2025 Icon & Influencer Award Winners

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  MaryAnne Gilmartin

  MaryAnne Gilmartin is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of MAG Partners, a New York-based real estate development company she founded in 2020. Most recently, MaryAnne also served as interim Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Board of Directors of Mack-Cali Realty Corporation. Prior to founding MAG Partners, MaryAnne was CEO of L&L MAG. After a successful two-year partnership with L&L, MaryAnne spun out of L&L MAG to launch her own firm, MAG Partners. The company is currently developing a 480-unit residential building in Chelsea, designed by acclaimed architect COOKFOX. MaryAnne previously served as President and CEO of Forest City Ratner Companies, where she oversaw a period of game-changing ground-up development and managed its multimillion square foot residential, commercial and retail portfolio. In her tenure at Forest City Ratner Companies, MaryAnne spearheaded the development of some of the most high-profile real estate projects in New York City. She led the efforts to build Barclays Center, the state-of-the-art sports and entertainment venue and the centerpiece of the $4.9 billion, 22-acre mixed-use Pacific Park Brooklyn development. She also oversaw the development of The New York Times Building, designed by world-renowned architect Renzo Piano; New York by Gehry, designed by award-winning architect Frank Gehry; and the Tata Innovation Center at Cornell Tech, a new office building that is a first-of-its-kind space for tech innovation, designed by Weiss/Manfredi on Roosevelt Island. MaryAnne is a civic leader in the New York metropolitan area, serving as Chair Emeritus of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, member of the Executive Committee of The Brooklyn Academy of Music, member of the New York Public Radio Board of Trustees, member of the Executive Committee and Board of Governors of The Real Estate Board of New York, and part of the Industry Advisory Board of the MS Real Estate Development Program at Columbia University. In addition to her civic and industry board service, MaryAnne was appointed a member of the board of directors of the global investment banking firm Jefferies Group LLC in 2014.

  MAG Partners

  Founder and CEO

  MaryAnne Gilmartin

  Founder and CEO

  MAG Partners

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  Alicia Glen

  Alicia Glen is the Founder and Managing Principal of MSquared, a nationwide real estate development and investment platform creating the next generation of mixed-use, mixed-income projects in rapidly growing and increasingly unaffordable cities and metro regions. Alicia is the former New York City Deputy Mayor and a nationally recognized expert in urban development, infrastructure finance, job creation, and housing policy. As Deputy Mayor from 2014 to 2019, Alicia was the architect of “Housing New York” – the largest housing plan in the nation – and developed and financed over 125,000 affordable homes, shattering all previous records. She also created “NYCHA 2.0,” a stabilization and modernization plan to generate $24 billion in funds for renovations and essential capital repairs across NYCHA’s portfolio by converting units to private management and building new mixed-income projects. She also launched the largest municipal ferry system in the United States; initiated large scale planning efforts on the Long Island City waterfront, Sunnyside Yard and Governors Island; negotiated the expansion of Google’s NY campus, spearheaded the rezoning of the Garment District and East Midtown; established the Tech Talent Pipeline for the life sciences and technology sectors; and repositioned the City’s industrial assets to support modern manufacturing and film and TV production. Prior to serving as Deputy Mayor, Alicia was Head of the Urban Investment Group (UIG) at Goldman Sachs and co-led the firm’s 10,000 Small Businesses initiative. Under her leadership, UIG catalyzed more than $5 billion of mixed-use development in cities across the country through equity, debt, and tax investment vehicles. UIG also invested in and structured innovative public-private partnerships, including the first domestic Social Impact Bond, CitiBike bike share, “New Lab” in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the headquarters of the National Dance Institute at P.S. 90, and Teacher's Village in Newark, NJ. From 1998-2001, Alicia served as the Assistant Commissioner for Housing Finance at the NYC Department of Housing, Preservation and Development. An attorney who practiced at several national law firms in their real estate groups, she began her career at Brooklyn Legal Services. Alicia is the current Chair of the Trust for Governors Island and Chair of women.nyc. She is also an advisor to the Terner Center for Housing and Innovation at UC Berkeley and an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School. Alicia received a BA from Amherst College and a law degree from Columbia University.

  MSquared

  Founder, Managing Principal

  Alicia Glen

  Founder, Managing Principal

  MSquared

Power Leaders Honorees

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  Amy Rose

  Amy Rose, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rose Associates, has 25 years of real estate experience, specializing in design, construction, leasing and management of premier high-rise and mixed-use residential buildings. She directs all Rose projects and ventures with partners and clients, and focuses on the firm’s accelerated strategic growth, firm positioning and sourcing new business, capital and investments. Currently, under Amy’s leadership, the firm is developing $2 billion in new projects across New York. Amy is actively working on new development projects at 222 West 80th Street and 210 Livingston in Brooklyn (Hoyt & Horn). She recently completed 7 West 21st Street, which achieved rents of over $107/sqft. A recognized expert on residential real estate in New York City, Amy is a frequent participant in professional conferences. She served as a panelist of the NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate’s First National Symposium of Women in Real Estate and at the primary event of the New York Real Estate Summit. Amy has served as a guest speaker for Columbia Business School, Family Business Program. Real Estate Forum named her one of the 2016 Women of Influence. At the top of the New York real estate sector for nearly a century, Rose Associates is known for its success in acquisitions and development throughout the tri-state area. Amy also oversees Rose’s leasing, marketing, and property management – recently ranked by The Real Deal as one of the region’s top five third-party property management firms.

  Rose Associates

  CEO

  Amy Rose

  CEO

  Rose Associates

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  Christina Chiu

  Christina Chiu is the President of Empire State Realty Trust. Prior to her appointment as President, Ms. Chiu served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer since May 2020 when she joined ESRT, and was then appointed to both Chief Operating Officer & Chief Financial Officer in December 2022. Prior to joining ESRT, Ms. Chiu had an 18-year career at Morgan Stanley where she served as Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Global Listed Real Assets Investing business, responsible for business development and capital raising efforts, institutional investor and consultant relationships, oversight of the day-to-day investing business, and execution of strategic initiatives. She began her career as a real estate investment banking analyst on both principal investing and strategic advisory transactions. Ms. Chiu is a member of the Real Estate Roundtable Real Estate Capital Policy Advisory Committee, vice chair of the ULI Technology & Real Estate Council, member of the NYU Stern Real Estate Board of Advisors, and a David Rockefeller Fellow of the Partnership for NYC. She serves on the American Red Cross National Board of Governors, as well as the board of University Settlement Society of New York. Ms. Chiu earned a B.S. in Finance and Accounting summa cum laude from NYU Stern School of Business.

  Empire State Realty Trust

  President

  Christina Chiu

  President

  Empire State Realty Trust

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  Melissa Gliatta

  Melissa Gliatta is Chief Operating Officer of Thor Equities. Ms. Gliatta works closely with Thor Equities Chairman & CEO Joseph Sitt to expand the company’s business activities. Her responsibilities include overseeing asset management, leasing, human resources, development and construction, as well as marketing and property management in major markets including London, Paris, Madrid, Milan, New York, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Washington, DC and Montreal. In 1995, Ms. Gliatta joined Thor Equities and Ashley Stewart where she played a prime role in operating and expanding the company to 380 stores in over 100 cities. In 2000, Mr. Sitt decided to divest his interest in Ashley Stewart and focus exclusively on Thor Equities. Ms. Gliatta was named Vice President of Thor in 2003, focusing on operations and management of the company’s growing commercial real estate portfolios. She was promoted to Executive Vice President in 2010 and Chief Operating Officer in 2016. Ms. Gliatta’s strong leadership and operational skills – developed during her time at Ashley Stewart – enabled her to attract a team of experienced and dedicated professionals to Thor Equities, and help grow the company into a full-service real estate firm with offices in New York, London, Paris, Mexico City, Chicago, San Francisco and Miami.

  Thor Equities

  COO

  Melissa Gliatta

  COO

  Thor Equities

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  Suri Kasirer

  Suri Kasirer is a born New Yorker and advocate. She founded Kasirer in 1997 out of a studio apartment on the Upper West Side—bringing a lifelong commitment to championing people, progress, and policy in the City. Suri grew her business into the #1 lobbying firm in New York City, assembling and leading a team with decades of experience and an unrivaled fluency in government on local and state levels, in languages (including Spanish and Hebrew), in the inner workings of New York. She and her team have established an unparalleled record of success in the City on behalf of clients who are leaders in a wide range of industries, corporate and nonprofit, education and culture, real estate to technology, hospitality to media to health care to social service. Year after year, Suri Kasirer is recognized as one of New York City’s most influential leaders. In 2024, she was honored at the Selfhelp Gala with the Elie Wiesel Humanitarian Award. Her leadership was further acknowledged by in state and national publications such as Crain’s and City & State, where she was named to the New York City Power 100, the Manhattan Power 100, the Power of Diversity: Women’s 100, and the Arts & Culture Power 100. She was also recognized with the City & State Icon Award in 2025. Throughout her career, Suri has been consistently celebrated for her impact. In 2022, she was featured in City & State’s Real Estate Power 100 and the New York City Power 100 for the second consecutive year. She was also honored as one of Schneps Media’s Power Women of Manhattan and received the Landmark Award at 92NY’s Extraordinary Women Awards. Among her most meaningful recognitions, she was named a Gotham Great by Citizens Union in 2018 and received the National Organization for Women (NOW) Women of Power & Influence Award. Suri is the Vice President of Citymeals on Wheels and serves on the board of directors of the New York League of Conservation Voters, the Women’s Leadership Forum and the New York Building Foundation. She is a member of the steering committee for the Association for a Better New York and a member of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, WX New York Women Executives in Real Estate, and the Downtown Lower Manhattan Association. After graduating from Yeshiva University, Suri worked as an educator—before working on a national presidential race. Inspired by politics, she then joined the executive staff of then-governor of New York Mario Cuomo as his special assistant.

  Kasirer

  President

  Suri Kasirer

  President

  Kasirer

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  Michelle Kelban

  Michelle Kelban, Global Chair of the firm’s Real Estate Practice, advises clients on a range of complex and prominent real estate transactions, including private capital raising and financing, acquisitions, joint venture recapitalizations, and workouts and restructurings. Nationally recognized as a leading real estate lawyer, Michelle serves a variety of key market players, including private equity firms, US and foreign investors, institutional lenders, and family offices. She leverages her broad-based experience to help clients successfully navigate all types of real estate transactions across an array of asset classes. Michelle brings particular experience in highly structured and multifaceted deals involving bespoke structures. Michelle regularly advises on transactions involving: Asset and entity-level acquisitions and dispositions in respect of real estate based operating businesses Single asset and multiple property portfolio financings for a range of property types and performing and non-performing loan assets Mezzanine financings, preferred equity structures, equity investments, joint ventures, and equity recapitalizations Workouts, restructurings, and distressed and performing loan sales Foreign investors with respect to all types of in-bound US acquisitions, joint ventures, and financings A collaborative and creative problem solver, Michelle works closely with clients to understand their key business needs. She delivers pragmatic, commercially driven advice, with a focus on building consensus among key stakeholders and achieving a client’s strategic objectives. She is regularly recognized in leading legal publications, including Chambers USA and The Legal 500. Michelle is actively involved in pro bono and community service initiatives. She provides pro bono counsel to nonprofit organizations and schools, including the Girls Global Academy (GGA), an all-girls public charter high school in Washington, D.C. Michelle is also a member of the Beacon Group, which provides grants to local New York organizations supporting underserved populations. In 2020, Michelle was elected to the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, an invitation-only organization comprising leading real estate lawyers across the US.

  Latham & Watkins

  Global Chair, Real Estate Practice

  Michelle Kelban

  Global Chair, Real Estate Practice

  Latham & Watkins

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  Kelly Kennedy Mack

  Kelly Kennedy Mack is president of Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group, the new development arm of The Corcoran Group. With over 30 years of experience in marketing and collective sales of $40 billion, Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group is a recognized industry leader in the planning, design, marketing, and sale of luxury residential development. Mack has worked with some of the most distinguished leaders in luxury real estate, including renowned developers, architects, and designers. As president, Mack has preserved Corcoran Sunshine's legacy of innovation while significantly building its industry presence, and today Corcoran Sunshine is New York's market share leader. The Real Deal Magazine has named the company New York's #1 new development marketer every year since it began conducting rankings in 2009. Mack joined Corcoran Sunshine as vice president of business development in 2002, was named executive vice president in 2004, and became president of Corcoran Sunshine in 2006. She graduated from Georgetown University in 1996 and holds an MBA from the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University. Mack serves on the NYU Board of Trustees, and in her free time supports the Hassenfeld Children's Center, an outpatient treatment center for pediatric oncology and blood disorders. In October 2009, Mack was named NYU’s first-ever Distinguished Young Alumna. She and her husband Stephen Mack live in the Columbus Circle area.

  Corcoran Sunshine

  President

  Kelly Kennedy Mack

  President

  Corcoran Sunshine

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  Danielle Lombardo

  Vice Chair

  Howden

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  Michelle MacKay

  Chief Executive Officer

  Cushman & Wakefield

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  Kara McShane

  Managing Director, Head of Commercial Real Estate

  Wells Fargo

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  Angela Pinsky

  Head of Community Engagement for NY, NJ & PA

  Amazon

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  Madeleine Russo

  Madeleine Russo is a Managing Director and Co-Chief Compliance Officer of Blackstone Real Estate. Prior to joining Blackstone in 2014, Ms. Russo was a Senior Associate in the Private Investment Funds group at Ropes & Gray LLP where she focused her practice on the formation and operation of private investment funds, including buyout funds, real estate funds, fund of funds, secondary funds and hedge funds. She also worked with institutional and other investors in connection with their private fund related investments on a primary, secondary and co-investment basis. Ms. Russo received a BA in English Literature from Trinity College in Hartford, CT, with honors, and a JD cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center.

  Blackstone

  Managing Director, Co-Chief Compliance Officer

  Madeleine Russo

  Managing Director, Co-Chief Compliance Officer

  Blackstone

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  Yesenia Scheker-Izquierdo

  Yesenia Scheker-Izquierdo is the Global Tax Leader for KPMG’s Building, Construction & Real Estate practice, and Partner in Charge of KPMG’s New York Real Estate Tax practice. Yessi has over 20 years of experience providing tax and advisory services to the asset management and private equity industry, including global real estate fund managers, investment funds, infrastructure funds, foreign investors, institutional clients, developers, homebuilders, and owner/operators. She is a Co-Leader of KPMG’s Women in Real Estate Steering Committee, a member of New York Women Executives in Real Estate (WX), and president of Women’s Executive Circle of New York.

  KPMG

  Asset Management Sector Leader & NY Managing Partner

  Yesenia Scheker-Izquierdo

  Asset Management Sector Leader & NY Managing Partner

  KPMG

Top Producer Honorees

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  Jeanette Abate

  Jeanette Abate joined Tishman Speyer in 2009 and focuses on the firm’s debt financing activities for new acquisitions, development projects and existing properties within the United States. Prior to her current role, she was responsible for portfolio management activities for U.S. core ventures, regularly interacting with investors and analyzing venture performance and liquidity. Jeanette began her tenure with the firm as part of the analyst program and has since held several positions, including serving as Investment Committee secretary, assisting in the underwriting and recapitalization of a 16-asset U.S. portfolio, and working on portfolio management activities for the India, Brazil, China, and U.S. value-add funds. She graduated magna cum laude from Cornell University with a BS from the School of Hotel Administration.

  Tishman Speyer

  Managing Director, Debt Capital Markets

  Jeanette Abate

  Managing Director, Debt Capital Markets

  Tishman Speyer

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  Kimberly Adams

  Clarion Partners LLC, a leading real estate investment manager, announced today that Kimberly Adams will be joining the Firm's senior leadership team as a Managing Director in early 2024. In this new role, she will be responsible for spearheading Clarion's global strategies targeting alternative property sectors. Adams joins Clarion after more than 20 years with JPMorgan, where for the last 10 years, she led the portfolio management team of its $40B+ flagship real estate investment strategy. Previously, Ms. Adams had been focused on asset management and acquisitions for JPMorgan, Prudential Real Estate, and LaSalle Investment Management. “We are very pleased to have Kim join Clarion's senior management team and add specific focus to investing in alternative property sectors," commented Clarion CEO David Gilbert. “We view Clarion's continued expansion into alternative real estate sectors as a key growth initiative for the Firm as we seek to provide diversified investment opportunities to our institutional client base and to private wealth channels." In this new role, Kim will work in close alignment with Clarion's CIO Jeb Belford. “Kim has been a leading figure in the commercial real estate space with extensive experience," adds Belford. “We are confident that the depth of her sector expertise and breadth of her market knowledge will enhance the opportunity set we proudly offer to our clients.

  Clarion Partners

  Managing Director

  Kimberly Adams

  Managing Director

  Clarion Partners

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  Margaret Anadu

  Margaret Anadu is a Senior Partner at The Vistria Group where she co-founded and leads Real Estate including one of the largest and fastest-growing affordable housing funds in the United States. Margaret has devoted her career to investing which not only generates strong economic returns, but importantly has a demonstrable positive impact on underserved individuals, families, and communities. Margaret is widely recognized as one of the foremost experts on equitable access to capital having invested over $10 billion across hundreds of transactions throughout the United States and was named one of the most influential figures in U.S. commercial real estate by Commercial Observer and to 40 Under 40 lists by Fortune, Black Enterprise and Crain’s. Prior to joining Vistria, Margaret was a Partner at Goldman Sachs where she was the Global Head of Sustainability and Impact for Asset Management and head of the Urban Investment Group (GSUIG), the first impact investing platform at a major U.S. financial institution and Goldman Sachs’ primary impact investing business. Under her leadership, GSUIG invested over $2 billion annually in affordable/workforce housing, community facilities, educational space, industrial facilities, green infrastructure, student loans, and small businesses. In 2022, Margaret was appointed chair of the board of directors of the New York City Economic Development Corporation. She also serves on the boards of the Mellon Foundation, NewYork-Presbyterian, the Urban Institute, and the Center for an Urban Future.

  The Vistria Group

  Senior Partner

  Margaret Anadu

  Senior Partner

  The Vistria Group

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  Larissa Belova

  Chief Investment Officer

  UBS

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  Lisa Bevacqua

  Lisa Bevacqua joined CBRE in 2024 and is Executive Managing Director, Investor Portfolio Management. In her role, Lisa is responsible for the strategic partnership and account, Brookfield Properties Operated by CBRE, leading a team of over 1,100 real estate professionals across Brookfield’s 70 million square foot North America office portfolio. Prior to joining CBRE, Lisa Bevacqua was the Executive Vice President and Head of Asset Management at Silverstein Properties (SP), where she oversaw a $10 billion portfolio of office, multifamily, and life science properties. At SP, Lisa was responsible for overseeing execution of the investment strategy for all properties in the portfolio and managing investor relationships. She served on the company’s investment committee, management team, and diversity and inclusion committee. Prior to joining Silverstein Properties, Lisa worked in acquisitions and asset management at Citi Property Investors (CPI), a real estate opportunity fund with over $600 million of assets under management. At CPI, Lisa was responsible for underwriting and conducting due diligence on $1.8 billion of real estate transactions. In addition, Lisa oversaw a portfolio of office, condo and land assets. Prior to CPI, Lisa was a leasing broker at CB Richard Ellis/Whittier Partners, with a focus on the downtown Boston office market. Lisa began her career as a consultant at Accenture, where she worked on assignments aimed at identifying and implementing process and operational improvements at financial services companies. Lisa earned an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and graduated magna cum laude with a BA from Boston College. Lisa, her husband, and their four children, live in Westport, CT.

  CBRE

  Executive MD, Investor Portfolio Managment

  Lisa Bevacqua

  Executive MD, Investor Portfolio Managment

  CBRE

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  Trisha Connolly Horowitz

  Trisha Connolly Horowitz is a true trailblazer within the commercial real estate capital markets space. She has achieved many noteworthy accomplishments in her almost two decades in structured finance with a proven track record of delivering creative, tailored solutions across CRE investments totaling over $4B in transactions. She started her career at General Growth Properties and Brookfield experiencing her first GFC, which helped her grow into a leader within capital markets advisory as a broker at Cushman & Wakefield, Ackman Ziff and ultimately leading her to become the first female Chief Operations Officer of Capital Markets for Avison Young. Summer of 2024, Trisha took on the new role as Head of Real Estate at Catal Capital, a newly formed middle-market debt fund under the Catal Group family office where the family has a total of $2 billion AUM in U.S. real estate under Vista Property. Trisha provides the family office executive leadership in all capital markets related activities of the family office, such as facilitating closing on 494 units in Fulton Market in Chicago, sourcing the total capitalization for the project with an outside investor and construction loan. The family is currently exploring opportunities to act as Co-GP in S. Florida and leveraging the family's balance sheet through Trisha's relationships and providing diversification amongst the current business vehicles. Catal Group is expanding into S. Florida and Carolina's and eager to make investments in these markets. Trisha was recently nominated to act as Co-Chair for CREFC Women's Network Speaker Committee. In addition to her numerous professional achievements, she also finds time to give back by mentoring young women within the commercial real estate industry and by sitting on boards of organizations like SheBuilds, the Harold E. Eisenberg Foundation, ULI IOPC Silver Council, Endometriosis Foundation, and the Marquette University Center for Real Estate, where she helped start the first undergrad investment program for students. The REAP program is a top program for undergrad students across the country and is a draw for the now top 10 business school at Marquette University. During Covid, Trisha co-launched an executive women's leadership breakfast to find connection with other women which has taken off to a growing list of over 300 women and caps the attendee list to 45 women per breakfast to keep the content and connection intimate. In May 2025, Trisha co-hosted an inaugural executive retreat in the Hamptons for two days of mindful connection and networking.

  Catal Capital

  Managing Director, Head of Lending

  Trisha Connolly Horowitz

  Managing Director, Head of Lending

  Catal Capital

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  Nora Creedon

  President & CEO

  Starwood Real Estate Income Trust

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  Marisol DeRosa

  As a Strategy Principal in Gensler's New York office and a Global Co-leader for the Financial Services practice, Marisol helps Fortune 500 financial institutions and other industry players translate business objectives into agile workplace, consolidation, repositioning, and master planning strategies. Trusted by C-suites for her ability to translate “always-on” cultures into adaptable, experience-rich workplaces, she is a sought-after strategy leader, known for leveraging insights and benchmarking to turn square footage into sustained competitive advantage. Her list of clients includes Barclays, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank, Wells Fargo, Hudson River Trading, Perella Weinberg Partners, and JPMorgan Chase & Co. Marisol holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University and a Certificate in Real Estate Finance and Development from New York University.

  Gensler

  Principal, Global Leader of Financial Services

  Marisol DeRosa

  Principal, Global Leader of Financial Services

  Gensler

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  Marion Jones

  Marion Jones is a Principal and Executive Managing Director of U.S. Capital Markets at Avison Young, based in the firm’s Manhattan office. In her role, Marion spearheads the firm’s capital markets strategy, driving strategic growth, expanding market share, and positioning Avison Young for continued success in both domestic and global markets. Through her dynamic leadership, she is committed to deepening the firm’s capital markets footprint across the U.S., enhancing client relationships, and fostering a collaborative environment that ensures client-focused solutions. Marion’s emphasis on cross-functional communication and teamwork empowers her to deliver exceptional results grounded in a comprehensive understanding of market trends, data-driven technology, and industry connectivity. With over 20 years of experience in commercial real estate—spanning debt and equity, sales, market expansion, and team-building—Marion has closed more than $9 billion in transactions. Her strategic expertise is recognized across both middle-market and institutional sectors, where she has earned a reputation as a trusted advisor, known for her ability to drive impactful market positioning and solve complex challenges with innovative, interdisciplinary approaches. Marion’s leadership is characterized by a commitment to advancing our clients’ objectives, as well as championing the growth and development of her team. As a member of Avison Young’s U.S. Executive Committee, Marion works closely with the U.S. Capital Markets Executive Committee to ensure strategic alignment and foster a unified vision for the firm’s success. Her credentials also include licenses as a broker in New York and Connecticut. Marion’s previous leadership experience as Managing Director of Capital Markets at JLL, as well as her roles at Ackman-Ziff, Eastern Consolidated, and CBRE, further solidify her as a highly regarded thought leader and key influencer in the commercial real estate industry. She is an active member of Urban Land Institute and WX (Women Executive in NY Real Estate). She has taught at the graduate level at Fordham University’s Real Estate Institute and been recognized with several industry awards. Marion is deeply involved in her community of Westport CT, serving on the Affordable Housing Advisory Board of Homes with Hope, a local affordable housing non-profit as well as volunteering in her local parish and at the Westport Public Library.

  Avison Young

  Principal and Executive Managing Director

  Marion Jones

  Principal and Executive Managing Director

  Avison Young

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  Mayra Maisch

  Mayra oversees the execution of capital improvement projects, buildouts, and design construction. With deep experience across asset types and regions, she has led strategic real estate initiatives for major institutions, including AIG and Goldman Sachs, where she managed multimillion dollar capital pipelines, workplace solutions, and portfolio optimization efforts. Mayra began her career at Turner Construction, delivering large-scale projects such as the Barclays Building and Bloomberg Headquarters. She holds a diploma in Construction Management from NYU and a bachelor's degree in Industrial & Organizational Psychology from Hofstra University.

  BGO

  Managing Director, Head of U.S. Design & Construction

  Mayra Maisch

  Managing Director, Head of U.S. Design & Construction

  BGO

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  Nancy Packes

  President

  Nancy Packes Inc

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  Yael Ron

  Chief Hospitality Officer

  Silverstein Properties

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  Lissa So

  Lissa So is a founding Partner of Marvel with over 25 years of experience. She is driven to build innovative architecture that effortlessly accommodates the user and creates uniquely beautiful spaces. Lissa honed her expertise in theater design renovating St. Anns Warehouse, a project that brought multiple awards and prestige to the Marvel office and has led to additional theatrical and cultural work. She recently completed the Lyric Theatre, the new home of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and has lead the design team for TheatreSquared, a modern regional theatre in the burgeoning cultural hub of Fayetteville, AR. In addition, Lissa spearheaded 1 Clinton, a 36-story residential tower that also houses the new Brooklyn Public Library, as well as the new Northeast Bronx YMCA. This work in the Bronx has led to a collaboration with Phipps Neighborhoods to provide afterschool programs to underserved communities in efforts to promote women and minorities in architecture. Lissa attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where she studied architecture.

  Marvel

  Founding Partner

  Lissa So

  Founding Partner

  Marvel

Steering Committee

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  Whitney Arcaro

  As the Chief Revenue Officer, Residential Ms. Arcaro is responsible for the overall revenue strategy and its implementation for RXR’s extensive residential portfolio, across multiple regions in the United States. She oversees an integrated workstream across Operations, Development, Marketing, Sales/Leasing, and Portfolio Management to enhance the product, create brand premium, and drive revenue streams above competitive assets in each market. Ms. Arcaro joined RXR in 2017, serving as Executive Vice President – Head of Marketing and Retail Leasing for the company. She was responsible for overseeing the marketing and communications of RXR’s 25.6 million square feet of commercial assets in Manhattan and the surrounding region, as well as the concepts, design strategy, marketing and strategic branding initiatives for more than 6,200 multi-family units in planning across the region at the time. As the Head of Retail Leasing, Ms. Arcaro oversaw the strategy and implementation for the 1.1 million square feet of retail space across RXR’s New York City and Tri-state portfolio. Prior to joining RXR, Ms. Arcaro served as Managing Director of Business Development for SHVO, a luxury real estate company, where she was integral to key elements of the business, comprising capital raising, EB5 financing, hotel partner relations, retail activity and sales/marketing efforts. Ms. Arcaro was senior member in the company’s strategic growth initiatives, effectuating a $3.5 billion investment and development pipeline in a 24-month period. Previously, Ms. Arcaro served as Senior Vice President of Marketing at Vornado Realty Trust, one of the largest publicly traded REITs in the U.S. with over 100 million square feet across multiple markets during her time there. At Vornado, Ms. Arcaro was responsible for creating and implementing marketing strategies including office, retail, residential, and hotel properties, new developments and major asset repositions. Ms. Arcaro oversaw Vornado’s major branding initiatives. Among her accomplishments includes building an interdisciplinary, multi award-winning marketing program for Vornado’s corporate, New York, and street retail platforms, which included innovations in digital marketing and technologies, as well as industry-leading sales centers and product positioning. She oversaw the marketing and communications plan of the company’s nationally recognized sustainability program, and also created a successful public holiday tradition in partnership with the San Francisco 49ers in California. Before Vornado, Ms. Arcaro was a commercial real estate broker working on tenant representation, landlord agency, consulting services and investment opportunities for multinationals and institutional organizations. Ms. Arcaro has been listed as one of New York’s Real Estate Power Women in each year since 2018. She is a member of the Leadership Committee of the American Lung Association. Ms. Arcaro has produced award-winning feature length and short films featured at SXSW and Sundance Film Festivals, including a critically and politically hailed feature on conditions of Veterans, which garnered over 12 awards and coverage in the Washington Post, International Herald Tribune, and the New York Times.

  RXR

  Chief Revenue Officer, Residential

  Whitney Arcaro

  Chief Revenue Officer, Residential

  RXR

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  Abbe Franchot Borok

  Managing Director, Head of US Debt

  BGO

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  Linda Foggie

  Global Head of Real Estate & Corporate Services

  Scotiabank

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  Laurie Grasso

  Laurie, an accomplished deal maker, is partner and co-chair of the firm’s global real estate practice. She takes a client-focused approach to her real estate practice, often acting as in-house counsel for her clients and becoming a trusted member of their businesses. She has a long list of clients who have been with her since the beginning of her practice and appreciate her ability to adeptly and efficiently handle any type of real estate deal. She is recognized as a leading lawyer in Chambers USA 2021, noting that she is “a strong negotiator” and “she has a great business sense combined with legal knowledge.” Most recently, for the second year in a row, Commercial Observer included her in their elite “Power 100” list, which recognizes the most powerful players in real estate. Laurie represents real estate private equity funds, companies, institutional REITs, investors and other property owners in structuring and closing real estate transactions such as acquisitions and dispositions, developments, financings, portfolio transactions, preferred equity investments, leasing and real estate joint ventures. Her work touches all asset classes, including office, multifamily, affordable housing, workforce housing, mixed-use, life sciences, hospitality, retail and condominium. She also maintains an active capital markets and fund practice, representing investors in joint venture transactions and sophisticated fund and tax structures. Laurie is also well-versed in the Opportunity Zone program and helps clients through the process of structuring and investing in qualified properties and vehicles. Laurie is involved in a number of non-profit and charitable organizations focusing on increasing diversity in real estate. She serves on the Advisory Board and spearheads the firm’s legal partnership with Project Destined, an organization dedicated to transforming minority youth into owners in the communities in which they live, work and play. She also serves as co-chair for Rebuilding New York’s “She Builds” program, where she organizes an annual renovation day, rehabilitating a New York City community center in need.

  Hunton Andrews Kurth

  Global, Co-Chair of Real Estate

  Laurie Grasso

  Global, Co-Chair of Real Estate

  Hunton Andrews Kurth

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  Lesley Lisser

  Multifamily Asset Management

  Formerly of Empire State Realty Trust and Invesco

Remarks from the Podium

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  Goldie Wolfe Miller

  Goldie B. Wolfe Miller, a renowned Commercial Real Estate broker and entrepreneur, began her career in advertising. During her 40+ year career, Ms. Wolfe Miller became the first female Vice President of Arthur Rubloff & Company; founded Goldie B. Wolfe & Company in 1989, a tenant representation firm, and developed it into the largest woman-owned commercial real estate company, executing approximately $3 billion in real estate transactions. She sold her firm to a New York stock exchange company in 1998. Currently, Ms. Wolfe Miller is President of Millbrook Corporate Real Estate Services, a full-service consulting company. The Miller family developed the 700,000-square foot Millbrook Business Center in Lincolnshire, bought Arboretum Lakes, a 725,000 sq. ft. office complex in Lisle, then acquired a 200,000-plus square foot building at 5215 Old Orchard Road in Skokie, a 200,000-square foot building at 250 E. Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and most recently a 264,000-square foot building in Oakbrook Terrace. They are also aggressively pursuing third party management. Ms. Wolfe Miller has received a number of awards including the 2012 CREW Network Impact Award – Career Advancement for Women; Roosevelt University’s 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award; Northwood University’s 2010 Distinguished Woman Award; and 2008 CREW Strategic Philanthropist of the Year. In 2011, she was inducted into the Chicago Realtors Hall of Fame. Ms. Wolfe Miller also prides herself on her philanthropic work. A board member of various organizations throughout her career, including the Board of Trustees of the Urban Land Institute, she is the most gratified serving on several family foundations, like the Jack Miller Center for Teaching America’s Founding Principles and History. Through her foundation work she supports diverse Jewish, community and cultural organizations in the Chicagoland area and beyond. Ms. Wolfe Miller united her philanthropic spirit and extensive commercial real estate experience in 2007 when she founded the Goldie B. Wolfe Miller Women Leaders in Real Estate Initiative (“The Goldie Initiative”) at Roosevelt University, a program designed to educate, encourage and promote women in Chicago’s real estate industry. The Goldie Initiative offers women seeking a graduate degree with a focus in real estate scholarship assistance; mentoring and networking opportunities; and, career support and development. The Goldie Initiative has almost 60 alumnae of its program who were selected based on their academic records, professional achievement, and commitment to the real estate industry. In 2015, Ms. Wolfe Miller actively expanded The Goldie Initiative by pursuing alliances with graduate-level programs at various universities in the Chicago area, including The University of Chicago, DePaul University, University of Wisconsin Graaskamp Center for Real Estate, and Northwestern University. Because of her long, distinguished career as a leader in Chicago's Real Estate industry and for her advocacy of the advancement of women in Real Estate, Roosevelt University conferred upon Ms. Wolfe Miller an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa at the May 9th, 2015 Commencement where she also presented the Commencement Address.

  The Goldie Initiative

  Founder

  Goldie Wolfe Miller

  Founder

  The Goldie Initiative