Meet the 2023 Trailblazer Award Honorees

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  Heather Boelens

  Heather Boelens is the Managing Partner of our Boulder, Colorado office and a leader of the Firm’s global asset management and corporate occupier subsector teams. Heather works on a wide range of real estate deals and has a deep well of experience in the areas of real estate acquisition, disposition, development, finance and leasing of virtually every asset class including industrial, multifamily, hospitality, manufacturing, educational, office, agricultural, retail, and technology facilities. Her clients include REITs and private equity firms. She represents clients with ever-expanding nationwide footprints like Ares Management/Black Creek Group, EverWest Real Estate Partners and Asana Partners, while also maintaining a robust local practice, representing developers, public entities, health care providers and educational institutions in the Colorado region. Heather’s organizational dexterity, astute judgment and unflagging positive mindset make her ideally suited for leading and collaborating on a broad range of transactions and projects. She excels at building effective teams with complimentary skill sets that provide the highest, best level of service for clients. Heather is always keen to learn more about clients and their businesses. Clients, in turn, are eager to tap into Heather's practical ability to get deals done on their timeline. Whether at the negotiating table or in a closing, driving deals and exceeding client expectations at every stage are fundamental to Heather’s management style. Outside of her legal practice, Heather puts her positive, inclusive attitude to work as a member of the BCLP’s Women Initiative, where she has hosted and coordinated events to help other women build their personal brand. Heather also created the first-year associate training program and a women mentorship group for the Real Estate Group in the Firm. She is a member of the Firm’s global Well-Being Committee and a certified Mental Health First Aider.

  Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

  Office Managing Partner

  Heather Boelens

  Office Managing Partner

  Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

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  Susan Chong

  The principal of Iconique Real Estate grew up in Denver, Colorado and was inspired by its emerging urban lifestyle. Understanding the appeal of vibrant, walkable and convenient living, in 2004 she set off on a path of new construction sales and marketing. Since then, she has been involved in selling thousands of condominiums totaling over three-quarters of a billion dollars in revenue, including The Coloradan at Union Station and 42-story tower, SPIRE in Downtown’s Theater District. Susan has mastered selling residential real estate, being recognized as a top Denver area broker by Denver Metro Association of Realtors. With her niche expertise and local connections, Susan focuses on building community, making her a natural fit to partner with developers on sales and marketing strategies to sell multi-family projects in Denver’s urban core.

  Iconique Real Estate

  Principal Broker

  Susan Chong

  Principal Broker

  Iconique Real Estate

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  Dorit Makovsky Fischer

  Dorit is a believer in cities, and in Denver in particular. Her commercial real estate practice focuses on strategic real estate planning and implementation involving all asset classes for public entities, corporations, non-profits and individual owners. Dorit prides herself on developing long-standing customer relationships, in-depth knowledge of the real estate market and superior customer service. Dorit spends her time with clients helping to solve problems and think outside of the box. Dorit has been with NAI Shames Makovsky since 2002 and represents buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants in office, retail and industrial properties. Over the past 12 years, Dorit has worked exclusively with Denver Health representing them in all of their commercial real estate activities including campus and strategic planning. Other notable clients are Denver Housing Authority and Denver Public Schools, where she and her business partner Hayden Hirschfeld are assisting in assessing their overall real estate portfolio and initiatives. Along with representing political subdivisions, Dorit also enjoys representing Denver’s local real estate owners and investors, regardless of size. Dorit is a licensed real estate broker in Colorado and part owner of several commercial real estate investments throughout the Denver area. She is a Denver native where she lives with her husband and four children and enjoys skiing, running, and philanthropy.

  NAI Shames Makovsky

  Partner / Broker

  Dorit Makovsky Fischer

  Partner / Broker

  NAI Shames Makovsky

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  Angela Fletcher

  Angela Fletcher has been involved with the affordable housing industry for 33 years and currently is the Director for the Housing Management Division for the Denver Housing Authority. Angela has experience in multi-family, public housing, project based – 811/8, 202/8, tax credit, home, rural development and conventional housing. Fletcher holds certifications in: LIHTC, Public Housing Manager, Blended Occupancy, Accredited Residential Manager and Certified Property Manager. Ms. Fletcher has a BS in Business Administration with a minor in real estate management from Peirce College and holds a Colorado Real Estate Broker License. She has her Certified Property Manager (CPM) and Accredited Residential Manager (ARM) Certifications through the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM). She has certifications as a Tax Credit Specialist from the National Center for Housing Management (NCHM), Procurement & Contract Management, Public Housing Manager and HCV & Rent Calculation through Nan McKay and a Housing Development Finance Professional certification from the National Development Council. Fletcher is also involved with the Institute of Real Estate Management – IREM 17 – Past President and currently on the Outreach Committee, Member of the IREM National Diversity Committee, Past President of the Affordable Housing Management Association – Rocky/AHMA, currently President-Elect Board Member for the Apartment Association of Metro Denver (AAMD) and Co-Chairs the Affordable Housing Committee with AAMD in addition Angela is involved with the REACH Advisory Board with the Colorado Housing & Finance Authority (CHFA). Ms. Fletcher is also involved with the Institute of Real Estate Management- IREM Chapter 17 – Past President and currently serves on the Outreach Committee. Angela dedicates time to IREM National and is on the Diversity Advisory Board. In addition, She is currently President of the Affordable Housing Management Association-Rocky/AHMA Board and serves on the Executive Board of the Apartment Association of Metro Denver (AAMD). In 2022, Ms. Fletcher was a recipient of one of the Most Outstanding Women in Business awards from the Denver Business Journal.

  Denver Housing Authority

  Director of Housing Management

  Angela Fletcher

  Director of Housing Management

  Denver Housing Authority

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  Shea Jameel

  Head of Sustainability & Senior Director

  Marsh McLennan

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  Laci Knowles

  Laci Knowles is a managing director of the Special District Group and works with clients to structure deals at all phases of the development cycle, with significant experience in financing the earliest phases of development. Laci is an expert in debt obligations secured by complex revenue streams, including tax increment financing, revenue sharing arrangements between special districts and local governments and various other financing mechanisms unique to development. Prior to joining D.A. Davidson & Co. in 2017, she practiced as a public finance attorney in Colorado, serving as disclosure counsel both to issuers and underwriters and specializing in disclosure in connection with nonrated special district financings. Laci holds a JD degree from the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law, a master's degree from the University of Denver’s Korbel School for International Studies and a bachelor's degree from the University of Arkansas.

  D.A. Davidson Special District Group

  Managing Director

  Laci Knowles

  Managing Director

  D.A. Davidson Special District Group

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  Geneva Kowalski

  Owner & Architect

  SK2 Architecture

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  Laura Kucharczyk

  Laura Kucharczyk is the Managing Director of Project Management for CBRE in Colorado. In this role she manages all facets of project management business for CBRE’s five offices in Colorado, from business development to executive oversight on projects and team growth and development. She is responsible for leading a team of talented, dedicated professionals to promote their upward mobility and ensure consistent delivery of exceptional client outcomes. Their work spans all commercial property types, including office, industrial, retail and medical, with projects ranging from tenant improvement to build-to-suit and commercial interior design. Laura brings 22 years of experience in design, construction and real estate. In her previous role as a Senior Director with CBRE, she led project management services for a Fortune 100 healthcare services company, which consisted of 7.5 million sq. ft. across over 275 leases. Before joining CBRE, she was a Senior Vice President with JLL’s project management group. A licensed architect, Laura began her commercial real estate career with BURKETTDESIGN, Inc. (now EAU), first as a project architect and then as a director and project manager. Throughout her career Laura has excelled in delivering full-scope project management services that save her clients time and money. Her collaborative approach brings out the best in her team members and leads to outstanding client service and successful project outcomes.

  CBRE

  Managing Director of Project Management

  Laura Kucharczyk

  Managing Director of Project Management

  CBRE

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  Nicole Laiho

  Nicole has been with Peak since 2003. She is a managing partner with the firm and has been a shareholder since 2018. Nicole has over 20 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry. While managing the business, she is still very involved in the engineering and production side of things. She has extensive design and analysis experience with a wide variety of building and material types. Nicole is known for her willingness to work with clients and contractors to find efficient and elegant solutions to a multitude of design and construction challenges. She embodies the core values of Peak in her work to design and manage quality designs with input and collaboration from the contractor and other design disciplines.

  Peak Engineering, Inc.

  Chief Operating Officer

  Nicole Laiho

  Chief Operating Officer

  Peak Engineering, Inc.

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  Stephanie Lawrence

  Stephanie joined Granite in 2005 and is responsible for day-to-day operations and growth of Granite’s Denver office. Prior to joining Granite, she was a senior vice president with BetaWest, Ltd., the real estate asset management division of Credit Suisse First Boston. Previously she was with Lowe Enterprises focusing on acquisition opportunities in Colorado and Texas. Stephanie began her career in real estate with La Salle Partners as a leasing specialist and general manager. She is a past president and board member of the Colorado’s NAIOP chapter and is a member of the Office Development Council of the Urban Land Institute. She is involved in various charitable organizations including The Children’s Hospital, Colorado Children’s Campaign and Girls Inc. Stephanie has a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Math from Vanderbilt University and an MBA in Finance and Marketing from Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management.

  Granite Properties

  Senior Managing Director

  Stephanie Lawrence

  Senior Managing Director

  Granite Properties

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  Dimple Manghani

  Dimple's rise to principal has been in the works since she started with MBH in 2003. As a licensed architect and a LEED accredited professional with a penchant for business development, she plays a critical role in the firm's leadership. Aside from exhibiting unparalleled proficiency in her work, she is one of three prominent women of MBH to establish the Women in the Workplace committee with the intention of creating a safe forum for all employees to discuss the biases and trials of daily life. With her acumen in client relations, she set the stage for MBH's introduction into the realm of luxury retail. Consequently, Dimple is now the Principal in charge of the Luxury Retail Studio. Dimple holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the L.S. Raheja School of Architecture in India.

  MBH Architects

  Principal

  Dimple Manghani

  Principal

  MBH Architects

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  Dawn McCombs

  Dawn McCombs brings extensive commercial real estate and construction management experience to Avison Young, dating back to her start in commercial real estate in 1990. Consistently a top producer in Denver commercial real estate, Dawn brings energy and a singular focus on the industrial brokerage service line where she specializes in owner/user assets (buy/sell), tenantrepresentation (leasing), investment sales, and development. With her construction and engineering experience, Dawn understands and appreciates the unique operational and logistical needs of her industrial clients and provides them realistic solutions to their real estate challenges. She represents a diverse range of owner/occupiers, developers, and investors with a client base ranging from small local businesses, regional companies, national firms, and large national investors. Prior to joining Avison Young, Dawn was with a global commercial real estate firm for 5 years. She also spent two years at a national tenant representation firm, as an industrial broker with a tenant focus. Dawn has been consistently recognized by the Denver Business Journal as a Top 10 Producing Broker nine (9) times since 2007. She also received the Heavy Hitters recognition from DMCAR and the Denver Business Journal in 2008.

  Avison Young Brokerage

  Principal

  Dawn McCombs

  Principal

  Avison Young Brokerage

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  Allison Nelson

  Allison Nelson focuses her national practice on representing healthcare systems in complex real estate transactions and mergers and acquisitions. In the healthcare sector, Allison negotiates compliant sales and acquisitions, joint venture developments, and leases, ground leases, and subleases. She partners with clients to build and improve systems to manage real estate portfolios to ensure compliance with federal and state healthcare regulatory laws. She is also experienced in navigating clients through real estate compliance investigations by the U.S. Office of Inspector General (OIG). Allison guides clients in retail, industrial, office, mixed-use, and home builder sectors, through all aspects of commercial real estate transactions, including acquisition, entitlement, development, financing, and disposition. She represents both landlords and tenants in negotiation of master leases, ground leases, leases, and subleases for office parks, industrial centers, retail centers, anchor locations, and distribution and warehouse space. She has served as lender’s counsel in commercial real estate transactions for national lenders and as receiver’s counsel for court-appointed receivers of retail, office, multi-family, and other commercial properties.

  Akerman LLP

  Co-Deputy Chair, Real Estate Practice Group

  Allison Nelson

  Co-Deputy Chair, Real Estate Practice Group

  Akerman LLP

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  Elizabeth Osborne

  Managing Director

  JLL

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  Kim Sperry

  Kim Sperry has diverse experience in real estate finance and investment having started her career in workouts with First Interstate Bancorp. She spent the next 20 years in real estate private equity with Amstar Group where she managed a diverse portfolio of joint venture development projects to include office, hospitality, multifamily and industrial. Most recently, Kim opened the office and built the CO team for RangeWater Real Estate which projects include The Armory in Boulder, Fox Ironworks in Denver and Lupine - a BTR townhome project in Longmont.

  RangeWater Real Estate

  (Former) Managing Director

  Kim Sperry

  (Former) Managing Director

  RangeWater Real Estate

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  Krista Sprenger

  As McWhinney’s Executive Vice President of Commercial and Mixed-Use Development, Krista Sprenger leans on more than two decades of diverse real estate experience, providing office, mixed-use and boutique hospitality development and execution for the company’s commercial and mixed-use divisions. She places a strong emphasis on placemaking and sustainable development practices to provide users with a vibrant mixed-use environment that offers long-term value to those working within the spaces and visiting these places. Krista is also responsible for guiding her teams through structuring, visioning, entitling, and delivering transformational mixed-use projects. Her role at McWhinney follows the culmination of more than 20 years of real estate development experience as an independent developer and corporate executive. Her career has focused on motivating matrixed, global real estate teams to deliver some of the industry’s most innovative and progressive workplace, corporate real estate, and sustainable development projects. Prior to joining McWhinney, Krista held several senior leadership positions at Lendlease in Denver, New York and Los Angeles. Ever passionate about cultivating places that foster community and stewarding environmental resources, Krista is inspired by McWhinney’s commitment to creating unprecedented value and a better world where communities and people can thrive. She aims to create a legacy and sustainable growth footprint through the development of great people and great projects.

  McWhinney

  EVP, Commercial & Mixed-Use Development

  Krista Sprenger

  EVP, Commercial & Mixed-Use Development

  McWhinney

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  Becky Stone

  Rebecca Stone (Becky) has been with OZ Architecture since 1998, a 150-person design firm based in Denver, CO. She leads the company’s Hospitality practice, which is widely known and respected, having worked on nearly every prominent ski resort in the U.S. and many notable urban boutique hotels and restaurants across the nation. The projects Becky has led, in the course of her career, reflect her guiding principle — designing dynamic environments that enrich communities and set the highest of standards. Her extensive experience has also given her a unique and inherent understanding of the best way to create a sense of place — whether in an urban setting, the mountains, or by the sea. In addition to her work with clients, Becky always takes time to serve as a mentor to OZ staff. Becky received a Bachelor of Architecture from Iowa State University in 1993 and a Master of Architecture from Cornell University in 1995. She holds an architectural license in more than 28 states and is an active member on several national industry councils and boards, including co-chairing the Colorado ULI Impact Awards and the AIA Design of Excellence Awards.

  OZ Architecture

  Principal

  Becky Stone

  Principal

  OZ Architecture

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  Karen Landers Zeile

  Karen Zeile’s passion for real estate lies in the heart of downtown Denver. A decade worth of experience as a commercial broker and over 15 years working in real estate make her one of the most knowledgeable experts in the field. Since moving to Denver in 2000, Karen has marketed, sold and leased properties throughout the downtown area including Lodo, the Golden Triangle, and the Ballpark Neighborhood, where she lives and her husband operates Plus Gallery, one of the leading contemporary art galleries in Colorado. Karen’s intimate understanding of small business concerns in the downtown area make her the perfect agent to partner in developing new entities or relocating established groups. Karen is well versed in Office and Industrial Real Estate, having worked on major deals with national clients such as GE Capital Employee Services Group and Knight Transportation. Her background includes financial analysis reporting, real estate market research, title insurance, and development, all of which makes her a perfect choice for real estate clients. Karen is known as one of the most honest, and charismatic brokers in the field. Many of her clients are repeat customers and give enthusiastic recommendations. Karen is an active member of the creative arts and business community with networks and relationships throughout. Select past and present clients include: Colorado Business Bank Demiurge Design Urban Market Development Cystic Firbrosis Foundation Denver Firefighters Protection Association Myslik, Inc. Element Legacy Mechanical

  Kentwood Commercial

  Managing Broker & SVP

  Karen Landers Zeile

  Managing Broker & SVP

  Kentwood Commercial

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  Meredith Wenskoski

  President and Owner of Livable Cities Studio, Meredith has over 18 years of expertise in urban redevelopment, parks and public space design. She is distinguished for her leadership, design and project management of large-scale complex efforts. She has worked on public parks, streetscapes and urban design projects focusing on developing responsible and innovative designs that respond to the needs of the place and community. Meredith’s projects emphasize the role of public space as a way to stimulate redevelopment and create socially active spaces that provide long-term benefits for cities. Meredith is known for her interdisciplinary team leadership, her responsiveness to clients and her excellent communication skills. A firm believer in the benefits of collaboration, she forms strong long-term working relationships with design teams and clients. Meredith is recognized for her rigor and follow-through and for instilling discipline and accountability into design processes.

  Livable Cities Studio

  President

  Meredith Wenskoski

  President

  Livable Cities Studio

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  Kimball Crangle

  Since expanding Gorman to Colorado in 2014, Kimball has initiated 20 developments throughout the state, including 1,700 affordable and workforce apartment homes, with over 200 units scheduled to complete construction throughout 2026. Kimball has worked on many sides of the housing aisle and for nonprofits, public entities and for-profit firms as a housing developer, housing market analyst, housing financing underwriting, director of a Community Land Trust and in the policy sphere through advocacy and industry groups. Additional development has included Net Zero multifamily communities, mixed-use developments, certified LEED Platinum/Gold housing, Health Impact Assessments and Healthy Housing metrics, along with rich community outreach, to target our developments to the local need. Kimball has served as co-Chair of Blueprint Denver, a certified CCIM, on the Colorado Project and is active in ULI and the Routt County Purchase of Development Rights board.

  Gorman & Company

  Colorado Market President

  Kimball Crangle

  Colorado Market President

  Gorman & Company

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  Marilee Utter

  Citiventure Associates is a Denver-based real estate advisory firm specializing in transformational projects and public-private transactions. Established in 1991, the company has become known for its capacity to analyze opportunities, set the program, organize implementation, and guide the development to get results. With background working in the public, private and nonprofit sectors, and in multiple aspects of real estate. Citiventure delivers straight talk, inspired visions based on pragmatic analysis, catalytic elements, collaborative partnerships, and disciplined follow-through. Led by Marilee Utter, the firm provides front-end strategy as well as project coaching throughout implementation. Vision and execution to insure results. When needed, Marilee draws on her national network to assemble customized teams of top professionals in areas such as design, finance, engineering and transportation to provide comprehensive project services. Marilee is well-positioned to advise regionally, nationally, and globally in real estate matters, having recently served as the Executive Vice President for District/National Councils at the Urban Land Institute, based in Washington D.C. For five years she managed ULI's offices in 75 cities around the world, including in Europe, Asian and the Americas. In this role, she advised and worked with key ULI staff, government officials, economic development directors, economists, financial resources, developers, academics, urban planners, transportation directors, and other high-level professionals to encourage best practices in smart, resilient, and healthy urban growth. Her work in the Denver region spans multiple-disciplines and roles. She has served as Regional Vice President for the Trillium Corporation, a real estate development company; Director of Asset Management for the City and County of Denver; Vice President of Wells Fargo Bank; and Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Specialist for RTD, the Regional Transportation District. Marilee earned a BA in Mathematics and French from Colorado Women's College, an MBA from UCLA's Anderson School, and a Certificate in State and Local Public Policy from Harvard's Kennedy School. Professional affiliations include the Counselors of Real Estate designation, the Fellow of Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors designation, member of the Urban Land Institute, and member of the International Women's Forum.

  Citiventure Associates

  President

  Marilee Utter

  President

  Citiventure Associates

Panel Discussion: Leading From The Front

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  Becky Callan Gamble

  A former All-American Collegiate tennis player and touring professional, Becky Callan Gamble redirected her competitive nature into her father’s commercial real estate company in 1992. Using the same basic fundamentals that Dean Callan portrayed for forty years – integrity, honesty, creativity and hard work – Becky has established herself as one of the top performers in Boulder’s commercial real estate market. As a lifelong resident of Boulder, she is able to leverage her local market knowledge to establish long-term relationships with owners and users of commercial space. To that end, she has built up a clientele list which includes international and domestic pension funds, national tenants, and local individual companies requiring commercial representation. In Becky’s free time you can find her golfing with her husband Bruce, riding her bike up Flagstaff and spending time with her two kids Berkley and Beau, and her grandchildren pups, Zippy and Charlie.

  Dean Callan and Company

  President

  HONOREE

  Becky Callan Gamble

  President

  Dean Callan and Company

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  Morgan Lysohir

  Morgan provides strategic leadership for the Rocky Mountain district. She began her career at Milender White in the Arvada office in 2010, and just five years later, she was selected to lead the Southern California office as Construction Executive. Morgan was instrumental in the growth of Milender White in the region. She drives results through consistency, process, honesty, and clear communication. Morgan values a solution focused and team-based approach to construction. She received her bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Florida and earned her master’s degree in construction engineering & management from the University of Colorado Boulder. Morgan lives in Golden, CO with her husband and two daughters.”

  Milender White

  Rocky Mountain District Manager & Senior Vice Preside

  Morgan Lysohir

  Rocky Mountain District Manager & Senior Vice Preside

  Milender White

• HONOREE

  Mina McCullom

  President & CEO

  SynEnergy LLC

• HONOREE

  Maja Rosenquist

  SVP

  Mortenson

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  Lauren Gerdes

  Lauren has over 12 years of experience serving clients across the country by providing industry-specific insights that allows them to stay at the forefront of the changes within their industry. As a member of the national real estate practice, she provides audit and other advisory services, including financial statement audit services, attest engagement services and specific transaction related services to a wide range of privately held companies developing and operating assets in all sectors of real estate. Lauren specializes in working with private equity investment advisors and funds holding various equity and debt positions in domestic and international real estate. She works closely with her clients through complex accounting and operational matters surrounding acquisitions, valuations and structures, including Qualified Opportunity Zone funds, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and open-ended funds. Lauren was selected as a senior analyst in RSM’s cutting edge Industry Eminence Program, which positions its senior analysts to understand, forecast and communicate economic, business and technology trends shaping the industries RSM serves. These senior analysts advise clients on conditions influencing middle market leaders. Lauren’s focus is on the real estate industry. Lauren is also active in RSM’s employee network group, STAR, which advocates for women in the workplace with a focus on stewardship, teamwork, advancement and retention opportunities.

  RSM US

  Partner & Real Estate Senior Analyst

  Lauren Gerdes

  Partner & Real Estate Senior Analyst

  RSM US

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  Andrea Austin

  Andrea Austin, a partner with Husch Blackwell, LLP, focuses her legal practice on professional sports facility deals and the community impacts those projects engender. Andrea advises clients on NBA, MLB and NFL facility transactions, including most recently working with the City of Oakland on a new waterfront ballpark for the Oakland A’s, advising the Charlotte Hornets on renovation of Spectrum Arena and development of a new training center, and helping the City of Green Bay update its agreements with the Packers at Lambeau Field. Andrea’s broader expertise is in negotiating and structuring public-private partnerships for higher education and municipal projects, as well as advising on all facets of commercial real estate development and adaptive re-use. Andrea’s background in commercial real estate investing on behalf of one of the nation’s largest life insurance companies gives her particular insight into understanding market dynamics and critical deal points for real estate development. Her prior investing experience includes analyzing and underwriting over $1.5 billion in debt and equity financing of high profile commercial real estate transactions on the East Coast.

  Husch Blackwell

  Partner

  Moderator

  Andrea Austin

  Partner

  Husch Blackwell