Leaders of The Year

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  Kendalle O'Connell

  Kendalle Burlin O’Connell is a seasoned and effective executive who has received wide acclaim for her leadership of MassBio. As CEO and President of the world’s largest and oldest biopharma membership organization, Kendalle drives the strategy to grow the industry and support member companies, while advocating for policies that enable healthcare innovation and unlock breakthrough therapies for patients around the world. For more than 16 years, Kendalle has sought to deliver for MassBio’s now 1,700+ members through the launch of new initiatives, programs, and events while pushing the industry to new heights by convening and connecting key stakeholders and promoting collaboration. To better serve the entire life cycle of biopharma companies, Kendalle has expanded MassBio’s innovation offerings to include partnering and investor events, an entrepreneurial accelerator, and a network for founders and chief executives. As part of MassBio’s commitment to realizing a more diverse and equitable life sciences industry, Kendalle was the driving force behind the organization’s launch of the non-profit Bioversity and the opening of its first workforce training center in Dorchester where residents, 96 percent of whom identify as Black or Latino, are prepared for rewarding entry-level careers at local life sciences companies. Kendalle has been an outspoken advocate for the industry in policy debates about state government support for the expansion of the life sciences in Massachusetts, the federal government’s intervention into biopharma innovation, and efforts to improve the affordability and accessibility of life-changing medicines, just to name a few. Kendalle has earned numerous accolades for her leadership, including Boston Magazine’s list of The 150 Most Influential Bostonians in 2023 and 2024, the Boston Business Journal’s 2023 Power 50: Movement Makers list, and the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce Inspire Award. Currently, Kendalle serves as a Director on the Board of The Boston Foundation, Vice Chair of the Eastern New England Board of Directors for the American Cancer Society, and Chair of Bioversity’s Board. She graduated cum laude from Sacred Heart University with a B.A. in Economics and Political Science and received her Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School.

  MassBio

  CEO

  Kendalle O'Connell

  CEO

  MassBio

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  Dara Kovel

  Dara Kovel is the Chief Executive Officer of Beacon Communities LLC, a privately owned real estate firm that develops, acquires, invests in, and manages a wide range of multi-family housing with properties throughout New England, New York, and the Mid-Atlantic. The company currently owns over 135 communities with approximately 20,000 homes, including a variety of affordable, mixed income and mixed-use projects. Beacon has nearly 50 years of history creating and maintaining award-winning residential communities that serve a diverse cross-section of society that make enduring contributions to the vitality of the cities and towns where they are located. Dara began at Beacon in 2015 as President of Beacon Communities Development LLC, overseeing all development activities for Beacon Communities. Dara has been actively involved in the development of affordable housing her whole career. Prior to her joining Beacon, she was Vice President and Chief Housing Officer at the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA) where she oversaw all multifamily lending and tax credit allocation activities, as well as the homeownership programs. Before working at CHFA, Dara ran the New England office of Jonathan Rose Companies, a New York-based, green, real estate development and investment company. Her previous work was with Mercy Housing California, where she ran the Southern California office and developed affordable housing throughout the state of California. Dara currently serves on the Urban Land Institute’s Terwilliger Center’s Workforce Housing Board and Boston Advisory Council, the CEDAC Preservation Advisory Committee and the Board of Dwight Hall at Yale. She holds a BA and MBA from Yale University.

  Beacon Communities

  CEO

  Dara Kovel

  CEO

  Beacon Communities

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  Lauren O'Neil

  Lauren O’Neil is the Chief Operating Officer of AEW Capital Management and a Managing Director of the firm. Lauren has responsibility of AEW’s day-to-day operations, including working with the firm’s Investor Relations, Finance, Human Resources and Information Technology groups. In addition, she is responsible for developing, maintaining, and expanding key relationships for the firm nationwide. As a Managing Director, Lauren plays an integral part within the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to AEW’s overall strategic vision and direction. Lauren is a member of AEW's Risk Management Committee. Prior to joining AEW, Lauren was a Senior Managing Director and Boston office Co-Head at JLL (and previously HFF) since 2018. Her primary responsibilities included managing day-to-day operations of the capital markets business, in addition to deal origination. She spent the previous 13 years as a Senior Director, Director and Analyst at the firm. Lauren is a Board Member and former President of the Real Estate Finance Association (REFA); National Forum Member, MA Chapter Board and Gavel Member of the National Association of Office and Industrial Properties (NAIOP); and a Member of IOPC Green Product Council for the Urban Land Institute (ULI). She is actively involved in community initiatives and currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Heading Home, Hill House and The Advent School. Lauren is a graduate of Boston College (B.A.).

  AEW Capital Management

  COO

  Lauren O'Neil

  COO

  AEW Capital Management

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  Leslie Cohen

  As Chief Operating Officer, Leslie Cohen is a key contributor to Davis’s business strategy and is responsible for driving its successful implementation and financial performance. She oversees the day-to-day business operations, specifically in the areas of Finance and Accounting, Property Management, Legal and Compliance, Human Resources, IT, Marketing, and Administration. Leslie serves as the Chairperson of the Company’s Executive Committee and is a voting member of the Investment Committee. She is also responsible for fostering and maintaining an inclusive corporate culture, one that ensures employee engagement and retention, as well as overseeing the successful implementation of that strategy. Prior to joining Davis, Leslie served as the COO and Head of Asset Management for Samuels & Associates, a Boston-based Real Estate Development and Management firm, where she was responsible for executing the strategic vision of the firm across numerous large-scale developments in Boston and the surrounding communities. An active leader in the region’s real estate community, Leslie served as the President of CREW Boston (formerly NEWiRE) and was the 2020 President of NAIOP MA. She currently serves on the NAIOP MA Board Management Committee. Leslie is a former board member of Heading Home and since 2019 has been a leading member of the fundraising team for Heading Home’s Housewarming. Leslie is a former member of the Tufts Buildings and Grounds Committee. Leslie serves as a Trustee of Chapel Hill Chauncy Hall School and is a current member of its Buildings and Grounds and Finance Committees. This combination of professional success and civic engagement has resulted in numerous honors, including recognition as a Bisnow’s Power Women in Commercial Real Estate, Boston Business Journal Women Who Mean Business, Globe Street Women of Influence and multiple awards from CREW Boston. A resident of Brookline, Cohen has a BCSE in Engineering from Tufts University and an MBA from Babson College.

  The Davis Companies

  COO

  Leslie Cohen

  COO

  The Davis Companies

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  Tamara Small

  Tamara Small serves as CEO of NAIOP Massachusetts, The Commercial Real Estate Development Association. NAIOP represents the interests of companies involved with the development, investment, ownership, and management of office, multifamily, industrial, retail, lab, mixed-use, and institutional properties in Massachusetts. NAIOP offers educational and networking opportunities while advocating for laws, policies and regulations that strengthen the industry. Tamara provides vision and leadership in establishing strategic initiatives and objectives for NAIOP while ensuring that the budget, staff and priorities are aligned with the organization’s core mission. A registered lobbyist, Tamara serves on numerous regulatory working groups, regularly testifies before the Legislature, and serves as the spokesperson for the organization. In 2024, Tamara was appointed by Governor Maura Healey to serve on the Commonwealth’s Unlocking Housing Production Commission, which developed recommendations to advance housing production in Massachusetts. She currently serves on the Commonwealth’s Energy Transformation Advisory Board, where she works to guide and advise the Commonwealth on how to achieve an equitable, affordable, and sustainable transition of the energy ecosystem. Tamara also served on the Healey Driscoll Economic Development Planning Council, which developed a four-year plan to guide economic policy in Massachusetts. Under Governor Charlie Baker, she served on the Commission on Clean Heat where she advised the Administration on a framework for long-term greenhouse gas emission reductions from heating fuels. Tamara is on the boards of the Boston Municipal Research Bureau; the 495/MetroWest Partnership; and the MassArt Innovation Advisory Council. Tamara has been recognized by Boston Magazine as one of the Most Influential Bostonians. She is a graduate of Boston University.

  NAIOP Massachusetts

  CEO

  Tamara Small

  CEO

  NAIOP Massachusetts

Investment & Transaction Leaders

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  Molly Heath

  Executive Managing Director

  JLL

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  Kristin Blount

  Since joining the Boston Brokerage Team in 1998 after earning an MS in Real Estate, Kristin has completed over $3B worth of transactions. She represents corporations, developers and owners in the acquisition, disposition, and leasing of commercial real estate. A leader in the industry, she has been recognized in the community for her commitment to excellence and her professional integrity. Kristin first joined Colliers in the Real Estate Management Services group. She managed a vast portfolio of commercial, industrial, and retail space.

  Colliers

  EVP & Shareholder

  Kristin Blount

  EVP & Shareholder

  Colliers

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  Emily Rush

  Managing Director, Real Estate Finance

  First Citizens Bank

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  Samantha Hallowell

  Senior Managing Director

  Newmark

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  Marianne Ajemian

  Marianne Ajemian chairs Nutter's Real Estate Department and was a member of Nutter's Management Committee for nine years. Her practice is focused on the representation of clients locally and nationally in complex transactional matters. As a real estate lawyer, she represents financing institutions, real estate investment funds, developers, real estate investors and advisors, pension fund advisors and their institutional investors, REITs, healthcare and senior housing companies, and nonprofit institutions. Marianne has significant expertise in sophisticated investment and financing transactions of all types, including joint venture, preferred equity and partnership transactions, construction, permanent, revolving credit, mezzanine loans, letter of credit facilities, sale/leaseback transactions, intercreditor arrangements, loan acquisition and dispositions, and workouts and debt restructurings. In addition, she advises clients on all aspects of commercial real estate acquisitions, development, dispositions, and leasing involving a broad range of projects, including mixed-use and transit-oriented developments, downtown and suburban office buildings, research and development properties, retail and industrial properties, multi-family housing projects, hotels, restaurants, and institutional uses. Marianne has particular experience in representing owners, operators, investors, management companies, and lenders in the healthcare and senior housing industries. She also has extensive experience in the negotiation, supervision and management of complex portfolio transactions, and has served as the lead transactional counsel for various publicly held entities. Active nationally and locally in the real estate industry, Marianne is a fellow in the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL), a past president of the Commercial Real Estate Women Network (CREW Network), a past president of CREW Boston, and a member of the Real Estate Finance Association (REFA). In 2006, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce honored Marianne with a Pinnacle Award for Achievement in the Professions, and in 2007, she received CREW Boston's Leadership Award. She is also a member of the Massachusetts and Boston Bar Associations. Marianne is a frequent speaker on a variety of real estate and finance topics and is a guest lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Center for Real Estate. In Boston, Marianne is a member of the Board of Directors of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, and the Board of Directors of Homestart, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation that provides a comprehensive system of housing search, support and stabilization services to the homeless and indigent in the Greater Boston area. In 2013, HomeStart presented Marianne with the Trent Hankins Memorial Award.

  Nutter

  Chair of Real Estate Department

  Marianne Ajemian

  Chair of Real Estate Department

  Nutter

Public Sector, Housing, Policy & Infrastructure

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  Chrystal Kornegay

  Chrystal Kornegay currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of MassHousing which lends over $1 billion annually to produce and preserve affordable rental housing and create homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income borrowers. Under Chrystal’s leadership, MassHousing launched a highly successful Down Payment Assistance program; secured over $80 million to expand its Workforce Housing initiative; and developed a nationally recognized program for homeownership production in communities of color. Before joining MassHousing, Chrystal served as the Baker-Polito Administration’s Undersecretary for Housing and Community Development where she successfully advocated to increase state capital dollars for affordable housing by almost 18%; partnered to increase rental subsidies for low income families by 42%; and collaborated to dramatically reduce the number of homeless families in motels. Prior to her work as Undersecretary, Chrystal was President and Chief Executive Officer at Urban Edge, one of New England’s largest community development corporations. She is credited with leading the organization’s financial transformation, resulting in a $3 million increase in the Agency’s net asset position. Chrystal serves on the boards of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, the National Housing Trust and is a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston’s Advisory Committee. Chrystal holds a Master’s in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a B.A. from Hunter College.

  MassHousing

  CEO

  Chrystal Kornegay

  CEO

  MassHousing

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  Kenzie Bok

  Kenzie Bok is a lifelong Bostonian who grew up in the small downtown neighborhood of Bay Village. She cares passionately about making Boston a great city for people from all walks of life and all stages of life to flourish and put down roots. With a background in affordable housing, budget analysis, and civic engagement, Councilor Bok was elected to represent District 8 on the Boston City Council on November 5, 2019. Her district includes Mission Hill, Longwood, Audubon Circle, Fenway, Kenmore, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, and the West End. At 30, she is currently the youngest serving Councilor. Prior to her election, Councilor Bok was the Senior Advisor for Policy and Planning at the Boston Housing Authority. She also previously served as Budget Director for another city council office. As a citizen, Bok helped lead the successful 2016 ballot initiative campaign to enact the Community Preservation Act (CPA) in Boston. She serves on the board of the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance (MAHA) and on the vestry of Trinity Church in Copley Square. Bok also formerly held community leadership roles as part of the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO), the Bay Village Neighborhood Association, the Back Bay Gateway CAC, the Spark Boston Council, the Boston Ward 5 Democratic Committee, and the Democratic State Committee. She lives on Beacon Hill, where her family has been deeply involved in neighborhood life for more than 65 years. Councilor Bok’s priorities include increasing housing affordability (both rental and homeownership) at every income level to anchor our families and seniors, improving our transportation system and public infrastructure to move people around more safely, efficiently, and equitably (whether by foot, bike, bus, subway, or car), ensuring excellent schools for all Boston’s children and great career opportunities for our youth, and making Boston a model for how to tackle climate change. In an increasingly unequal city, she is invested in partnering with the city’s non-profit and for-profit institutions to accountably share resources in pursuit of greater equity. Councilor Bok is committed to providing excellent constituent services, a voice for community planning of responsible development, and strong stewardship of public land and public assets like parks and libraries. After graduating from Harvard College, Bok earned an M.Phil and a Ph.D. in History from the University of Cambridge in England as a Marshall Scholar. She holds a lectureship at Harvard University, where she has taught courses on “Justice in Housing” and the philosopher John Rawls.

  Boston Housing Authority

  Administrator

  Kenzie Bok

  Administrator

  Boston Housing Authority

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  Amy Prange

  As Deputy Chief for Alternative Delivery at the MBTA, Amy serves as the senior executive responsible for delivering the Authority’s major capital improvement projects using Alternative Project Delivery Methods under MGL Chapter 149A, including both Construction Manager-at-Risk and Design/Build approaches. She brings extensive private-sector experience to her role, supporting the MBTA’s Capital Delivery teams for both Transit and Commuter Rail. Previously, Amy spent nine years at WS Development, where she oversaw the Seaport Project—7.6 million square feet of mixed-use development across 20 city blocks—creating Boston’s newest neighborhood. She and her team successfully delivered 1.8 million square feet of commercial office and lab space for Amazon and Foundation Medicine, Inc., as well as Harbor Way, a public linear park. Amy also led the development of Amazon’s second tower, One Boston Wharf, a 700,000-square-foot project that is Boston’s largest net-zero carbon office building to date. Amy has a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Before transitioning to Development, Amy worked as a licensed civil engineer for Nitsch Engineering providing civil site design, site permitting and stormwater master planning services for the firm’s clients. Amy also worked at Colliers International as part of their Development and Consulting Services group, providing OPM services for high- profile new construction and redevelopment projects including Boston Public Market, Envoy Hotel, Godfrey Hotel and North Bennet Street School. Amy is a career long member of CREW Boston and is currently serving on their Board of Directors as President-Elect. Amy also serves on the WPI Civil Engineering Advisory Board. She lives in Wayland, Massachusetts with her husband, two daughters and puppy.

  MBTA

  Deputy Chief for Alternative Delivery

  Amy Prange

  Deputy Chief for Alternative Delivery

  MBTA

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  Dr. Aisha Miller

  Dr. Aisha Miller is the Vice President of Permitting, Community, and Corporate Engagement at Related Beal, where she proactively shapes initiatives that drive community development and corporate accountability. Her previous appointment as Chief of the Civic Engagement Cabinet for the City of Boston by former U.S. Labor Secretary and Mayor Martin J. Walsh underscores her capability to lead and innovate in public service. In her extensive public service career, Dr. Miller has consistently delivered results. She served as the Director of Constituent Services for the Boston Inspectional Services Department (ISD) and advanced to the role of Assistant Commissioner of Constituent Services. Her impressive background also covers her impactful role as a Suffolk County Probation Officer for the Boston Municipal Court-Dorchester Division, where she served as the Regional Steward for the Suffolk County Probation Officers. Furthermore, Dr. Miller has valuable experience as a Litigation Paralegal at McCarthy & Barrett and has served as an aide to both Senator Dianne Wilkerson and Representative Shirley Owens-Hicks. Recognized for her leadership and unwavering dedication to community service, Dr. Miller has received prestigious awards, including the “Women of Color Award” from the Prince Hall Order of the Eastern Star and the “Community and Leadership Award” from the Bay State Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star. She was also named one of the Boston Business Journal's Power 50: Movement Makers in 2022. In 2023, she was honored with the Girls' LEAP Empowerment Champion Award. Additionally, she was named the 2024 Champion Awardee by the Boston Arts Foundation and received the 2025 Legacy Award for African Americans from the Edward & Earlean Blakely Creative Arts Center, Inc. Dr. Miller holds critical positions on multiple boards. Currently, she serves on the Board of the Vietnamese American Initiative for Development, as Secretary for UP Academy Boston. The Interim Chair for the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts. Additionally, she serves as the Secretary for the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, Advisory Board Member for the Harvard Kennedy School’s Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston, and is an active member of the Governor's Council on Black Empowerment. She also serves as Commissioner for the Massachusetts Commission for the Status of Women, Boston Zoning Commission, and the Boston Residency Compliance Commission, as well as a Director at Large for the Longwood Collective. Dr. Miller is a certified Paralegal and earned her Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology from the University of Hartford in 1999. She obtained her Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix-Braintree Campus in 2008 and completed her Doctoral Degree in Management with a focus on Organizational Leadership in 2022. Her credentials also include completing the Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, as well as the Women’s Leadership, Leading Teams, and Negotiations program at Simmons College’s Institute of Inclusive Leadership. Beyond her professional achievements, Dr. Miller is deeply committed to family and community. She values quality time with her loved ones and proudly holds membership in the Order of Eastern Star, Inc. Residing in Mattapan, she shares her life with her husband, Ernie, her son, Nasir, and her grandson, Braylon.

  Related Beal

  VP, Permitting, Community & Corporate Engagement

  Dr. Aisha Miller

  VP, Permitting, Community & Corporate Engagement

  Related Beal

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  Jennifer Schultz

  Jennifer Schultz is a partner at the law firm Nixon Peabody, LLP, and the Leader of the Nationwide Real Estate Development Team. Jenn specializes personally on large-scale complex mixed-use development in and around the Boston area, Worcester, and Providence, RI. She and her team have successfully permitted over 10 million square feet of development over the last 6 years, including over 4 million square feet of lab/R&D space. Nixon’s national development team includes more than 26 lawyers and professional staff across seven offices.

  Nixon Peabody

  Partner

  Jennifer Schultz

  Partner

  Nixon Peabody

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  Janice Bergeron

  President & CEO

  RND Consultants

Development, Construction & Design Leaders

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  Jessica Hughes

  Ms. Hughes joined Tishman Speyer in 2018 and is currently responsible for the company’s operations in the Boston region including acquisitions, dispositions, asset management, and development. She joined Tishman Speyer from JLL, where she was a Managing Director in the Boston Capital Markets group and member of JLL’s International Capital Group. Previously, she was a Senior Vice President at Beacon Capital Partners, responsible for acquisitions and dispositions in major US markets, as well as establishing Beacon’s offshore offices in London and Paris. Ms. Hughes has a BA in History from Dartmouth College. She serves as a board member at the Boston Center for the Arts.

  Tishman Speyer

  Managing Director

  Jessica Hughes

  Managing Director

  Tishman Speyer

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  Zoya Puri

  SVP

  Beacon Capital Partners

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  Elizabeth Lowrey

  Principal

  Elkus Manfredi Architects

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  Adelaide Grady

  As a Senior Vice President, Addie is responsible for the firm’s multifamily and mixed-use investments. Over the course of her career, she has been responsible for nearly $1B in multifamily ground-up development activity in the Boston market, performing all aspects of the development process including sourcing, permitting, financing, design and construction oversight, marketing and leasing oversight, and disposition. Prior to rejoining Leggat McCall, Addie was a Senior Vice President with Pritzker Realty Group (PRG), where she was responsible for the execution of $370M of ground-up development, including a 28-story high rise in the Back Bay. Prior to PRG, she was a Director with Wood Partners, a national multifamily development company, where over the course of eight years she was responsible for the development of ten projects totaling over 1,800 units and over $500M in total cost. Addie began her career in real estate as a sustainability consultant. She originally joined LMP in 2004 in a development management role. Education: M.B.A., The Stephen M. Ross School of Business, University of Michigan A.B., Architectural Studies, Russian Language and Literature, Brown University

  Leggat McCall

  SVP, Partner

  Adelaide Grady

  SVP, Partner

  Leggat McCall

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  Katie Snyder

  SVP Development

  National Development

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  Meredith McCarthy

  Associate Principal

  Sasaki

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  Carolyn Desmond

  VP, Development

  Skanska Commercial Development

Opening Remarks

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  Megan Abraham

  CEO

  The Goldie Initiative