Role Model

• 

  Suzet McKinney

  Investor

  [Previously with Sterling Bay]

• 

  Regina Stilp

  Regina Stilp is a leading commercial real estate developer with over 30 years' experience developing properties that strengthen cities. As Founding Principal of Farpoint Development, Regina co-founded the firm in 2016 and has guided its growth across the Midwest and Southeast, spearheading development work totaling $4.9 billion in value created. She oversees Bronzeville Lakefront on Chicago's South Side, a 48-acre mixed-use project reimagining the former Michael Reese Medical Center site. Prior to founding Farpoint, Regina developed some of Chicago's most acclaimed projects, including Google's first Midwest headquarters and McDonald's global headquarters at the former Harpo Studios. Her expertise in public-private partnerships and innovative deal structures has positioned Farpoint as a leader for groundbreaking urban projects. As a prominent leader in Chicago real estate, Regina has received significant industry recognition, including the 2024 Industry Leadership Award from Roosevelt University's Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate and the 2025 Executive of the Year award from the Illinois Real Estate Journal. Currently, she serves on the Board of Directors of The Magnificent Mile Association, Roosevelt University's Advisory Board, the Membership Committee of the Economic Club of Chicago, the First Women's Bank Advisory Committee, and is a member of the Urban Land Institute and CREW. She is also named among Crain's Notable Chicago Women in Construction and Design. Additionally, Regina actively mentors the next generation of real estate leaders through The Goldie Initiative and the Howard E. Eisenberg Foundation. Regina holds a degree from the University of Iowa and brings her global perspective, shaped by travels to every continent, to her work enriching the urban landscape. She lives with her family in Wilmette.

  Farpoint Development

  Founding Principal

  Regina Stilp

  Founding Principal

  Farpoint Development

• 

  Hope Tate

  Executive Vice President, Regional Operations Manager

  JLL

• 

  Wendy Berger

  Wendy Berger is CEO and Founder of WBS Equities, LLC. WBS Equities is a real estate development firm which specializes in ground-up construction, renovation, development, sale lease back transactions and acquisition of industrial buildings for food and beverage manufacturers and distributors. Wendy is also an active investor across multiple real estate asset classes including retail, multi-family, senior housing and self-storage. Over the last 28 years she has been involved in the real estate business as a developer, property manager, broker and principally as an owner-investor. Wendy began her career at American National Bank and Trust Company of Chicago (a subsidiary of First Chicago, now JP Morgan Chase) in Commercial Lending. Wendy spent several years as a principal with Berger Realty Group, an 80-year- old family owned Real Estate business where she focused on residential and industrial property management and development. She was responsible for managing 3,000 apartment units, 200,000 square feet of commercial space and 250,000 square feet of industrial space. Aside from her experience in the real estate field, Wendy spent 10 years working with ultra-high growth technology startups. Wendy was employee number 10 at Orbitz, the Travel web site founded in 2000 by American, Continental, Delta, Northwest and United Airlines. Wendy was Director of the Enterprise Planning at Orbitz and focused on strategic planning. Prior to Orbitz, Wendy co-founded and was COO of Neoglyphics Media Corporation, one of the country’s first web site development firms. Neoglyphics grew from a small start-up to a corporation with a staff of more than 150 employees before it was sold in March 1998 for $65 million. Wendy earned her MBA in Finance and Real Estate from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business. She received a B.S., cum laude, in Finance and Marketing from Syracuse University. In her spare time Wendy is an avid triathlete and runner, having completed 31 Olympic Distance triathlons and six half-marathons. Wendy serves on the Board of directors of the Chicago Public Library Foundation (2016 – present), the Board of directors of the Jewish Federation/Jewish United Fund of Chicago (2001 – 2007, and 2009 – present). Wendy has volunteered for TimeLine Theater, The Marwen Foundation, Chicago Run and the Uptown Cafe. Wendy served until 2004 as Vice-President and Membership Chair at The Standard Club of Chicago and as a member of the Board of Directors (1994 – 2004). Wendy is also a member of the Economic Club of Chicago and served as the chair of the Real Estate Membership Committee. Wendy served two years on the Board of Directors of TEDxMidwest. Wendy co-founded Illinois Women in Cannabis in 2014. Wendy is an active mentor, a role she takes very seriously, usually mentoring 4 – 5 young women at any given time. Most recently, Wendy is proud to now call herself a TED speaker, her talk is available on the TED web site.

  WBS Equities

  CEO & Founder

  Wendy Berger

  CEO & Founder

  WBS Equities

Leader of the Year

• 

  Melanie Jefferies

  Principal

  Milhouse Development

• 

  Liz Butler

  Partner

  Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP

• 

  Stacie Young

  CEO

  Community Investment Corporation

• 

  Kate Varde

  Principal & Managing Director

  Essex Realty Group

• 

  Amy Sands

  Senior Managing Director

  JLL

• 

  Kathryn Kovitz Arnold

  Co-Chair

  Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP

Dealmaker of the Year

• 

  Ellen May

  Managing Director, Leasing

  Tishman Speyer

• 

  Erin Lavin Cabonargi

  Managing Director

  Urban ReSOLVE

• 

  Suzanne Serino

  EVP

  Colliers International

• 

  Wendy Katz

  EVP

  Stream Realty Partners

Innovator of the Year

• 

  Colleen Werner

  Founder & CEO

  Playbook

• 

  Amanda Horan

  National Account Manager

  Partner Engineering & Science, Inc.

• 

  Jessica Sivels

  Director of Education & Community Engagement

  Community Investment Corporation

Rising Star

• 

  Isabel Preskill Schwartz

  Managing Director

  Savills

• 

  Olivia Parker

  Senior Associate

  Tishman Speyer

• 

  Presley Norby

  Senior Associate

  Cushman & Wakefield

• 

  Brooke McElhone

  VP

  Slate Asset Management

Unsung Hero

• 

  Shannon Richardson

  Managing Director, National Investor Accounts Team

  JLL

• 

  Lauren D.W. Tatar

  President & Managing Attorney

  Easy Tax Appeals

• 

  Kellie DeVilbiss

  Partner

  VennPoint Real Estate

• 

  Heidi DeVries

  VP Sr. Property Manager

  Calamos Real Estate

Keynote

• Keynote

  Cynthia McSherry

  Executive Director

  ULI Chicago

The Present & Future of Dealmakers in CRE

A conversation on getting CRE deals done and where we are headed in the future

• 

  Damla Gerhart

  Principal & Managing Director

  Avison Young

• 

  Jennifer Nichols

  CRG is a real estate development and investment firm with eight regional offices and deep expertise in delivering industrial, office, residential, and mixed-use projects throughout North America. As a member of CRG’s senior leadership team, Jen oversees the in-house legal department handling all real estate, development, financing, compliance and risk management for the firm’s development projects across the United States. With more than 16 years of legal experience counseling corporate clients on all aspects of real estate, corporate, tax, and commercial matters, together with her business background, Jen brings a unique perspective to each project. Prior to joining CRG in 2020, Jen was with Harsch Investment Properties (now Schnitzer Properties) in Portland, Oregon, where she was vice president and general counsel. Prior to that, she was deputy general counsel for Banner Real Estate Group and an attorney with Ginsberg Jacobs LLC, a real estate boutique firm in Chicago. She has also held positions with the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan and Warner Norcross & Judd LLP. Based in Chicago, Jen has been admitted to state bars in Oregon, Michigan and Illinois. ASSOCIATIONS CHIEF Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law EDUCATION Bachelor of Arts, Finance & Spanish (Honors) — Michigan State University Master of Business Administration, Management & Organizations, Real Estate, & Marketing — Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management Masters in Science of Taxation — Grand Valley State University

  CRG

  Senior Vice President & General Counsel

  Jennifer Nichols

  Senior Vice President & General Counsel

  CRG

• 

  Diane Cullinan Oberhelman

  Chairman & Founding Partner

  Cullinan Properties

• 

  Kate Coxworth

  Vice President

  JLL

• 

  Tricia Trester

  With a focus on strategy and a commitment to excellent service delivery, Tricia helps our clients navigate today’s rapidly evolving commercial real estate landscape. Her industry experience and reputation, as well as her passion for solving complex challenges and building strong client relationships, make her an invaluable member of our team. Tricia brings over 21 years of industry experience to Cresa. Prior to joining, she served as Managing Director and Principal at JLL, where she led multi-regional teams, provided insight and strategies to create value-driven client outcomes. Prior to JLL, Tricia was the London-based Head of Enterprise Solutions for Cushman & Wakefield, where she led Sales and Solutions in EMEA. Before moving to London, she was a regional lead in the Americas creating solutions for Fortune 50/100 clients.

  Cresa

  Head of Client Solutions

  Tricia Trester

  Head of Client Solutions

  Cresa

• 

  Sumayyah Theron

  Director of Sustainability

  Cyclone Energy Group

• 

  Sandya Dandamudi

  Sandya Dandamudi is President of GI Stone, located in Chicago. Founded 28 years ago by her mother Rani Dandamudi, GI Stone is WBE/MBE certified, a signatory to Union Local 21, and a vital employer. Sandya’s deep knowledge of stone and her “get it done” attitude has propelled GI Stone as the leading stone company in Chicago. GI Stone is unique in its versatility by executing both Exterior and Interior work – With an impressive resume that includes buildings such as 9 Walton, One Bennet Place, The Ritz Carlton, The Four Seasons Hotel, Wolf Pointe, The Tribune Tower, Northwestern Outpatient hospital, The Northwestern Kellogg’s School of Business parking garage, One Chicago Square etc. – there is not a project that GI Stone cannot do. Sandya is also on the Board of the Chicago Marble Contractor’s Association and is an active participant in contract negotiations. She is actively engaged in mentoring, sponsoring, and training apprentices for The Marble Setters Union-Local 21. She has a personal commitment to encouraging individuals who do not have a traditional background in the construction industry. As a child of immigrants, Sandya understands what the American Dream is about – her parents realized it and she and her two siblings have greatly benefited from their years of hard work. This family drive has led to her conviction that everyone deserves to participate in that dream. Sandya has an unwavering interest in assuring the existence of services that support emotional health, access to nutritional food and promoting self-expression and identity. She also believes that through the medium of the Arts, lies a powerful medium that needs to be valued and is active in promoting artistic expression in disenfranchised youth.

  GI Stone

  President

  Moderator

  Sandya Dandamudi

  President

  GI Stone

2023 Steering Committee

• 

  Tammy Kelly

  Tammy Kelly CCIM, CPM joined EQT Exeter, successor firm to Redwood Capital Group, in 2014 and brings +20 years of experience in asset management, transactions, and investment strategy. She is responsible for the strategic oversight of the Firm’s investments, assists with underwriting, and oversees tactical dispositions and is a member of the Firm’s Investment Committee. As a career total, Tammy has transacted over $4B of real estate investment transactions to include dispositions, acquisitions, loan modifications and refinances. Prior to Redwood Capital Group, Tammy spent 8 years at Blue Vista Capital Management as Senior Vice President - Asset Management. Tammy’s responsibilities at Blue Vista included oversight of investments in the firm’s Middle Market Equity Funds. Prior to her tenure at Blue Vista, Tammy joined Equity Investment Group as an Investment Associate where she was responsible for overseeing, coordinating, and evaluating the company’s property acquisitions. Tammy earned a BA from DePaul University. She is a past President of CREW Chicago and serves on various committees within CREW Chicago and CREW Network. Tammy was recognized as a Women of Influence in 2022 by Globe Street and Bisnow’s Power Women in Chicago in 2022 and 2014.

  EQT Real Estate

  Head of US Multifamily Asset Mgmt

  Tammy Kelly

  Head of US Multifamily Asset Mgmt

  EQT Real Estate

• 

  Collete English Dixon

  Collete English Dixon has more than 30 years in investment management with a focus on commercial real estate investing. Prior to her current role at Roosevelt University, she was Executive Director - Transactions for PGIM Real Estate (formerly known as PREI), a business unit of Prudential Financial, and co-leader of PREI’s national investment dispositions program. In that role, she oversaw the sale of more than 200 investment properties located throughout the US, with a total value of more than $8.7 Billion, on behalf of PREI’s investment funds. Prior to her role in dispositions, English Dixon was responsible for sourcing more than $2.75B of wholly-owned and joint venture real estate investment opportunities in the Midwest markets covering all property types, including office, rental and for-sale multi-family, hotel, industrial and retail properties. Collete’s experience also includes property development and asset management. In her current role, English Dixon is the Executive Director of the Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate at Roosevelt University where she is oversees all aspects of the undergraduate real estate major and the MSRE/MBA-RE degree programs. She is the first African American woman leader of a higher-education real estate program in the US. She is a member of the administrative team for the Heller College of Business and is also the program director for the university’s Hospitality and Tourism Management undergraduate and graduate degree programs. She is a member of the Board of Directors and a member of the Nominating Committee for Marcus Millichap, Inc., a member of the Board of Directors for Broadstone Real Estate Access Fund and a member of its Audit and Governance committees, a member of the Advisory Board for Waterton Associates, LLC and a member of the Board of Directors for Community Investment CorporationChicago and the Harold E. Eisenberg Foundation. She is a Past President of CREW Network, a Past Chair of the CREW Network Foundation, and a Past President of CREW Chicago. She is also a Global Governing Trustee and member of the Americas Executive Committee of ULI.

  Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate, Roosevelt University

  Executive Director

  Collete English Dixon

  Executive Director

  Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate, Roosevelt University

• 

  Ginna Ryan

  As Principal and COO at Mauge, a Chicago-based marketing boutique in its 26th year, Ginna leads a team of branding experts known for precision and excellence in real estate and beyond. In many ways, she’s the foundation of Mauge’s success, building the relationships it takes to provide their best-in-class service, motivated by just how much stronger businesses can be with Mauge at their side. When not at work, she enjoys spending time hiking, reading, and planning her next adventure!

  Mauge | 1905 New Media

  Regional Director - Chicago

  Ginna Ryan

  Regional Director - Chicago

  Mauge | 1905 New Media

• 

  Alissa Adler

  I bring more than 30 years of experience to my position as senior vice president of Colliers | Chicago. I specialize in investment sales, as well as debt and equity placement for office properties. In my career, I have executed over $1.2 billion in real estate transactions. I am widely recognized for utilizing my broad real estate knowledge and strong nationwide connections to uniquely serve my diverse client base. Prior to Podolsky Circle’s merger with Colliers | Chicago in 2019, I was managing principal at Podolsky Circle where I was a member of the Middle Market Investment Advisory Team focused on the sale of office and industrial properties. Prior the merger which formed Podolsky Circle, I established Circle Realty Advisors, LLC. As president of the company, I was responsible for all operations and staffing in addition to asset management and investment advisory work for clients. Preceding the formation of Circle, I served as vice president of acquisitions and dispositions at Duke Realty Corporation leading the Midwest markets including Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri and Minnesota. I transacted across office, industrial and retail property types and was also a member of Duke’s management committee. Prior to my tenure at Duke, I was vice president of dispositions for Equity Office Properties Trust. In this role, I was responsible for the successful sale of transactions nationwide, including assets in distress and tertiary markets. I also held the position of asset manager for both Equity Office and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in Chicago. Asset management responsibilities included CBD high-rise and suburban office, regional malls, neighborhood retail and industrial properties on a national basis.

  Colliers

  Senior Vice President

  Alissa Adler

  Senior Vice President

  Colliers