Case Study: Pacific Center

The Women Bringing the Campus to Life

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  Steph Smothers

  Head of Design

  Sterling Bay

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  Alessandra Lapadula

  Project Executive

  BNBuilders

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  Rachael Sampson

  VP

  EXP Engineers

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  Ramak Rahnemoon

  Owner, Preconstruction Engineer

  Pacific Rim Mechanical

• Moderator

  Luvelyn Benitez

  Principal

  Coffman Engineers

Fostering Innovation Through Partnerships

Collaboration, Optimizing Industry Relationships, P3s & Building Ecosystems

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  Rosalio Arellanes

  Rosalio serves as Vice President and Market Executive for Wexford Science & Technology and is responsible for developing and executing life science projects in the Western United States. With experience in commercial and multifamily real estate development, architectural design, and construction management, Rosalio brings a wealth of knowledge to leasing, acquisitions, budgeting, due diligence, environmental remediation, entitlements, sustainable design, and permitting. Before joining Wexford, Rosalio oversaw Boos Development Group’s Western division operations as a Vice President of Development and Construction. Over his career, he has developed over 2.5 million square feet of commercial projects and managed development teams and company divisions in the western US. Previously, he worked as an architectural designer for HOK in the Culver City, CA office and Fragoso Construction as a project manager in the Chicago region. He received his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Illinois Chicago and Master of Architecture from the University of California Los Angeles. He also attended the Ross Minority Program in Real Estate at the University of Southern California. In addition, Rosalio has the LEED AP accreditation from US Green Building Council and holds a CA Real Estate License.

  Wexford Science & Technology

  VP & Market Executive

  Rosalio Arellanes

  VP & Market Executive

  Wexford Science & Technology

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  Jenner Smith

  Senior Director, Real Estate Acquisitions & P3

  University of California, San Diego (UCSD)

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  Brian Kenworthy

  Brian Kenworthy is an award-winning designer with over 25 years of experience, leading Science+Technology, Workplace, and Cultural design teams across SmithGroup's west region. He works fluidly across these market types, allowing influences from each to inform each project. His expansive portfolio includes clients such as Wexford Science & Technology, the University of Washington, the University of Illinois at Chicago, the California Institute of Technology, and the California Department of General Services (DGS). To Brian, creativity is a cultivated skill, a trained ability to weave together disparate elements in novel and inspiring ways imbued with both beauty and intellect. He is passionate about nurturing creativity within himself and others, with a focus on mentoring the next generation of designers.

  SmithGroup

  Senior Principal

  Brian Kenworthy

  Senior Principal

  SmithGroup

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  Robert Fagnant

  An associate partner with Syska Hennessy Group, Robert manages staff and projects across the multi-discipline MEP services. Robert has extensive experience with laboratory and life sciences projects including spaces for ISO cleanroom pharma manufacturing, electron microscopy, mass spectroscopy, BSL-3 containment, NMR environments, neuropharmacology and electrophysiology. He’s worked on projects with The Scripps Research Institute, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, The Burnham Institute, Pfizer and Genentech. Robert’s depth of experience in both design and project management enhances collaboration with owners, architects, and contractors.

  Syska Hennessy Group

  Associate Partner

  Robert Fagnant

  Associate Partner

  Syska Hennessy Group

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  Kyle Schertzing

  Principal, Practice Group Manager

  Arcadis

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  Hooriya Hussain

  Hooriya Hussain is the Co-Founder at Logic & Heart, a brand transformation agency for Life Science & Biotech companies. She is an award-winning strategic life science marketer that helps companies to uncover the unknown and decipher the difficult, decluttering complex marketing problems and transforming them into clear strategies and actionable plans. By partnering closely with leadership teams, she creates value through early planning and cross-functional marcomm alignment. Hoori was also director of the Women in Bio (MAPS) Mentorship, Advisors, Peers & Sponsorship Program. Hoori was inducted into the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences (IADAS) and will be judging the Webby Awards for the best of Internet and Marketing campaigns in America. Earlier this year, Hoori spoke on the Future State of DEI for California Life Science's debut Inclusive Leadership Symposium in San Francisco. She is also a mentor of the Nucleate Activator Program to create a more innovative, inclusive, and interconnected biotech ecosystem by facilitating the formation and growth of new biotech ventures. Born and lived in Qatar, (SWANA region), Hoori has led and worked with bureaus focused on international communications and marketing expertise for global non-profits, healthcare, tech, auto and education brands and has served governments, initiatives and diplomatic offices as their lead marketing and communications advisor. As a first-generation Southeast Asian-American. Hoori is a fierce ally, a leader on the Human Rights Campaign's (HRC) National Board of Governors, HRC Board Executive Committee, HRC Board Development Committee and Chair of Digital & Marketing Communications for the San Diego Chapter. She is also a proud AANHPI leader and a proud leader of the BIPOC leadership program by HRC. She leads teams with an intersectional lens to transform storytelling and protections for LGBTQIA & BIPOC (immigrant & minority) communities. She is presently based in San Diego, CA.

  Logic & Heart

  Co-Founder

  Hooriya Hussain

  Co-Founder

  Logic & Heart

• Moderator

  Julie Kilpatrick

  Senior Managing Director, Southwest Region

  Turner & Townsend

Helping Life Sciences Companies Grow & Scale

Supporting Emerging Talent & Propelling Startup Expansion

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  Allan Glass

  Allan S. Glass is a Co-Founder and Principal at HATCHspaces LLC. With 25 years of brokerage, redevelopment and consulting experience, Allan has worked through three full market cycles advising private equity funds, developers, banks, non profit institutions, private landowners and real estate investors across the country. He has extensive expertise in areas of distressed assets and value added development utilizing in-depth knowledge of structuring and unwinding complex ownership and finance arrangements. His experience crosses multiple product types in both the commercial and residential markets.

  HATCHspaces

  Co-Founder

  Allan Glass

  Co-Founder

  HATCHspaces

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  Matt Pelo

  Founder & CEO

  Fore Genomics

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  Ardy Arianpour

  CEO

  SEQSTER

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  Dan Byrne

  Dan is a 3-time founder in the Life Science growth strategy and recruitment space. Traditionally focused on small to medium sized business that are looking to scale, Dan and his teams advise on workforce planning, industry trends and headhunting the best talent for their clients. Dan has just launched his new business, One Life Science, with offices in San Diego, Los Angeles, New York and Austin.

  One Life Science

  Founder

  Dan Byrne

  Founder

  One Life Science

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  Taryn Goode

  Taryn leads manages and executes a high-level strategic life sciences plan for Connect, designed to be impactful to our unique San Diego ecosystem.

  Connect

  Head of Life Sciences

  Taryn Goode

  Head of Life Sciences

  Connect

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  Kent Lee

  As a father, husband, and first-generation Asian American, Kent’s life has been driven by a commitment to service and community. Kent’s parents and their families came to the United States in search of a better life. His father arrived with his family with just $20 between them, and launched an entrepreneurial career from which he learned as much from his failures as his successes. His mother was a lifelong garment worker who traveled hours each day to and from work -- often missing out on dinner with the family. Their challenges helped shape Kent’s belief that life has always been about more than what each of us can accomplish for ourselves. It’s about what we choose to do when we have the opportunity to serve and to give in return. At a young age, Kent became involved with an American Red Cross youth program, opening his eyes to the power of service and providing him his earliest leadership roles. Kent came to San Diego to study at UC San Diego, where he met his wife, Phuong, as part of Alpha Phi Omega, a national collegiate service organization. As a student, he volunteered weekly in support of organizations like Mama’s Kitchen and the San Diego Rescue Mission, and he established an ongoing partnership with the Boys and Girls Club in Clairemont. Upon graduation, Kent dedicated his life to serving his community. Starting with the local Boy Scouts of America, Kent quickly rose to serve as the chief financial and development executive, managing a budget of more than $5 million. In that time, Kent worked extensively with community volunteers, parents, families, and schools throughout San Diego, planning day camps, coordinating annual “Scouting for Food” drives, and working to foster meaningful leadership development for more than 20,000 youth throughout San Diego and Imperial Counties. Many of his years were dedicated to serving families in District 6. Today, Kent is the executive director of Pacific Arts Movement (Pac Arts), one of the largest media arts organizations in North America focusing on Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander cinema. Pac Arts is best known for presenting the San Diego Asian Film Festival, which celebrates its 22nd edition this fall. Pac Arts serves as a leading voice in multicultural storytelling through media arts, youth education, and culinary programs representing AAPI communities. Under Kent’s leadership, Pac Arts broadened its culinary programs to showcase many of the best Asian American chefs throughout San Diego. Kent’s extensive volunteer service includes deep involvement with the Asian Business Association of San Diego, supporting small businesses, and leading the effort to combat the alarming rise in anti-Asian hate through the San Diego Asian Pacific Islander Coalition, where he serves as co-chair. In light of many recent events, Kent has advocated fervently for action not only in support of API communities -- but for all marginalized communities who are impacted by racism, hate, and violence. Kent also serves in various capacities for organizations including the Mira Mesa Community Planning Group, advocating for the smart development of our neighborhoods, UCSD’s Chancellor’s Community Advisory Board, International Deaf Education, Advocacy and Leadership, and Alpha Phi Omega. Residents of Mira Mesa for nearly 15 years, Kent and his wife Phuong have two young children – Alynna and Oliver – as well as their dog Lucky.

  The City of San Diego

  Council Member, District 6

  Kent Lee

  Council Member, District 6

  The City of San Diego

• Moderator

  Dave Whelan

  CBO

  Big4Bio

Innovations in Development, Construction & Design

Delivering Advanced Lab Space To Attract End-Users

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  Jonathan Parot

  Jonathan Parot serves as Vice President at Breakthrough Properties, where he leads development efforts across West Coast markets and the Asia-Pacific region. A recognized technical expert, Jonathan specializes and focuses on acquisitions, land use planning, entitlements, design, client programming, leasing, and preconstruction strategies for life science real estate. With over 15 years of experience, Jonathan has managed the design and construction of more than 5 million sq. ft. globally, encompassing ground-up developments, asset repositioning, and turnkey fit-outs for critical facilities including R&D, cGMP, manufacturing, clinical, vivarium, and US Pharmacopeia spaces. Jonathan has worked closely with leading pharmaceutical, biotech, and healthcare organizations such as Pfizer, Becton Dickinson, Illumina, Abbott Vascular, the University of California, Sharp Healthcare, and the Veteran Affairs Healthcare System, among other private, federal and state agencies. He has recently served on the Torrey Pines Community Planning Board and actively involved on the Sharp Healthcare Real Estate & Construction Committee. Before joining Breakthrough Properties, Jonathan was the Managing Director of Project & Development Services at Cushman & Wakefield in San Diego, and prior to that, Senior Project Manager and Deputy Resident Engineer with the US Army Corps of Engineers. He holds an MBA from San Francisco State University, a BS in Engineering, and is a commissioned officer in the US Army. With over 22 years of military service, Jonathan continues his commitment as a US Army Reserve officer, with experience ranging from emergency response at the Southern Border, leading liaison in Korea and the United Nations Command, to deployments in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

  Breakthrough Properties

  VP, Development

  Jonathan Parot

  VP, Development

  Breakthrough Properties

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  Marshall Wheel

  Director of Development

  Sterling Bay

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  Trevor Wells

  Trevor Wells, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, is an Associate Vice President and Principal in the Science + Technology practice in San Diego. With more than 25 years of architectural experience, Trevor brings expertise in the design and planning of interdisciplinary physical sciences and engineering environments, biocontainment laboratories, vivaria, cleanrooms, and biopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. As a licensed Architect and a LEED Accredited Professional, he implements his experience in planning, interpreting, organizing, and managing projects through all phases of development, including establishing and monitoring budgets, managing the project team, and preparing schedules to ensure efficient utilization of resources. Trevor will focus on growing the firm’s life science client base and design expertise in research facilities throughout southern California. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, San Diego.

  HGA

  Principal

  Trevor Wells

  Principal

  HGA

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  Fernando Delgado

  As a Senior Project Manager with 16+ years at Turner Construction Company, Fernando Delgado is a leader in delivering cutting-edge life sciences environments that drive innovation and research. With a background in electrical engineering and service in the U.S. Marine Corps, he brings a disciplined, solutions-driven approach to executing complex, high-performance lab, and research facilities. Fernando has played a pivotal role in shaping Southern California’s life sciences landscape, leading major projects such as the IQHQ Research and Development District (RaDD)—a 10+ acre waterfront biotech hub designed to accelerate discovery with state-of-the-art lab space, sustainability-driven design, and integrated public spaces. His expertise extends to the Campus at Horton, where he helped transform a historic urban core into a next-generation life sciences campus, integrating 300,000 SF of laboratory space alongside creative office and retail environments. Additionally, at the New Jersey Institute of Technology School of Architecture Lab, he led the renovation of outdated spaces into modern, high-tech computer labs, enhancing academic and research capabilities. Committed to advancing the future of life sciences construction, Fernando fosters a culture of collaboration and continuous learning, mentoring teams on sustainable building practices, LEED, and DBIA principles. Holding both DBIA and LEED AP BD+C certifications, he champions high-performance, energy-efficient research facilities that support scientific breakthroughs and operational excellence. With a track record of delivering mission-critical R&D spaces, Fernando is dedicated to partnering with life sciences clients to create environments that empower discovery, enhance sustainability, and attract top-tier talent. His leadership ensures that each project not only meets today’s needs but is also built for the future of biomedical innovation.

  Turner Construction

  Sr Project Manager

  Fernando Delgado

  Sr Project Manager

  Turner Construction

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  Kavan Ranasinghe

  Kavan Ranasinghe has more than 10 years of construction industry experience. He joined HITT Contracting shortly after graduating in 2015, working his way through the entry-level ranks in project management working with the firm’s base building and corporate interiors sectors. In 2018, Ranasinghe moved from HITT’s headquarters in the Washington, DC area to the West Coast to help grow HITT’s presence in Southern California. As a vice president and life sciences construction leader within HITT’s Los Angeles office, Ranasinghe specializes in the successful delivery of life sciences construction and renovation projects in the Southern California region, such as laboratory build-outs, research and development spaces, clean manufacturing facilities, cGMP spaces, speculative lab suites, and office-to-lab repositioning conversions. His expertise includes leading clients and design teams through complex due diligence efforts, helping provide hands-on constructability, estimating and feasibility feedback at the infancy stages of a project. In addition, he provides leadership to his project teams and plays a key role in building long-standing relationships with clients and subcontractors, ensuring client satisfaction and project success. Since relocating to Southern California and building meaningful relationships in the industry, Ranasinghe has formed a notable portfolio of life science clientele including HATCHSpaces, NexCore Group, Neogene, AbbVie, PHASE Scientific, Appia Bio, Graymark Capital, and Instil Bio Laboratories. Ranasinghe received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, and he is a member of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), Biocom California, International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) Greater Los Angeles Area Chapter, Los Angeles Headquarters Association (LAHQ), and NAIOP Southern California Chapter.

  HITT

  Vice President

  Kavan Ranasinghe

  Vice President

  HITT

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  Kurt Lindorfer

  Kurt’s professional engineering career spans over 40 years. His expertise includes structural engineering design for Mission Critical Facilities such as Data Centers, Health Care Facilities such as Hospitals and Clinics and Life Sciences Facilities such as Biopharmaceutical Pilot Plants and Production Facilities around the United States and the World. His area of expertise is in designing buildings to be occupable after natural disasters including Tornados, Hurricanes and Earthquakes. He has been the structural engineer of record for conventional “fixed Base Buildings” ranging from 1-23 stories, “Base Isolated Buildings” ranging from 1-5 stories, and the retrofit and new construction of buildings incorporating Fluid Viscous Dampers ranging from 1-22 stories. He has published numerous papers on passive energy dissipation and presented the findings at various conventions in Boston, San Francisco and Milan. For over 23 years as the Founding Principal at PARADIGM Structural Engineers, Kurt spends most of his time developing new leaders at PARADIGM and mentoring staff in Chicago and San Francisco.

  PARADIGM Structural Engineers

  Founding Principal

  Moderator

  Kurt Lindorfer

  Founding Principal

  PARADIGM Structural Engineers