Resident Experience: Investing to Drive Lease-Up & Retention

Investments being made and avoided across technology and amenities

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  Gregory Christiansen

  He has spent his career operating, investing, and managing institutional real estate in executive roles on behalf of private equity funds, publicly traded REIT's and operating companies. He is passionate about the intersection of how people live, how they thrive and how real estate can be a facilitator for human interaction and growth. His career has spanned over ~$5.4 billion of real estate within development, acquisitions, and dispositions. His experience ranges from boards of directors, investment committee member, institutional portfolio management, sourcing/structuring/closing real estate transactions, corporate finance and direct oversight of management operations. Prior to Akara Partners, he served as President of Ollie, Vice President at LaSalle Global Partner Solutions and Vice President at Fortress Investment Group. Gregg is a member of the CFA Society of Colorado and is a CFA charter holder. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Linfield University. He is an Eagle Scout and has served on not-for-profit boards.

  Akara Partners

  President + COO

  Gregory Christiansen

  President + COO

  Akara Partners

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  Noah Weiss

  Noah is responsible for sourcing, structuring, and executing investments and new developments on behalf of the company. Noah also oversees company operations and the growth of new platforms. Prior to joining the firm, Noah founded Alt+H Capital, focusing on hotel bridge liquidity and apartment hotel investments and advisory. Noah was previously Managing Director | VP of Real Estate Investments at Domio, an apartment hotel operator where he built and led the Real Estate Investments team and oversaw the company’s expansion strategy. Prior to Domio, Noah was a director of acquisitions at Angelo Gordon, a $32 billion AUM alternative investment manager in New York. At Angelo Gordon, he was responsible for sourcing and closing real estate transactions in North America and Western Europe as part of the firm’s $1 billion net lease real estate fund. Before joining Angelo Gordon, Noah worked for Bank of Texas, where he originated, underwrote, and closed commercial real estate loans as well as co-launched the bank’s national seniors housing lending business. Noah started his career at MMA Realty Capital, where he was a senior analyst in the proprietary capital group. Noah received a B.B.A. degree from Emory University Goizueta Business School and an M.B.A., with honors, from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Noah is a CFA Charterholder. Noah loves travel, anything ocean-related, adding to his Scotch collection, and spending time with his wife, Casey, and sons Nash and Bowie. Noah serves as an Advisor to Rockval, Inc., and is an active member of the Weill Cornell Children’s Health Council.

  Atlas Real Estate Partners

  Managing Director & COO

  Noah Weiss

  Managing Director & COO

  Atlas Real Estate Partners

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  Hope Kirkendall

  EVP

  Tillman Digital Cities

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  Jason Creel

  Jason Creel is VP of Development at Landing, a leader in flexible stays. He oversees the expansion of the company's nationwide network, partnering with multifamily operators across the country to transform vacant units into revenue-generating assets. He has over a decade of experience in portfolio management and deep insight into strategies to maximize value in today’s dynamic residential real estate market. Prior to Landing, Jason was Vice President of Procurement and Properties at Shipt, the grocery delivery pioneer. Jason is based in Birmingham, where he enjoys spending time with his family and coaching youth football and basketball.

  Landing

  VP, Development

  Jason Creel

  VP, Development

  Landing

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  Taylor Jones

  Taylor Jones serves as President and Chief Technology Officer of Elauwit Connection Inc., where he oversees technology strategy, infrastructure deployment, and service delivery across the company’s expanding national footprint in the multifamily housing sector. With expertise spanning DevOps, network engineering, strategic sales, and operations, Taylor has been a leader in delivering exceptional service and value to his multifamily owner/operators. He is a BICSI RCDD and holds a degree from the University of South Carolina and the Moore School of Business. Elauwit Connection drives increased property value and NOI for multifamily communities by delivering seamless, property-wide managed WiFi that enhances the resident experience and supports smart-building initiatives.

  Elauwit Connection Inc.

  President & CTO

  Moderator

  Taylor Jones

  President & CTO

  Elauwit Connection Inc.

Investment Volume and Capital Formation

Metro areas receiving investor attention & deal construction to navigate equity shortfalls and elevated interest rates

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  Christie Jordan

  As Regional Chief Financial Officer – East Coast at Alliance Residential, Christie Jordan is responsible for identifying and managing joint-venture equity and debt financing, as well as working closely with our regional development teams along the East Coast. Before joining Alliance, Ms. Jordan was Vice President of Business Development at Bell Partners and instrumental in growing Bell’s third party management portfolio by over 25,000 units. Prior to that, Ms. Jordan was Vice President Capital Markets at Jones Lang LaSalle, where she worked for eight years and facilitated the sale of over $5 billion in multifamily asset transactions. During her time at Jones Lang LaSalle, her multifamily team continuously ranked among the top five producing Capital Markets teams across the company. Ms. Jordan has also held various roles within the real estate group at Regions Bank, including as an Analyst for the Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securitizations division. She is an active member of the National Multi- Housing Council and a licensed Georgia Real Estate Salesperson. Ms. Jordan received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from The University of Georgia and a Masters of Business Administration from The University of Mississippi.

  Alliance Residential

  Regional CFO - East Coast

  Christie Jordan

  Regional CFO - East Coast

  Alliance Residential

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  Keanan Gomez

  Keanan Gomez has an avid interest in all facets of commercial real estate investment. He joined RADCO in 2022 and serves as Executive Vice President of Multifamily. He leads all new multifamily and industrial investment activities including acquisitions, joint venture equity placements, capital markets, and ground-up development. Before joining RADCO, he worked with Passco Companies where he played key roles in acquiring over $2.5 billion of multifamily properties across the Sunbelt Region. Keanan brings extensive institutional lending experience having spent over five years with Wells Fargo’s Commercial Real Estate Group where he focused on construction and bridge lending originations across all asset types. Keanan holds degrees in Finance (BBA) and Economics (BBA) from The University of Georgia, and a master’s degree in Real Estate (MSRE) from Georgia State University. He is involved in the Atlanta chapter of Habitat for Humanity and is an active member of several multifamily and commercial real estate networking groups.

  RADCO

  EVP, Multifamily

  Keanan Gomez

  EVP, Multifamily

  RADCO

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  Matt White

  Matt White is a Managing Director of Investment Sales in Atlanta, GA. Since joining Berkadia, Matt has helped facilitate more than 270 transactions, consisting of over 50,000 units, and totaling more than $3.75 billion in aggregate sales volume. More recently in 2023, Matt partnered with Scott Bray and their primary focus is on the private capital segment of the market. Alongside Senior Managing Directors Paul Vetter and Andrew Mays, Matt opened the Atlanta office of Berkadia in 2014. Before making the transition, Matt began his career in the Atlanta office of Marcus & Millichap where he was involved in the closing of more than 100 properties consisting of 15,000 units and an aggregate sales volume of $300 million Matt graduated from the University of Georgia in 2011 with a Bachelors in Business Administration in Real Estate. Matt has lived in Metro Atlanta his entire life and continues to use the local knowledge he’s acquired over those 35+ years to provide his clients with a unique and comprehensive perspective of the Atlanta apartment market. In his free time, Matt enjoys playing golf at Cherokee Towne and Country Club, salt water fly fishing, and cheering on the UGA football team.

  Berkadia

  Managing Director, Investment Sales

  Matt White

  Managing Director, Investment Sales

  Berkadia

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  Tim Klespies

  Tim Klespies is a Senior Director at George Smith Partners and is responsible for debt and equity advisory and placement across all asset classes and situations. Tim has a 20+ year track record in banking and was most recently a Managing Director at KeyBanc Capital Markets. During his time at Key, Tim was responsible for structuring and syndicating various real estate transactions, including project finance, as well as corporate credit facilities. As a senior syndicator, he has worked on over $80 billion in syndicated deal volume, in both the public and private real estate markets, covering various transaction structures, including secured, unsecured and structurally subordinate facilities. Throughout his career, Tim has demonstrated a strong commitment to delivering strategic financial solutions and fostering client relationships. His extensive tenure in banking reflects his deep expertise and dedication to the real estate finance industry. Mr. Klespies graduated from Grove City College with a degree in Finance.

  George Smith Partners

  Senior Director

  Tim Klespies

  Senior Director

  George Smith Partners

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  Todd Robinson

  Mr. Robinson is a corporate and commercial real estate attorney whose practice includes representing lenders, real estate investors and middle-market companies in a variety of corporate and commercial real estate matters including the purchase and sale of commercial real estate, mixed-use developments, acquisition, construction and mezzanine financing projects, commercial leasing, and real estate-related loan sales and purchases. Mr. Robinson's clients range from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses and include private equity real estate funds, family offices national REITs, construction companies, national real estate and asset management companies, community banks, hedge funds, and medical practices. Robinson Franzman LLP is based in Atlanta, Georgia and serves clients across the United States in the multifamily acquisitions and development, commercial real estate finance, private equity, financial services, commercial real estate development and investment. Robinson Franzman is committed to providing the highest quality work product in the industry and immediate responsiveness to its clients’ needs. With a focus on practice areas such as multifamily finance transactions and syndications, commercial real estate development, commercial lending, and general corporate and business law, Robinson Franzman is able to provide a full suite of legal services to clients from all sides of the deal – whether buying, selling, or financing. Robinson Franzman also specializes in structuring and negotiating private equity real estate investment deals on behalf of multifamily sponsors and investors, which includes negotiating waterfalls, preferred returns, and handling securities filings on behalf of its clients. Robinson Franzman’s clients include multifamily investment firms, family offices, commercial real estate developers, community and regional banks, institutional non-bank lenders, investment and asset managers, national REITs, commercial real estate investors, and small business owners. It is Robinson Franzman’s commitment to client services and success that has enabled the firm to develop long-standing professional relationships with each client. Robinson Franzman strives to become an integral strategic partner with all of its clients and to add value through high quality and efficient legal services.

  Robinson Franzman LLP

  Managing Partner

  Moderator

  Todd Robinson

  Managing Partner

  Robinson Franzman LLP

Design, Construction, and Meeting Resident Demand

Best practices in delivering highly leasable projects

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  Katherine Mosley

  Managing Director, Development

  Greystar

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  Chase Beasley

  Chase joined Vista Residential Partners in 2022 and currently serves as Managing Director – SE Regional Partner with a focus on Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama. Chase brings nearly a decade of real estate industry experience, as a multifamily market-rate developer in the Southeast with a background as a professional civil engineer. In his role, Chase is responsible for all aspects of the development lifecycle inclusive of new development business through site acquisition, navigation of entitlements, and working through strategic partnerships with various equity partners/lenders and disposition. He is actively engaged with staying current with market trends and prides himself in creating and executing quality products. Prior to joining Vista Residential Partners, Chase served as the Vice President of Development for The NRP Group and Mill Creek Residential. During his tenure, he worked through various multifamily product types spanning from urban core development to suburban markets, while integrating retail concepts. Chase holds a Professional Engineering License for the state of Georgia, a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Auburn University, and is involved with ULI, NAIOP among other Real Estate Organizations.

  Vista Residential Partners

  Managing Director - GA/TN

  Chase Beasley

  Managing Director - GA/TN

  Vista Residential Partners

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  Angela Harris

  Angela Harris is an American interior designer, Chief Executive Officer, mother, and thought leader. At her renowned interior architecture firm, Angela has spent 25 years working directly with the nation’s most prominent builders, developers, architects, and product manufacturers. Her robust experience in market-driven design, coupled with a Masters in Sustainable Design, has led her to embark on a design journey inspired by philosophy, mindfulness, science, and technology. Angela is currently earning her PhD in Visual Arts, pursuing research in the field of Aesthetics, Design, and the Built Environment through IDSVA. Angela and her talented team collaborate on all aspects of master-planned communities, commercial design, model homes, clubhouses, sales centers, hospitality, and multifamily apartment communities.

  TRIO

  CEO & Principal

  Angela Harris

  CEO & Principal

  TRIO

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  Mel Esser

  Mel Esser is the CEO of Geheber Lewis Architects, where she’s leading the 37-year-old firm into its next chapter of designing Multi-Family communities built to last—both in structure and in the relationships. From its Atlanta roots to offices in Chicago and Denver, GLA teams up with developers across the country on market-rate, senior living, student housing, and are particularly passionate about the affordable housing work they do. Mel finds real joy in architecture that’s thoughtfully balanced — not just in its design, but in how it impacts the surrounding community. A proud Philadelphia native and graduate of Thomas Jefferson University, Mel now calls Roswell, GA home, with her husband and two kids, Maximus and Zoey.

  Geheber Lewis Architects

  CEO

  Mel Esser

  CEO

  Geheber Lewis Architects

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  Travis Couick

  Travis Couick is the Owner and President of STAG Partners, a multifamily general contracting firm dedicated to delivering exceptional renovation and construction solutions for apartment communities. With deep expertise in design-build execution, operational excellence, and client experience, Travis has built STAG Partners around “The Experience Builder” framework—a process-driven approach that ensures projects not only meet budget and schedule goals but also align with the evolving expectations of today’s residents. Under his leadership, STAG Partners has become a trusted partner for owners, managers, designers and operators navigating the challenges of modern multifamily construction. Travis is passionate about integrating innovative design, streamlined construction processes, and resident-focused amenities to help clients stay competitive in rapidly changing markets.

  STAG Partners

  Owner & President

  Travis Couick

  Owner & President

  STAG Partners

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  Laura Melvin

  Laura Melvin is a visionary leader and entrepreneur in the furniture and interiors industry, recognized for delivering complex, high-stakes projects across the Southeast and beyond. With deep roots in the industry and a Communications degree from Coastal Carolina University, Laura transformed her lifelong passion for furniture into a thriving logistics enterprise serving multifamily developers and commercial interior design firms. As founder and principal of her company, Laura oversees a full spectrum of services—including warehousing, inspection, assembly, and installation—for multimillion-dollar properties. Her expertise lies in orchestrating multi-phased projects with intricate timelines, competing priorities, and high expectations, consistently turning challenging logistics into seamless, precise results. Known for her innovative approach and creative problem-solving, she has established a reputation for delivering solutions that exceed client expectations while maintaining efficiency and quality. Laura began her career at a furniture dealership, gaining firsthand insight into client needs, vendor partnerships, and operational workflows. Building on that foundation, she identified a critical gap in dependable, high-quality logistics services and has spent her career setting new standards in the industry. A committed leader and industry advocate, Laura is passionate about fostering strong partnerships with design professionals, mentoring her team, and elevating the standard of furniture logistics. Her work reflects a belief that exceptional spaces are the product of careful planning, strategic execution, and unwavering attention to detail.

  Careful with the China

  Founder

  Laura Melvin

  Founder

  Careful with the China

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  Michael Mazurk

  Michael Mazurk is currently serving as The Director of Multifamily at QXO. Mr. Mazurk and his team focus on providing commercial and residential roofing, siding, windows, decking, insulation, specialty lumber, waterproofing, and air barrier systems to the North American building industry. Mr. Mazurk is responsible for the Multifamily, Senior Living and BTR segments as well as the national account relationships within. He and his team work directly with Owners, Architects, General Contractors, Installers and Manufacturers. Mr. Mazurk brings over 20 years of building material experience in sales, distribution, import and manufacturing. Mr. Mazurk and his team strive to be involved with the value chain in the full life cycle of the build to save time, manage work more efficiently, and enhance their businesses. Their goal is to ensure proper specification, installation and supply of the materials while working in partnership through the value chain to mitigate risk and drive value to all parties involved.

  QXO

  Director, Multifamily

  Moderator

  Michael Mazurk

  Director, Multifamily

  QXO

Developing & Maintaining Affordable Housing Through P3's and Unlocking Funding Sources

Access to pubic funds, incentives and providing high-standard housing options regionally

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  Dionne Nelson

  As President and CEO, Dionne establishes and manages the overall strategic direction, operations, and growth of the company and has more than 25 years of experience in real estate development, finance, and operations. Dionne also serves as President of LSA Management, a property management company serving Laurel Street’s development properties. Prior to founding Laurel Street, Dionne served as Senior Vice President at Crosland and led the company’s affordable housing development and multifamily operations. Previously, she managed investments at NewSchools Venture Fund and Earnest Partners and built her skills in strategy, organization, and operations as a consultant with McKinsey & Company. Dionne began her career in financial services as an Investment Banking Analyst at Salomon Brothers. Dionne serves on the Board of Directors for Cousins Properties (NYSE: CUZ) and the Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) and as a Director for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond – Charlotte Branch. She is also a member of the Charlotte Executive Leadership Council (CELC) and the Real Estate Executive Council (REEC). Dionne is a Trustee for the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and a member of the National Advisory Board for the ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing. She also serves on Renaissance West Community Initiative’s Advisory Board and Real Estate Committee and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Childress Klein Center for Real Estate Advisory Board. Dionne was also named 2023 Charlotte Woman of the Year for exceptional service and exemplary leadership. Dionne earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard University and graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in economics from Spelman College.

  Laurel Street Residential

  President & CEO

  Dionne Nelson

  President & CEO

  Laurel Street Residential

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  Denise Cleveland-Leggett

  Denise Cleveland-Leggett is the Southeast Region Administrator of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s largest region in the nation. Based in the Atlanta Regional Office, she oversees HUD programs and operations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Southeast Region consists of twelve field offices and approximately 840 employees. As the Regional Administrator she oversees and coordinates with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development annual funding of over $519 million, multifamily and public housing funding of $5.3 billion and single-family housing insurance in force of over $236 billion across the southeast region. Prior to the appointment in July 2017 as the HUD Region IV Regional Administrator, Denise Cleveland-Leggett, garnered over thirty years of combined extensive leadership and legal experience in the public and private sectors while also being actively involved as a business and community leader in Atlanta. An accomplished corporate lawyer she represented various healthcare clients in transactional and regulatory matters, including multi-million-dollar hospital acquisitions, hospital and physician contract negotiations, and clinical integrations, as well as, assisting in resolving and defending matters, such as Antitrust and Employment Law, including discrimination. Considered an expert in her field she was called upon to address varying Healthcare related issues, Stark Law, Fraud and Abuse, employment, commercial leases and complex litigation matters. Additionally, she served as transaction co-counsel on multi-million-dollar tax-exempt bond issuances to finance capital projects while also serving as a member of the Litigation team on Anti-Trust, Qui-Tam and successfully representing clients on State Ethics matters before the Georgia State Ethics Commission. Denise Cleveland-Leggett is a strong advocate for fair treatment of women and served with distinction on the Georgia Commission for Women, Georgia State Ethics Commission, State Personnel Oversight Commission and Council for the Hearing-Impaired Legal Clinic, Co-Counsel. She values service and educational literacy not only within her profession but also to the community at large as she served on several non-profit boards, including chairing Literacy Action, Inc. which seeks to remedy Adult Literacy. She is a member of the American Bar Association, American Health Lawyers Association, Georgia State Bar Association and National Employment Lawyers Association. Additionally, Denise Cleveland-Leggett was honored with the 2009 State Bar of Georgia’s Justice Robert Benham Award for exemplary and unparalleled Community Service and was recognized in Who’s Who in Black Atlanta. She is also a 2019 graduate of The Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, MA, Executive Education, Senior Managers in Government Certification Program. A graduate of Boston University School of Law, Boston, Massachusetts (J.D., 1984) and Oakwood College, Huntsville, Alabama (B.A., 1981) she is married to Dr. Christopher J.W.B. Leggett, Interventional Cardiologist and they are the proud parents of two wonderful children Alexandria and Christopher II.

  HUD

  Regional Administrator

  Denise Cleveland-Leggett

  Regional Administrator

  HUD

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  Philip Searles

  Philip E. Searles is the principal of Westchester Ventures, LLC a developer and owner of affordable housing and the President of the Beverly J. Searles Foundation. A native of Atlanta, Searles learned about the real estate development industry at a young age by watching family members engaged in development projects. After earning his bachelor’s degree in accounting from The University of Alabama, he began his career working as an auditor of affordable housing properties, routinely compiling financials from both construction and operating general ledgers. After working for a non-profit for 12 years in this industry Mr. Searles opened Westchester Ventures in 2020 while still serving as President of the Foundation. During his time with the nonprofit, he has spearheaded the development of 11 communities throughout Georgia. To date, Philip has developed 14 communities valued over $250 million in development costs. Philip is an advocate for providing affordable housing choices for Georgia residents, while encouraging programming that enhances resident’s health, wellness and spiritual growth through the nonprofit resident services programs. In 2018 Philip was able to break ground in Vine City to create 105 units of senior housing, preserving affordable housing in this up and coming neighborhood of Atlanta. One of his communities was distinguished with the Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Excellence Award in 2015. Searles is the chair elect of the board of The Lenbrook in Buckhead, Atlanta and an active member of Roswell Presbyterian Church. Philip, his wife and their two sons reside in Roswell, Georgia.

  Beverly J. Searles Foundation

  President

  Philip Searles

  President

  Beverly J. Searles Foundation

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  Israel Brown

  Israel Brown is the CEO and Founder of Essayon Construction Group. Essayon is a service- disabled veteran and minority-owned General Contractor, and wood framing specialty contractor based in Marietta, Georgia established in 2012. Essayon holds 8(a), SDVOSB (Service Disable Owned Small Business), MBE, AABE, and DBE certifications. Under Israel’s guidance, the firm works across numerous market sectors in the Southeast with expertise in the multi-family and commercial industries working with developers, investors, and other general contractors with over 4,700+ multi-family units constructed. Israel is responsible for general supervision and control of all business affairs of the company determining corporate growth strategies to position the company to excel in a dynamic industry and marketplace. Prior to founding Essayon, Israel served as an estimator and project manager for Brasfield and Gorrie General Contractors (B&G) and as Combat Engineer Commander for the Georgia Army National Guard (OIF 08-09). He led the 848th Engineer Company (Sapper) into combat during Operation Iraq Freedom with the mission of conducted Route Clear and Route Reconnaissance in Iraq, Baghdad. Israel was awarded the Bronze Star for his heroic and meritorious achievements and actions against an enemy of the United States. After a tour in Iraq, Israel was highly recruited by the Georgia Army National Guard’s Construction Facility Management Office (CFMO). He decided to accept a position with the Department of Defense and the CFMO as a Director to further develop his leadership. With this new position, Israel oversaw 178 facilities in the state and carried the responsibilities of construction facility management for the engineering, design, government estimates, and construction management and execution for all Georgia Army National Guard buildings. In 2012, he left the Department of Defense to start Essayon Construction Group to add value to developers as well as other general contractors in the private sectors, public sectors, and government agencies. Israel faithfully served and was a donor to Good Samaritan Health Center of Cobb, where he has served as a board member for three years, and its mission is: “to spread the love of Christ by providing quality healthcare to those in need.” Israel is a life learner and a strong advocate for continuing education and personal growth. Israel received his Bachelors in Construction Management from Georgia Southern University. In 2015 and 2016, Israel attended Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. While in 2019, he attended Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Israel is also a founding member of Executive Peer Vistage Group 04792. He has also recently completed the ICIC Building for Growth program in 2023 to gain further insights in business development and progressive strategies to succeed in business. Is also a community football coach for North Cobb High school where he serves on the player development team helping young student athletes develop into leaders.

  Essayon Construction Group

  CEO

  Moderator

  Israel Brown

  CEO

  Essayon Construction Group

Regional Development Outlook for Single-Family Rentals & Build-To-Rent Communities

Site selection, combatting NIMBYISM, and aligning product with demand

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  Richard Ross

  Mr. Ross currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Quinn Residences, a real estate operating company focused on acquiring, developing, and operating well located, purpose-built, single-family rental homes located in the SE United States. From Sept 2016 until February 2020, he was Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer for Branch Properties, a grocery-anchored shopping center company focused on the SE US. From Aug 2013 until Sept 2015, Richard was initially CFO, and then Chief Executive Officer & President, of Trade Street Residential, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSRE), a publicly traded multi-family REIT. Mr. Ross was Branch Properties’ Chief Financial Officer from Apr 1998 until Dec 2010. Mr. Ross currently serves as an independent director of Cedar Realty Trust (NYSE:CDR) and served as a director of Independence Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: IRT) from 2015 through 2020. He is a Certified Public Accountant in Florida and Georgia.

  Quinn Residences

  CEO

  Richard Ross

  CEO

  Quinn Residences

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  Bruce McNeilage

  Bruce W. McNeilage brings more than 31 years of financial and real estate investment experience to his role as CEO of Kinloch Partners. In the past 12 years, he has invested in hundreds of properties throughout Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina. McNeilage has also been an owner and developer of several multi-family residential and condominium communities. Prior to launching Kinloch Partners, McNeilage was a partner in both Harpeth Development and DEL Real Estate. In 2005 he was an early pioneer of what is now commonly referred to as the "Build to Rent" industry and started building and acquiring brand new rental houses in Spring Hill, Tennessee growing the business throughout the Nashville MSA, as well as key markets throughout the Southeast United States. McNeilage holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics (BS) from Florida State University located in Tallahassee, Florida, and serves on the National Board of Directors of the Florida State University Alumni Association. He is also a Chartered Financial Consultant. McNeilage is a member of the Homebuilders Association of Middle Tennessee and is a frequent contributor to Forbes and Think Realty magazine. He is a resident of Brentwood,TN is married to Melanie McNeilage and is a father of three.

  Kinloch Partners

  CEO & Co-Founder

  Bruce McNeilage

  CEO & Co-Founder

  Kinloch Partners

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  Liya Mo

  Liya Mo is a real estate executive with more than a decade of experience across acquisitions, development, and consulting. Ms. Mo has a proven track record of sourcing and executing 27 deals, driving $600M+ in transactions, building institutional partnerships, and leading cross-functional teams. She has deep expertise in single-family rental (SFR), deal execution, capital raising, and platform scaling. She is a recognized industry thought leader and award recipient. Before specializing in residential real estate, Ms. Mo advised Fortune 500 clients at Deloitte Consulting in Real Estate & Location Strategy. She graduated magna cum laude from Washington University in St. Louis and holds an MBA/MA from the Wharton School and the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania.

  Momenta Real Estate

  CEO & Founder

  Liya Mo

  CEO & Founder

  Momenta Real Estate

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  Michael Dougherty

  Michael Dougherty is principal of MSD Real Estate Advisors and Dougherty Capital Investments. For the past several years, he has overseen the development of Single-Family Rental communities throughout the Southeast, performed Asset Management services for BTR projects on behalf of institutional investors and acquired properties for conversion from Single Family Residences to Single Family Rental assets. EXPERIENCE: Before starting MSD, Dougherty served as COO of The Birdsey Group; a financial services company serving the Mortgage Industry, and from 2010 – 2015 he was V.P. and Managing Director of Real Estate Services for Altisource Solutions, a $2B international Financial Services company based in Luxembourg where he had full P&L responsibility for a $200M business unit. Dougherty supervised a staff of 450 associates on 4 Continents, managing a portfolio of 40K single family homes from his office in Europe. Dougherty was responsible for all investor reporting, operations, quality control, new business development and strategic planning for the REO and Pre-foreclosure portfolios. Prior to Altisource, he was President of Dougherty Capital Investments (DCI) a family run multi-family development group that constructed 500 townhome and condominium units over 10 years throughout Georgia. Before DCI, Michael worked at Opus South Corporation as the Director of Asset Management. His primary focus was directing the lease up and management of new multi-family and mixed-use development opportunities in the Southeastern United States. In this role he was responsible for all aspects of institutional design build and fee development, including site acquisitions, market analysis, financial modeling, investor relations and asset management for nearly 3 million s.f. of leasable space. Preceding Opus, as Kmart’s International Real Estate Representative, Dougherty spearheaded Kmart Corporation’s international new store development strategy in the Caribbean, Central and South America while living in San Juan, Puerto Rico for two years. PHILANTHROPY AND VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES: Michael is a board member for Crimson and Gold at Holy Innocents Episcopal School; an organization devoted to raising money for support of sports and extracurricular activities for student athletes. Previously Michael sat on the board of directors for Heroes and Champions; a non-profit sports and leadership camp for disadvantaged children. Additionally, Dougherty served on the Alumni Board of The Lovett School and has served on the Finance Committee for Cherokee Town Club. PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS: CCIM, ULI, ICSC and IMN Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association of Mortgage Field Servicers. EDUCATION: Terry College of Business – Master of Business Administration – International Business

  MSD Real Estate Advisors

  Principal

  Michael Dougherty

  Principal

  MSD Real Estate Advisors

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  Nellie Sullivan

  Nellie Shipley Sullivan is a real estate attorney in Holland & Knight's Atlanta and Charlotte offices. Ms. Sullivan's practice ranges among a broad variety of transactions involving commercial real estate. With more than 25 years of practicing law, Ms. Sullivan leads teams in complex projects, including corporate expansions and relocations, various financing structures, and acquisitions and divestitures of company product lines. She also assists with economic development programs. In addition, Ms. Sullivan has deep experience with developer projects, including housing (single-family and multifamily), mixed-use, assisted living, office parks, industrial parks and malls. She also helps real estate investors with their acquisitions and sales. Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Ms. Sullivan was a partner at a transnational law firm in its Atlanta and Raleigh, North Carolina, offices.

  Holland & Knight

  Partner

  Moderator

  Nellie Sullivan

  Partner

  Holland & Knight

Optimizing Property Performance

Leasing strategy and managing for operational efficiency

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  Jackie Ware

  Jackie is the Chief Executive Officer of Pegasus Residential. Jackie, who has been with Pegasus Residential for 14 years, has held multiple positions within the company, showcasing her diverse skill set and commitment to its success. She began her career as a Sales Operations Support Specialist and has since climbed the ranks to various leadership roles, including Property Manager, Regional Manager, Marketing Associate, Director of Training, Director of New Business, Vice President of Operations and most recently, Chief Strategy Officer. In her role as Chief Strategy Officer, Jackie has demonstrated her ability to drive significant change, bringing innovative solutions to technology and operational best practices. She has also played a key role in directing the company's Operational strategies, Marketing and Learning and Development departments.

  Pegasus Residential

  CEO

  Jackie Ware

  CEO

  Pegasus Residential

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  Karen Key

  Karen Key is a Division President and leads the Southeast region for Asset Living’s conventional portfolio. She has worked in the industry for over 20 years, gaining experience and expertise in new developments and lease-ups, value-add and repositions, and build-to-rent housing at companies like RangeWater, ZRS, and Greystar. At Asset Living, her goals include driving property operations and assisting clients in evaluating existing and potential investments while cultivating a culture that fosters engaged team members. ‍ Karen is an Executive Certified Property Manager (CPM) through the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), past president of the IREM Georgia Chapter, 2022 recipient of the J. Wallace Paletou Award from the IREM Foundation, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality Administration and Business Management from Georgia Southern University. When Karen is not in the office, she enjoys traveling, being on the lake, and trying new foods. A fun fact about Karen is that she is a Tennessee Volunteers fan.

  Asset Living

  Division President

  Karen Key

  Division President

  Asset Living

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  Scott Ferguson

  Mr. Ferguson joined Waterton in 2016 and serves as executive vice president, operations. In this role, he is responsible for the oversight and direction of the firm's multifamily operations across the United States. Mr. Ferguson has over twenty years of experience in multifamily operations, beginning his career at the site level before working in various regional and executive leadership roles. Prior to joining Waterton, he held several positions at Related Management Company and, prior to that, Village Green Management Company. Mr. Ferguson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Oakland University in Rochester, MI. He is a licensed Real Estate Managing Broker in Illinois and Employing Broker in Colorado.

  Waterton

  EVP, Operations

  Scott Ferguson

  EVP, Operations

  Waterton

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  Sarah Witte

  Sarah Witte is an Associate on FCP’s Asset Management team covering the Atlanta market. Prior to joining FCP, Sarah was on the Investments team at Equity Residential providing asset management and acquisitions support for Equity’s DC-area portfolio. Before Equity Residential, Sarah began her career at Wells Fargo Commercial Real Estate where she worked on the REIT Finance, Real Estate Banking, and Hospitality Finance teams. Sarah graduated from Emory University where she earned a BA in Economics with a concentration in Financial Economics and a BA in Spanish.

  FCP

  Associate - Asset Management

  Sarah Witte

  Associate - Asset Management

  FCP

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  Mac McConnell

  Mac McConnell is the Chief Marketing Officer at Rent Ready, where he’s helping redefine how multifamily communities turn units and boost occupancy. A lifelong builder of high-performing teams and go-to-market engines, Mac’s career spans leadership roles at Fexa, Via, and ServiceChannel (acquired by Fortive for $1.2B). He also co-founded BlueBird Strategies, advising innovators like Salesforce and Zuora. Known for blending data-driven strategy with creative storytelling, Mac’s work centers on one belief — that growth happens when people, technology, and purpose align. He holds an MBA from the University of San Francisco and a BA from Colgate University.

  Rent Ready

  CMO

  Moderator

  Mac McConnell

  CMO

  Rent Ready

Remarks from the Podium

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  Danny Maggard

  VP Business Development

  Connect2Court