a

task force of eleven committees established by the Mayor, to develop and

deliver recommendations to reopen DC safely and sustainably. Director

Gates Co-chaired the Faith, Arts, Culture, Entertainment, Sports and Hotels

(FACES-H) Committee. The Advisory Group, in line with Mayor Bowser’s

vision, collaborated with the DC Department of Health, national public

health experts and worked with District residents, community groups,

business leaders and civic leaders to formulate their recommendations

anchored on DC Core values of Health, Opportunity, Prosperity and Equity

(HOPE).

Gates also made history as the first African American General Manager of

the iconic Warner Theatre, located in the heart of the nation’s capital. Her

extensive experience includes work with former President of the United

States Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

Gates began her career as a film specialist for the New Orleans Film

Commission and her film projects included Interview with a Vampire and

Pelican Brief. She is the former Associate General Manager of the historic

Saenger Theatre in New Orleans, and the former Director of Engagement

Relations and Marketing for Clear Channel Entertainment’s Theatrical

Division.

Dr. Gates received a bachelor’s degree in Communications and a Master of

Arts Administration Degree with a Special Concentration in Sports

Management, graduating Summa Cum Laude from the University of New

Orleans. Dr. Gates was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Humanitarianism

from The Global International Alliance. Gates serves on the Board of

Directors for The University of New Orleans Foundation, the Negro League

Hall of Fame, and the New Orleans Theatre Association. She is a lifetime

member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and a charter

member of its Upsilon Chi Omega Chapter. Dr. Gates is a member and

former Governor of the Recording Academy, Washington DC chapter (The

GRAMMYs).

Thomas Penny is President of Donohoe Hospitality Services LLC (DHS). As the senior leader of Donohoe Hospitality, Thomas guides the operation of a portfolio of 11 business class hotels, which are affiliated with the Marriott, Hilton, and InterContinental Hotels Group. Thomas’ leadership responsibilities for DHS include strategic planning, overall operational direction, development and acquisition of properties, and long-term financial and capital planning.

Thomas is a career hospitality professional with multi-brand hotel experience and a history of achieving above-average results in the areas of employee satisfaction, guest satisfaction, market share and profitability. Thomas joined The Donohoe Companies in 1996 and he has shared a successful 21+ year career with the company in both a developmental and hands-on operational capacity. In his most recent role with Donohoe Hospitality, Thomas served as General Manager at DHS’ Courtyard by Marriott Convention Center (CMCC) where he was responsible for oversight of the hotel’s day-to-day operations, guest service training, and strategic management of financial performance. During his nine year tenure as General Manager, the property achieved the 2nd highest RevPAR of any Marriott brand in the city for four consecutive years (Ritz Carlton excluded). Additionally, the hotel maintained the highest guest satisfaction score of any Courtyard in the city two of the last three years.

Prior to his role as CMCC General Manager, Thomas served as Assistant General Manager at DHS’ Holiday Inn Capitol where he shared responsibility for 250 employees and $40 million in annual operating revenues. In this position, Thomas served as the hotel’s guest service culture leader, while also mentoring the growth and development of his staff.

Leader with over 20 years of experience in five stars Hotel operation in varied locations in Europe

and USA with demonstrated success in leading and motivating teams, delivering results,

developing and training, achieving high guest satisfaction ratings in heavily unionized environment

while enhancing asset value by effectively controlling costs and improving productivity.

Geoffrey Griffis is a real estate developer with extensive background in architecture, urban planning, land use

and zoning. A resident of the District of Columbia since 1990, Mr. Griffis has been integrally involved in

community and civic activities. In 2005 Mr. Griffis founded CityPartners, a development group focused on the

acquisition, design, and development of office, hospitality, residential, and mixed-use real estate.

Kathryn Keane is the Vice President for Exhibitions and Collections at the International Spy Museum. The International Spy Museum is a non-profit history museum which showcases the largest collection of international espionage artifacts on public display. A popular DC destination since 2002, the Spy Museum moved in 2019 into a striking new L’Enfant Plaza building, designed by Pritzker Prize winning architect Richard Rogers of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. In 2022, the Museum welcomed over 650,000 visitors to our S.W. neighborhood and is a major cultural anchor for Ward 6. Kathryn oversees the exhibition programming and unique collection of the Museum. She has had a long museum career in DC, working for the Corcoran Gallery of Art and as the Director of the National Geographic Museum before joining the leadership team at the Spy Museum in early 2023.

As inaugural Director of the Rubell Museum DC, Caitlin Berry works

closely with the Rubells and Director of the Rubell Museum in Miami,

Juan Valadez, to realize the Rubells’ vision of sharing their extensive

collection of contemporary art with the people who live, work in, and

visit the nation’s capital. Berry is responsible for engaging the greater

DC community, developing public programming, managing the

operations and staff of the Museum, and collaborating with the Rubells

and Valadez to oversee the Museum’s installations and exhibitions.

Prior to joining the Museum, Berry served as Director of the Cody

Gallery at Marymount University in Arlington, VA, where she curated

exhibitions such as Nekisha Durrett: Magnolia, Dave Eassa: People and

Places You Don’t Know How to Know and co-curated Jennie Lea Knight:

Women of Jefferson Place, alongside John Anderson and Meaghan Kent.

Independently, she curated Eric Uhlir: Before, After and In Between, and Joseph Shetler: Pursuit of Nothing at Culture House DC. Berry’s areas of focus include the Washington Color School, Mid-Century African American, and contemporary art. A champion of local artists, she curated the 2019 and co- curated the 2020 editions of Art Night, an annual exhibition and fundraiser to support the Washington

Project for the Arts (WPA).

Berry has served as an independent contemporary art advisor to various private and public collections. She also held the role of Director at Hemphill Fine Arts, one of DC’s leading art galleries with an

emphasis on local emerging, mid-career, and established artists. Berry is a member of the Washington, DC Chapter of ArtTable. She received a Post Baccalaureate in Gallery Management and a B.A. in Communication and Art History from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

As Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer, Vice President, for Arena Stage, Shonali Burke is

responsible for the brand and growth strategy of the historic Tony Award-winning theater,

overseeing its marketing & communications, earned revenue, audience services, and business

intelligence and information systems functions. Under her guidance, Arena Stage added the

sold-out 2022 world premiere of the critically acclaimed musical, American Prophet: Frederick

Douglass In His Own Words to its many “firsts” and accolades: it was the first racially integrated

theater in Washington, D.C.; the first regional theater to transfer a production to Broadway

(The Great White Hope, 1967); and it birthed the 2015 world premiere of Dear Evan Hansen.

Prior to joining Arena Stage, Shonali ran a successful virtual integrated marketing consultancy

working with purpose-driven organizations including Oxfam America, the United Nations

Foundation, and USA for UNHCR, for whom she designed its now-textbook digital “Blue Key”

campaign. Earlier in her career, Shonali led communications for the ASPCA, where she

spearheaded its response to the 2007 pet food recall and Michael Vick case, and also launched

its pet insurance product.

The first Indian American woman to be named to PRWeek’s “Top 40 Under 40” list of U.S.-

based PR pros, Shonali is adjunct faculty with The Johns Hopkins University’s M.A. in

Communication, and a 2021 graduate of the Harvard Business Analytics Program. She is writing

her first book, The Non-Obvious Guide to Public Relations & Communication, and is owned by

Pickles the Corgi, who pays her dues in lickies and snuggles.

Jessie is the Director of Public Space for the SWBID. In her role she oversees placemaking efforts including public art projects and community events. She is passionate about revitalizing public spaces to foster connections and amplify the identity of a community. Prior to the SWBID, Jessie was the inaugural Executive Director for Georgetown Main Street, and worked for over six years at the Urban Land Institute in various roles throughout the organization. Jessie holds a Masters degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Georgetown University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Art History from Tulane University.

Steve Moore leads the Southwest Business Improvement District as Executive Director, connecting businesses and innovation efforts. Established in 2015, SWBID is a 480-acre cultural, government, and residential area occupying most of the SW quadrant of the District of Columbia.

The SWBID employs 30 ambassadors and staff and manages several initiatives, including large-scale beautification programs, homeless outreach, weekend markets, transportation, and public art installations.

Prior to working at the SWBID, Steve joined the team of Hoffman-Madison Waterfront LLC (HMW) as a leasing strategist and special projects manager. At HMW, he implemented the local leasing strategy and managed special projects for the 25-acre waterfront development on the Washington Channel.

Steve also served as the President and CEO of the Washington, DC Economic Partnership, a non-profit organization promoting business and retail opportunities in the District of Columbia, and frequently worked with the Mayor's Office. Before joining the Economic Partnership, he was the Deputy Executive Director for the Downtown DC Business Improvement District. The majority of Steve's career was with The Rouse Company of Columbia, Maryland.

Steve had led several forums and summits throughout his career in efforts to further economic prosperity. He has traveled extensively to study cities, tourism, transportation, climate change, event planning, and business development.