Women Transforming Commercial Real Estate Panel Discussion

• 

  Brooke Birtcher Gustafon

  Brooke Birtcher Gustafson is the fifth-generation co-owner and president of Birtcher Development LLC, a leading U.S. industrial development company inspired by her great-great-grandfather in 1939. She began working for the family firm in 2007. Birtcher Gustafson is experienced in development, entitlement, sourcing acquisitions, financial underwriting and structuring, leasing, property and asset management, marketing and market research. She holds an MBA from the University of California, Irvine. At present, Birtcher Gustafson serves as an executive committee member of the NAIOP SoCal Board of Directors. In 2017, she was a California region recipient of the Next Generation Award, which recognizes young leaders in the commercial real estate industry who are likely to become influential for years to come.

  Birtcher Development

  President

  panelist

  Brooke Birtcher Gustafon

  President

  Birtcher Development

• 

  Yunia Lubega

  I am an experienced Talent Acquisition Leader with 20+ years of recruiting experience in both agency and in-house environments. I have worked across a variety of verticals and have filled every level role from intern to C-level. I focus on Career Coaching that provides individuals with the guidance they need to be set up for success in their career searches, and long-term professional growth strategies once landing their roles. I am currently a Senior Director of Sales Recruiting I Head of Diversity Equity and Inclusion at Marcus & Millichap, I base my work in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition based on the ideals of positive psychology and helping individuals reach their career goals and living as much of their professional lives in a state of flow as possible. I believe an organization is only as healthy as the people who work there, and I aspire to optimize organizations by providing then with exceptional talent. Additionally, I have experience in employee relations, employee satisfaction, HR strategy, HR Metrics, ATS selection and implementation, diversity and inclusion strategy, management coaching, policy, change management, DEI, and organizational development. I am a board member of CREW – Los Angeles as President 2024. I am a dynamic and results-driven Talent Acquisition Leader with over 20 years of comprehensive experience in recruiting. I have a proven track record in developing and executing strategic talent acquisition plans that substantially increase company revenues and experienced professionals. Expert in leading high-performing sales recruiting teams, cultivating long-term relationships, and identifying market opportunities to accelerate expansion and profitability. Adept at leveraging in-depth knowledge of recruitment processes and labor market trends to deliver tailored solutions to diverse clients. Exceptional negotiation, communication, leadership, employee relations, employee satisfaction, HR strategy, HR Metrics, ATS selection and implementation, diversity and inclusion strategy, management coaching, policy, change management, and organizational development skills combined with a strong commitment to customer service excellence.

  CREW Los Angeles (+ Head of DEI at Marcus & Millichap)

  President

  panelist

  Yunia Lubega

  President

  CREW Los Angeles (+ Head of DEI at Marcus & Millichap)

• 

  Allison Lynch

  In January 2024, Allison Lynch joined Primestor as Chief Operating Officer, bringing a wealth of experience in real estate and business management. As COO, she is responsible for overseeing talent management and has direct oversight of Asset Management, Leasing, and Marketing. Her role focuses on driving operational efficiency, cultivating top talent, and aligning business strategies with market demands to ensure Primestor's continued success and growth. Before joining Primestor, Allison served as the President of Watt Properties, where she managed a diverse portfolio of commercial and multi-family real estate assets. Her strategic vision and leadership were instrumental in the company's expansion and success, earning her recognition as one of the top executives in the industry. Allison's expertise in finance, strategy, and management was pivotal in setting and achieving the organization’s long-term goals. Throughout her career, Allison has held senior leadership roles at several prominent real estate firms. Her deep knowledge in financial analysis, asset management, and real estate market trends has established her as a respected leader in the industry. Allison is renowned for her innovative approach, strategic mindset, and unwavering dedication to achieving results. Her dynamic leadership style and commitment to excellence position her to lead any organization to new heights. Currently, she serves as a Board Member for the SR Watt Company, a family- owned and female-led real estate firm. The company’s portfolio includes neighborhood shopping centers, office buildings, apartment communities, and industrial business parks. From 2021 to 2023, Allison was the Chair of the Urban Land Institute of Los Angeles, where she demonstrated exceptional leadership and a deep understanding of market complexities and member needs. Beyond her professional achievements, Allison is a committed philanthropist, supporting various charitable organizations and causes. She holds a Bachelor's degree from Mount St. Mary’s University and is frequently invited to speak at industry events, sharing her insights as a recognized expert in the field. Allison Lynch is a visionary leader, passionate about driving growth and creating value for stakeholders. She is dedicated to fostering positive change in her community and is continuously exploring innovative strategies to achieve outstanding results.

  Primestor Development

  COO

  panelist

  Allison Lynch

  COO

  Primestor Development

• 

  Carly Stevenson

  Ms. Stevenson is currently EVP of Property Management for Avanath Capital Management. Carly is a 21-year veteran property management professional. Prior to joining Avanath, she was the President, Property Management at Mandel Group, based in Milwaukee, responsible for the profitability and operations of their multi-state property management platform. Carly also held multiple management positions at AMLI and Waterton Residential where she gained valuable experience in several markets by enhancing the value of various asset types and classes, from Class – A (to C), Garden to High Rise, Mixed-Use, Affordable, and Commercial real estate. What makes her most unique is her grass roots career where she began as a Leasing Consultant and has grown to now become a strategic leader within Avanath. As a result of her success, she has been the personal recipient of multiple Chicagoland Apartment Marketing & Management Excellence awards, 2019’s Bisnow Power Women in Chicago Real Estate and Connect Media’s 2020 Women in Real Estate – Midwest recipient. Carly was elected and served on the Board of Directors for the Chicagoland Apartment Association.

  Avanath Capital Management

  EVP, Property Management

  Panelist

  Carly Stevenson

  EVP, Property Management

  Avanath Capital Management

• panelist

  Mitra Esfandiari

  Partner

  RDC

• 

  Emily Feder

  Emily Feder’s background and significant experience in community development gives her a comprehensive perspective on real estate law. Seeing her work have positive and tangible impacts on communities motivates Emily, and allows her to support, promote and nurture her clients' overall business goals. Emily’s practice focuses on all types of real estate transactions, from acquisition and disposition to leasing, and finance. By monitoring and researching real estate trends, emerging industries, and new approaches and areas of law, Emily is able to provide thorough and efficient counsel to her clients. Prior to joining Allen Matkins, Emily was a vice president in the community development banking group at a leading national bank, where she sourced, structured, and led origination and closing of new markets tax credit transactions for the Western United States. She also previously practiced in tax credit finance and syndication in Washington, D.C., and California. Emily began her professional career as a teacher, and currently serves on the Associates Board for Teach for America, a non-profit organization working to combat education inequality. In addition, Emily is a member of the Junior Committee for the Phase One Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Phase I and Phase II clinical cancer research, innovative education and treatment programs, and funding leaders in the scientific and medical community.

  Allen Matkins

  Real Estate & Finance Attorney

  Moderator

  Emily Feder

  Real Estate & Finance Attorney

  Allen Matkins

Additional Power Women Honorees

• 

  Heather Alonso

  Principal

  ZGF Architects

• 

  Angela Aman

  Angela M. Aman has served as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Board of Directors since January 2024. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Aman served as President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer at Brixmor Property Group from September 2023 to January 2024 and as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer from May 2016 until her promotion in September 2023. Prior to joining Brixmor, Ms. Aman held Chief Financial Officer roles at Starwood Retail Partners from 2015 to 2016 and Retail Properties of America, Inc. from 2011 to 2015. From 2005 to 2011, she was a member of the RREEF real estate securities team, serving as an investment analyst and later as a Portfolio Manager and from 2001 to 2005, she was a member of real estate investment banking group at Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc. Ms. Aman is a member of Nareit, Zell/Lurie Real Estate Center at The Wharton School, UCLA Anderson Board of Advisors and serves on the Board of Trustees of Equity Residential, where she is Chair of the Audit Committee. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

  Kilroy Realty

  CEO

  Angela Aman

  CEO

  Kilroy Realty

• 

  Amber Anderson

  Growth-focused COO with extensive experience leading organizational change, driving residential innovation, and maximizing investor returns. Executive leadership and operating experience in private equity, publicly traded and venture capital-backed enterprises across all stages of growth and value creation. Global expertise overseeing and supporting the execution of institutional real estate across the United States, Europe, Latin America and China. Experience in fundraising, executing M&A strategies to accelerate growth and managing investor relations. Well-developed skills overseeing enterprise level teams, including functional groups supporting finance, HR, training, marketing, technology and centralized off-shore support. Flexible, innovative, curious leader with a proven ability to scale businesses and build high performing organizations, resulting in double digit revenue and earnings growth. Decade long track record of success collaborating with global, multicultural teams and creative thought leaders on market disruptive initiatives. Skilled in prop tech and AI innovation, passionate about transformative change. Life long learner.

  Tripalink

  COO

  Amber Anderson

  COO

  Tripalink

• 

  Anita Artukovich

  Principal

  Lee & Associates

• 

  Marcella Ayala

  Marcella Ayala is a seasoned business development executive with 20 years of experience across the public and private sectors in the built environment. Her career spans a broad spectrum of roles, from financial analysis of real estate projects to driving economic development initiatives under Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa, and leading business development in the construction sector. Marcella has partnered with a wide array of clients, including civic agencies, municipalities, academic institutions, developers, and life sciences firms. As the National Director of Life Sciences at Swinerton, she is at the forefront of shaping and implementing the company’s growth strategy in life sciences construction. Outside her professional life, she is passionate about adventure travel and loves hiking big mountains. Marcella holds an MBA from Cornell University and a BA in International Business from San Diego State University.

  Swinerton

  National Director of Life Sciences

  Marcella Ayala

  National Director of Life Sciences

  Swinerton

• 

  Holly Benson

  Holly Benson is responsible for the executive oversight and integration of Abode Communities’ multidisciplinary work and impact. A 25-year veteran in the affordable housing industry, Benson’s depth of experience is underscored by her contribution to the development and executive operations of Abode Communities’ housing portfolio, which includes nearly $700 million of economic investment throughout California. Benson is particularly versed in advancing affordable and supportive housing policy, identifying and addressing organization-wide capital needs, fostering the organization’s strategic vision, and working in collaboration with Abode Communities’ board of directors and staff to maximize the impact of the organization’s work. She currently serves as Chair, Land Use & Finance Committee for Housing California, is a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco’s Affordable Housing Advisory Council, and is past president of the Southern California Association for Nonprofit Housing. Benson’s expertise in the field has been featured on the Tavis Smiley Show, KNX Broadcasting, and KPCC Public Radio in Los Angeles, and she has been a guest lecturer at both University of Southern California and University of California, Los Angeles. She earned her bachelor’s degree in communication studies from University of California, Los Angeles.

  Abode Communities

  CEO

  Holly Benson

  CEO

  Abode Communities

• 

  Alicia Bramble

  Co-Founder

  SoCal Premier Property Management

• 

  Hayley Breen Fisher

  VP

  SteelWave

• 

  Alice Carr

  CEO

  April Housing

• 

  Sarah Carr

  As vice president, Sarah Carr is focused on building strong relationships with clients and industry partners in the Southern California education market. Sarah brings more than two decades of field and operations experience to her role, having held a variety of positions including vice president operations, project manager, assistant project manager, senior project engineer and project engineer. Over the course of her career, she has played a key role in more than $1 billion in work in Southern California, including the $615 million Hollywood & Highland Entertainment Retail Complex and $238 million Huntington Beach Union High School District modernization and expansion. Committed to helping other women in the construction industry develop and succeed, Sarah was co-founder of Women in Construction Operations (WiOPS) in 2013 and currently sits on the organization’s board of directors. She also serves on the national committee for the McCarthy Partnership for Women employee resource group. A Designated Design-Build Professional and LEED AP BD+C with the U.S. Green Building Council, Sarah is a board member for the Associated General Contractors of California and is also active with the Coalition for Adequate School Housing and the Design-Build Institute of America.

  McCarthy Building Companies

  Vice President Project Executive

  Sarah Carr

  Vice President Project Executive

  McCarthy Building Companies

• 

  Ellen Castillo

  Ellen Castillo’s practice focuses on providing strategic real property development advice, land use diligence, planning analysis, and entitlement processing across all sectors of development. She offers extensive knowledge of local and regional planning and zoning regulations in jurisdictions throughout California, with a particular emphasis on Southern California, and is adept in state government code land use regulations, specializing in the California Subdivision Map Act and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). She has also been a LEED Accredited Professional since 2008. Ellen’s broad range of land use experience includes assisting public and private sector clients with assessment of and solutions for a variety of urban planning problems including siting, due diligence investigation and project analysis, examining historical property records and title exceptions, coordinating and managing project teams, and expediting land use and permit applications. For nearly the past two decades, Ellen has been working cooperatively with public agency officials to obtain development project approvals, and regularly presents projects at public hearings before agencies, boards, commissions, and legislative bodies. Finally, Ellen donates her time and experience to several pro-bono projects each year and is the immediate past co-president, and continues to be an active Board Member, for the Westside Urban Forum.

  Akerman LLP

  Senior Land Use Planner & Development Consultant

  Ellen Castillo

  Senior Land Use Planner & Development Consultant

  Akerman LLP

• 

  Jessica Chu

  General Counsel

  Alpert & Alpert

• 

  Kristen Croxton

  Kristen formed Arcus Harbor with her partners to provide clients with the best financing solutions available in the market. She has almost three decades’ experience originating and managing acquisitions and refinancings across all commercial real estate asset classes nationwide with particular emphasis on multifamily. Along with her partners, she has originated more than $20 billion in multifamily loans since 2005. Prior to forming Arcus Harbor, Kristen was a senior vice president at Capital One Multifamily and its predecessor company, Beech Street Capital. With her partner, Greg Reed, she expanded the company’s presence in the western United States by opening its Newport Beach, California, office. Before that, she was a vice president of originations and a Freddie Mac product manager and senior underwriter for Deutsche Bank Berkshire Mortgage (DBBM). During her career, Kristen has originated Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, CMBS, life company, bridge, debt fund and balance sheet executions and worked with a broad range of loan structures, including fixed and floating-rate debt, tax-exempt bonds, construction loans, rehab and lease-up structures, and credit facilities. An active member of the commercial real estate community, Kristen has held numerous leadership positions with the Orange County chapter of Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) and currently sits on its advisory board. In addition, she wahas been the co-chair of the CREW Network’s Multifamily Council for the past three years and has previously served on the Fannie Mae Originator Subcommittee and on the Freddie Mac Advisory Committee. She is also a member of the Audit Committee of Innovative Housing Opportunities, a nonprofit that provides high-quality affordable and low- to moderate- income housing and services. Kristen holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance from James Madison University.

  Arcus Harbor Real Estate Capital

  Principal

  Kristen Croxton

  Principal

  Arcus Harbor Real Estate Capital

• 

  Diane De Felice

  Diane offers her clients—developers, investors, cities and other private sector clients—land use and environmental law counsel, as well as proven litigation skills. With a deep understanding of public agency administrative processes, she streamlines complex environmental issues entwined with land use and planning matters so clients’ projects are able to break ground. Diane possesses industry-leading experience with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Subdivision Map Act as well as the Coastal Act. Large, complex and fast-moving matters with tight timelines are her passion. Clients seek out Diane for her strategic approach that balances development economics and legal issues to expedite projects and quell opposition. Whether consulting with public entities to help get a project built or defending one when challenged in court, she gets results. Her ongoing role as lead counsel for Cadiz Valley Conservation, Recovery and Storage Project, where she was responsible for obtaining and successfully defending six lawsuit challenges to the project’s entitlements, is a testament to her ability to deliver successful outcomes in long-ranging high profile infrastructure development work. Diane’s commitment to excellence extends into the community. She provides pro bono land use counsel to Wolf Connection and also acts as a pro bono liaison for the firm’s California offices.

  Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

  Shareholder

  Diane De Felice

  Shareholder

  Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

• 

  Elizabeth Dryden

  Elizabeth Dryden is a Partner in the Real Estate Department of Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP. Elizabeth’s practice covers a broad range of real estate transactions, including acquisitions and dispositions, leasing, financings, and joint venture and syndication formations. Her practice experience includes extensive representation of institutional and noninstitutional lenders, property owners and developers, private equity investors and high-net worth individuals across all asset classes. With a strong background in finance, Elizabeth specializes in structuring and negotiating real estate finance transactions, including first mortgage loans, mezzanine and other subordinate loans, preferred equity and joint venture structures, syndicated credit facilities, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae loans, bridge loans and construction loans. Prior to joining Ervin Cohen & Jessup, Elizabeth worked at the Am Law 100 firms Paul Hastings LLP and Morrison & Foerster LLP. Elizabeth holds a Juris Doctorate from New York University School of Law and Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Philosophy from Columbia University. She is also the Co-Chair of the Beverly Hills Bar Association Real Estate Section.

  Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP

  Partner

  Elizabeth Dryden

  Partner

  Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP

• 

  Alexandra Edell Widick

  Director

  Kennedy Wilson

• 

  Maria Estrada-Niño

  Maria Estrada-Niño was promoted to Vice President of Development – Design and Construction in February 2023. In this newly created role, she works across all BRIDGE regions to ensure a high level of quality in accordance with BRIDGE development standards and industry best practices. She first joined BRIDGE in 2022 as Director of Project Management, where her initial responsibilities included overseeing construction for four developments as well as providing guidance on numerous other new construction projects in Southern California. Ms. Estrada-Niño has a background in architectural and civil engineering and comes to BRIDGE with more than 20 years of experience in commercial real estate development, construction management and project coordination. Most recently, she spent five years as a Senior Project Manager for Seritage Growth Properties, where she oversaw tenant improvement build-out activities for tenants in 42 cities across the US, and managed city planning submittals, entitlements, planning review, conditional-use permits and construction activities from bidding to turn-key on a range of projects. Prior to joining Seritage, Ms. Estrada-Niño served for five years as an Operations Manager and Tenant Coordination Manager for a subsidiary of Capri Capital Partners, and also held positions with Westfield and Trammel Crow Company.

  BRIDGE Housing

  VP, Development, Design & Construction

  Maria Estrada-Niño

  VP, Development, Design & Construction

  BRIDGE Housing

• 

  Mindi Faris

  Associate Director

  MGAC

• 

  Sherri Francois

  As Chief Impact Officer, Sherri steers SoLa Impact’s social impact strategy, operations and development. Sherri leads the execution of SoLa Impact’s strategies to improve the lives of SoLa residents and the community at large. In 2018, Sherri established SoLa’s non-profit affiliate, The SoLa I CAN Foundation where she serves as the Executive Director and President of the Board. Sherri is the founder of the SoLa Tech and Entrepreneurship Center powered by Riot Games, developed to spur the next generation of technology leaders and entrepreneurs from South Los Angeles.

  SoLa Impact

  Chief Impact Officer

  Sherri Francois

  Chief Impact Officer

  SoLa Impact

• 

  Elizabeth Gamsin

  Principal

  Agile Capital

• 

  Sheenika Gandhi

  CMO

  Greenberg Glusker LLP

• 

  Jennifer Halvas

  Jennifer Halvas oversees firm operations and is responsible for identifying best practices and implementing policies and procedures across all departments. Jennifer also manages the legal aspects of project-related matters, including acquisition, development, management and disposition. She was previously at O’Melveny & Myers LLP, where she represented a variety of clients in real estate, project development and finance transactions. Jennifer holds a B.A. with honors from the University of Southern California and a JD from Vanderbilt Law School.

  Cityview

  Managing Director, Investor Relations

  Jennifer Halvas

  Managing Director, Investor Relations

  Cityview

• 

  Vicky Hammond

  Managing Principal

  Coreland Companies

• 

  Heidi Henderson

  Heidi is the Executive Vice President of Engineered Tax Services (ETS) and operates the Ogden, Utah office. ETS is headquartered in West Palm Beach, FL and has 16 offices Nationally. ETS is a licensed Engineering firm focused on specialty tax services relating to federal tax incentives and strategies for Real Estate owners. Heidi is a Real Estate Professional with over 25 years of tax and accounting experience in the Real Estate Finance, Development, Construction, and Commercial Property Areas. She is a consultant to business owners and investors to ensure tax efficiency, and optimization of federal, state and local incentives throughout the US. Her experience includes industry specific federal lobbying efforts in D.C., technical guidance on varying tax topics, and overseeing the marketing and sales efforts nationally. Her projects range from small office buildings, restaurants, self-storage and rental homes to multi-million-dollar projects including the W Hotel in Manhattan, the Sea-Tac Marriott. She has published numerous articles in AccountingToday among other CPA and Real Estate publications, and has spoken to audiences ranging from AIA, USGBC, Energy Symposiums, Tech Symposiums, AICPA, varying International CPA Associations, and AccountingToday’s national conference, qualifying for Continuing Professional and Legal Education. Topics range between energy efficient options for Real Estate owners, depreciation, tax methodologies, and over tax efficiency. Heidi holds a Master’s of Science in Accounting, an Undergraduate degree in Business and Accounting and personally invests in Real Estate in her home state of Utah where she resides with her husband, three children, and a multitude of furry friends.

  Engineered Tax Services

  EVP

  Remarks

  Heidi Henderson

  EVP

  Engineered Tax Services

• 

  Cheri Hoffman

  Cheri has been part of the Chelsea development team since 1994 and has participated in the development of over 125 affordable apartment communities, involving over $2 billion in financing. She is an authority in financial modeling incorporating tax credits and tax-exempt bonds, and has extensive experience securing multiple forms of local, state, federal and private funding sources. She leads the finance team and is involved throughout the development process, from early feasibility analysis to lease up and stabilization. Cheri received her degree in Accounting from California State University in Fullerton and continued her education with finance studies at California Polytechnic University in Pomona.

  Chelsea Investment Corporation

  President

  Cheri Hoffman

  President

  Chelsea Investment Corporation

• 

  Sonnet Hui

  Sonnet currently serves as Vice President and General Manager for Project Management Advisors, Inc. (PMA), a national real estate advisory firm specializing in Development Management, Project Management, Investor Representation and Program Management services. She has spent the bulk of her 30-plus year career as an architect, developer, business strategist and planner working for both national and international firms. As general manager, Sonnet oversees projects across multiple sectors, including high-rise and multifamily residential, entertainment, healthcare, educational, and commercial. Prior to joining PMA, Sonnet was Vice President, Design and Construction at NBC Universal, where she was responsible for developing and leading design, construction and related capital planning services for NBCUniversal and DreamWork’s West Coast Studio Operations. In this role, she managed the planning and execution of construction projects at the iconic 400 + acre Universal Lot in Studio City. She was honored in 2016 and 2017 by Bisnow as one of “Los Angeles’ Power Women.” In the past year, Sonnet has been recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal as part of their Women’s Leadership Series, the 2020 class of Thriving in Their 40s, and as a Women of Influence in Construction and Design. Sonnet Hui is a Trustee of the Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU).

  Project Management Advisors

  GM and VP

  Sonnet Hui

  GM and VP

  Project Management Advisors

• 

  Mary Jreisat

  Senior project manager Mary Jreisat has forged a reputation for completing the most complex and important sports venue and hotel renovations in the most condensed timelines. This is no small feat and is made all the more impressive as she paves the way for herself—and the women behind her—in the construction industry, a field that’s just over 10% women. With 11 years of experience in the industry, Mary manages all the business aspects of preconstruction and construction, from budgeting and contracts to scheduling, logistics, and implementation. She joined Shawmut nine years ago as part of its Construction Skills Management Training program, rotating through the three main areas of construction—estimating, project management, and superintending—to develop a strong foundational knowledge of all the facets of a project. Her career accelerated from there, quickly being promoted not once but twice. Mary has built some of the most impressive projects in Southern California, from adaptive reuse hotel renovations including The Hoxton in DTLA to stadiums and ballpark renovations at Petco Park. A testament to her success as a leader and mentor, Mary’s direct reports are women in both project management and field supervision. It's no coincidence that Mary’s projects have consisted of teams that are 50% women. Outside of Shawmut, Mary dedicates her time mentoring and volunteering for ACE Mentor Program and The Posse Foundation. Selected as one of 20 high-potential employees out of the entire 900-person company, Mary is a sponsee as part of Shawmut’s sponsorship relationships. Recognized as a top performer and rising leader, Mary graduated Shawmut’s Leadership Development Program. Mary was named a Los Angeles Business Journal Mentor of the Year finalist in the 2023 Women’s Leadership Awards and a 2022 Woman of Influence: Construction, Architecture & Engineering. Mary has her Designated Design-Build Professional (DBIA) certification and is 30-hour OSHA certified. Mary graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a B.S. in Civil Engineering.

  Shawmut Design & Construction

  Senior Project Manager

  Mary Jreisat

  Senior Project Manager

  Shawmut Design & Construction

• 

  Laura Keirstead

  As the Senior Vice President of Development, Laura leads a team of project managers executing CEI's Santa Monica portfolio. Laura has over 15 years of housing construction and development expertise with over 6 years in the Southern California market. Before joining CEI, she executed development projects at CIM Group in Los Angeles, overseeing entitlement, design, and construction. Laura also brings valuable experience in high-rise residential development, which was her focus in Canada prior to relocating to Southern California.

  Cypress Equity Investments

  SVP Development

  Laura Keirstead

  SVP Development

  Cypress Equity Investments

• 

  Tish Kelly

  As Senior Vice President of Housing Development, Tish Kelly oversees Jamboree’s housing development – staffing, structure, and processes – and ensures implementation of business and strategic plan goals. She is instrumental in cultivating and managing key internal and external partnerships. Tish rejoined Jamboree as Vice President, having previously served as Senior Director of Finance, where she notably oversaw the development of our award-winning Compass Rose community in Fullerton. Most importantly, she helped to lay a foundation for Jamboree’s existing housing development team, including hiring, training, and mentoring many of our current Project Managers. In her role as Senior Vice President, she oversees the entire housing development team and helps to implement business and strategic goals as part of the Executive Management Team. Throughout her distinguished career, Tish has worked in nearly every aspect of the real estate business – market-rate and affordable, development and finance, for-profits and nonprofits – bringing a depth of experience in land acquisition, entitlement, funding sources, and financial structures. Most recently, she served as the Senior Director of Development for Excelerate Housing Group, managing all facets of the development process of affordable housing. Before that, she held positions with Alliant Capital, a national real estate finance and investment firm, and real estate developers Meta Housing Corporation and MacFarlane Costa Housing Partners. Tish believes a key part of her success is a strong commitment to the mission of our work and a focus on the end-result – housing more residents. Tish returned to Jamboree not only because she supports the company’s community-enriching mission, but also because she believes that work needs to balance with her family values. She appreciates that “Jamboree is a place that values the person as much as it values the employee.” Outside work, Tish spends most of her time with her family. She loves to bike, ski, and travel with her husband, and she enjoys family camping trips, hikes, and weekend barbecues with the kids and Miso, the family’s rescue dog. Tish received a bachelor’s degree in English and criminal justice at the University of Indiana, Bloomington, and holds a master’s degree in real estate development from the University of Southern California.

  Jamboree Housing Corporation

  Senior Vice President, Housing Development

  Tish Kelly

  Senior Vice President, Housing Development

  Jamboree Housing Corporation

• 

  Julie Kilpatrick

  Julie Kilpatrick is a Senior Managing Director for CBRE’s Project Management Advisory team for the West Region, overseeing operations and teams in Southern California, Arizona and Hawaii. Ms. Kilpatrick brings over 25 years of expertise to CBRE, with experience in leading, managing and delivering complex real estate projects. Her expertise encompasses a diverse range of specialties, including leading acquisitions, valuations, appraisals, entitlements, zoning changes, space lease and ground lease negotiations, design management, construction management and administration, budgeting/financing, asset management, and capital program & portfolio facilities management for both large global Fortune 500 companies all the way down to start-up’s and privately held growing companies across a diverse sector of asset classes including ground up, redevelopment, major infrastructure, office, life science/research, labs, academic buildings, retail, hospitality, industrial, performance venues, medical office buildings including OSPHD/HCAI, and multi-family. Prior to joining CBRE, Ms. Kilpatrick served as the Director of Real Estate, Acquisitions & Public-Private Partnerships (P3) for the University of California San Diego. In this role, she was responsible for managing over $5 billion in P3 development over a 10 year capital plan including overseeing the University's new investment portfolio of off-campus properties totaling 600,000SF and collaborating closely with prominent UC San Diego institutions such as the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, the Natural Reserves System and UC San Diego Health. Ms. Kilpatrick led large-scale real estate projects that played a vital role in UC San Diego Health's ambitious $4 billion redevelopment of the Hillcrest Campus and the UC San Diego Blue Line Trolley. Her contributions significantly improved access to faculty, visitors students and quality patient care for residents throughout the region. Ms. Kilpatrick began her career, and spent nearly two decades, at JLL’s Project Development Services group and was a Senior Vice President leading the Southwest Region, based in San Diego. Ms. Kilpatrick was named a Top Performer at JLL every year since 2003, excelling at client service and operational excellence. She received the company's coveted DaVinci Award—the highest honor awarded to professionals in Project and Development Services—for being instrumental in the development and execution of a single currency procurement program for the firm's multi-national global clients located across 5 continents.

  CBRE / Turner & Townsend

  Senior Managing Director

  Julie Kilpatrick

  Senior Managing Director

  CBRE / Turner & Townsend

• 

  Jenna Knudsen

  Managing Principal

  CO Architects

• 

  Deborah La Franchi

  Deborah La Franchi is the founder and CEO of SDS Capital Group. SDS is a national leader in impact investing with $1.48 billion of active assets under management in six different fund and product strategies. Ms. La Franchi founded SDS with the express vision of engaging the private sector in the battle against poverty. Each impact fund on SDS’s platform serves a different geography and employs a unique investment strategy, but they all generate positive impacts for low-income communities and people. Each fund – depending on the focus of the specific fund – either targets a risk-adjusted rate-of-return or provides capital at a below-market cost. Ms. La Franchi’s core role is to ensure each fund is supported by a team with the key expertise needed to execute the specific investment strategy. Ms. La Franchi leads the structuring of each fund’s investment strategy, spearheads fundraising, oversees the senior managers of each fund and division, and participates on each fund’s investment committee. Outside of her work with SDS, Ms. La Franchi is the founder and board chair of Sustainable Communities Fund, which provides capital for small and micro loans to low-income and diverse entrepreneurs. Ms. La Franchi also is on the UCLA Ziman Affordable Housing Advisory Council (AHAC). Before founding SDS, she served as Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan’s Assistant Deputy Mayor for Economic Development; she then went on to serve as the first CEO of Genesis LA, which launched the Genesis Family of Funds. She is a former director for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater L.A. and Secretary and Director of the National New Market Tax Credit Coalition. Ms. La Franchi earned a BA in Political Science and History from UCLA, an MBA from UCLA, and an MPP from Georgetown University. She also holds a Series 65 license

  SDS Capital Group

  CEO

  Deborah La Franchi

  CEO

  SDS Capital Group

• 

  Gabrielle Lardiere

  VP, Client Services

  Vestar

• 

  Dreama Lee

  President

  ABI Investments

• 

  Catherine McCullough

  President

  McCullough Landscape Architecture

• 

  Laura Metzger

  Laura Metzger joined TPG Angelo Gordon’s real estate group in 2020 and is based in Los Angeles. She is responsible for the TPG AG Real Estate activities in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. Prior to joining TPG Angelo Gordon, Laura was at J.P. Morgan Asset Management where she focused on real estate acquisitions in various markets and regions, most recently in the Pacific Northwest. Laura is a member of Urban Land Institute and participates in the Urban Development Mixed-Use Council. She received a B.S. in Finance from the University of Connecticut.

  Angelo Gordon

  Managing Director US Real Estate

  Laura Metzger

  Managing Director US Real Estate

  Angelo Gordon

• 

  Eddy Nevarez

  Eddy Nevarez brings over 20 years of expertise in real estate, beginning her career as an investor alongside her father and progressing to collaborate with top developers and investors in the industry. Eddy's portfolio spans multifamily, retail, development, and hospitality, where she has established herself as a trusted, results-driven broker. Her enthusiasm for real estate is matched by her unwavering dedication to her clients, whom she treats as partners, always going above and beyond to meet their needs and exceed expectations. Eddy’s accomplishments have earned her prestigious recognition, including being named among the Most Influential Women in Hospitality by Hotel Management and a Woman of Influence by Globe St. In 2021, Eddy became the first and only female in Marcus & Millichap’s history to achieve the Chairman’s Circle of Excellence Award—a reflection of her exceptional performance and client loyalty. Frequently invited to speak on panels and serve as a moderator at key industry conferences, Eddy is passionate about sharing her insights and contributing to the industry’s growth. A single and only parent, Eddy’s dedication to her work is rooted in her drive to build a bright future for her son, Daniel, who inspires her every day to reach new heights. This blend of professional excellence, client dedication, and personal resilience makes Eddy a standout leader and role model in the hospitality brokerage industry.

  Marcus & Millichap

  First VP, Investments

  Eddy Nevarez

  First VP, Investments

  Marcus & Millichap

• 

  Carrie Nikols

  Carrie is CEO of The Nikols Company, which is Manager of Nikols Mortgage Fund, LLC, a private commercial real estate construction & bridge lender providing $5-40 million loans on California properties. She directly leads all loan originations and structuring, and oversees closings, loan servicing and loan payoffs. She has led Nikols Mortgage Fund since 2008, closing over $1.3 billion of loan commitments. Carrie’s commercial real estate experience, which spans more than four decades, ranges from institutional permanent lending and large balance bridge loans to smaller bank and private money construction and tailored transactions. As the top producing Region Manager for DaimlerChrysler Capital Services, Carrie originated and was responsible for a portfolio of $10 to $75 million highly leveraged commercial property bridge loans, all handled as agreed with no defaults. She has also pioneered various loan structures and product types including mezzanine loans, tax-exempt bond letter of credit enhancements with taxable tails, assisted living facilities, self-storage facilities and single-tenant biotech properties. Carrie has also written approximately 50 income property and residential subdivision appraisals as a state certified appraiser and MAI candidate. She holds a California Real Estate Sales license and graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration-Real Estate Finance.

  Nikols Mortgage Fund, LLC

  CEO

  Carrie Nikols

  CEO

  Nikols Mortgage Fund, LLC

• 

  Dana Pesce

  Senior Director, Global Head of Real Estate

  Netflix

• 

  Regina Richardson

  Ms. Richardson joined EJF in 2006 and is a member of the Executive Committee and EJF's Risk Committee. Ms. Richardson serves as President of the firm and Senior Portfolio Manager of funds within the debt opportunities strategy. Ms. Richardson joined EJF as a trader focusing primarily on fixed income and derivative trading. She was later named Head of Trading, overseeing fixed income, equity, and other asset classes. Prior to joining EJF, she spent 15 years at FBR, most recently serving in the Alternative Asset Investment group. Previously, Ms. Richardson was a Vice President in FBR’s institutional sales group covering high yield accounts and an analyst in the Financial Institutions Investment Banking group. Ms. Richardson holds a BS in Finance from West Virginia University.

  EJF Capital

  President

  Regina Richardson

  President

  EJF Capital

• 

  Jennifer Ries

  Planning Principal

  HGA Architects & Engineers

• 

  Sejal Sonani

  Sejal Sonani, AIA is a Principal and Managing Director at HLW, a leading architecture and design firm. Since joining HLW in 2012, Sejal has been instrumental in transforming the firm’s Los Angeles studio into a holistic practice with a strengthened focus on architecture. In the last five years alone, Sejal has overseen more than 1.5 million square feet of office projects in the area, while championing the firm’s adaptive reuse, repositioning, master planning, and ground-up construction expertise along the west coast from Silicon Beach to Silicon Valley. Currently, her team is designing over 500,000 square feet of transit-oriented redevelopment along LA’s Expo Line, aimed at creating vibrant, walkable, and prosperous communities anchored by sustainable mobility. The studio's active work builds on a nearly 30-year legacy of pioneering economic growth through transformative design. In recent years since, the team has continuously evolved to help reshape the city’s built environment, including reimagining the former Macy’s store at Westside Pavilion as a creative office campus, redeveloping abandoned industrial parks into urban institutions, and renovating the city's first historic-designated skyscraper, Union Bank Plaza.

  HLW

  Principal, Managing Director LA

  Sejal Sonani

  Principal, Managing Director LA

  HLW

• 

  Barbara Wagner

  EVP

  Clark Construction

• 

  Jaclyn Ward

  Jaclyn Ward co-leads JLL Los Angeles’ agency leasing practice and splits her time between the firm’s West Los Angeles and Downtown offices. She joined JLL in 2011 immediately following graduation from USC. Jaclyn provides investors and occupiers with customized creative office strategies and an attention to detail that enables a more holistic and thoughtful approach to leasing through tailored prospective tenant messaging and outreach, marketing, relationships and technology. Jaclyn’s range of experience includes landlord, tenant, local market and sale advisory roles, with a primary focus on agency representation on the Westside and LA’s emerging creative office submarkets. She is well-versed in representing both institutional and private clients in a broad range of complex transactions.

  JLL

  Managing Director

  Jaclyn Ward

  Managing Director

  JLL

• 

  Kimberlina Whettam

  Kimberlina Whettam, Founder and Principal of Kimberlina Whettam & Associates (KW&A), has an excellent track record managing real estate developments from conceptualization through completion. Specializing in due diligence research and project analysis, management of the entitlement, public hearing, and development permit and expediting process, Kimberlina leverages her strong governmental and industry relationships to facilitate project approvals in a timely and cost-effective manner. She draws on her public service background to bring more resources to bear as she coordinates and negotiates with community-based organizations, elected officials, and government agencies to help move development projects through the regulatory process. KW&A provides comprehensive development consulting and overall permit expediting services in the City of Los Angeles, the 88 incorporated cities in Los Angeles County, and unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. These projects range from residential, including single family dwellings, condominiums, townhomes, market rate multi-family and affordable housing to large scale commercial projects, including office, high-rise, adaptive re-use, hotel and hospitality, mixed-use, retail, sports and entertainment, studios, educational and religious to public infrastructure, including municipal improvement projects. KW&A is currently managing the approvals for 6,000 new residential units, both market rate and affordable units; managing the approval process for several LAX projects including the Automated People Mover, Delta Terminals 1 & 2 and the Consolidated Rent-a-Car Facility (CONRAC); millions of SF of mixed-use projects throughout the greater Los Angeles area and some of the most exclusive homes in the city. Prior to entering the private sector, Kimberlina was Chief Planning & Environmental Deputy for Los Angeles City Councilmember Jack Weiss. In a district which included Los Angeles’ Westside and parts of the San Fernando Valley, Kimberlina managed publicly funded capital improvement projects and conducted community outreach on both public and private development projects throughout the district. While with Councilmember Weiss, Kimberlina created the Los Angeles Department of Building & Safety’s Green Building Incentive Program, and she negotiated and secured local community support for the Van Nuys Airport Masterplan, allowing for the modernization of the world’s busiest general aviation airport. Kimberlina is a graduate of the University of Arizona and a proud returned Peace Corps Volunteer, Paraguay 1998-2000. Outside of work, she is a lover of the outdoors, and an advocate for community health and well-being. She is a founding member of the non-profit La Charla, serves on the board of the Burbank Community YMCA, is the Chair of the Burbank YMCA Facilities Committee, served as the California State Commissioner Vice Chair for the Off Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission 2019-2023, and was a Co-Chair of the Los Angeles 50/50Women on Boards Committee for 3 years.

  Kimberlina Whettam & Associates

  Principal

  Kimberlina Whettam

  Principal

  Kimberlina Whettam & Associates

• 

  Elizabeth Willes

  Partner

  Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP

• 

  Leah Woogen

  SVP, Asset Management

  Carmel Partners