Inaugural National Conference on Real Estate Development

Farah Ahmed focuses her practice on real estate and real estate finance transactions. She has a broad range of local, national and cross-border experience representing investors, operators, lenders, and developers in the acquisition, disposition, development and financing of various classes of commercial real estate, including office, hospitality, retail, health care, industrial, multifamily, and mixed use properties. Farah’s real estate capital markets experience includes representation of real estate private equity funds, investment managers, institutional investors, and REITs in the capitalization and financing of real estate through debt or equity at all levels in the capital stack. She regularly handles joint ventures and preferred equity investments, the origination of permanent, bridge or construction mortgage and mezzanine loans, the purchase and sale of loans, and the negotiation of intercreditor, participation, and co-lender relationships.

As President and CEO, Toby Bozzuto provides strategic and day-to-day leadership for more than 3,400 employees across the country and guides future growth of Bozzuto’s homebuilding, multifamily development, construction and management divisions. Bozzuto manages 105,000 apartments and 3.5 million square feet of retail space across the U.S. The company has been nationally recognized as a Great Place to Work and named a Top Workplace by The Washington Post for nine consecutive years and a Top Company for Executive Women by Seramount for four consecutive years. In July 2024, Toby was named Chair of Colgate University’s Board of Trustees, becoming the youngest person to serve in that position. An active contributor to his community, Toby serves as an executive committee member of the Policy Advisory Board for the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University and a member of the Board of Visitors for the Shock Trauma Center at The University of Maryland Medical Center and M&T Bank’s Directors Advisory Council. He previously served as a member of the Board of Trustees for The Gilman School and Kennedy Krieger Institute, on the National Advisory Board for ULI’s Terwilliger Center for Housing, as a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization and as a gubernatorial appointee to the Maryland Health and Higher Education Facilities Authority. A regular guest lecturer at Harvard Business School, Harvard Business School Executive Education program, Harvard University Graduate School of Design, NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate, Georgetown University, Cornell University, the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University, Toby strives to share his insight and passion for creating community. Toby has been featured in leading media outlets such as CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Bloomberg, The Washington Post, the Washington Business Journal, Huffington Post and the MIT Sloan Management Review. Maintaining a culture of kindness in the workplace is essential to Toby's vision for the company. He proudly joined the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge as well as Catalyst CEO Champions for Change, committing himself to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion throughout all levels of the workplace. In recognition of these efforts, he received the Champion of Immigration Award from the Washington English Center. Most recently, Toby was named to Washington Business Journal's Power 100 list and The Daily Record’s Power 100 List for the third year in a row. In 2022, he received the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington’s Martin K. Alloy Excellence Award. He was recognized as one of Washington D.C.'s 25 Most Powerful Real Estate Players in 2020 by the Commercial Observer, named a 2019 Commercial Real Estate Influencer by The Business Journals and was ranked in the Baltimore Business Journal’s Power 10. His many recognitions also include Developer of the Year by the District of Columbia Building Industry and Maryland Building Industry Association, Commercial Property Executive Rising Leader and the William Donald Schaefer Industrialist of the Year Award from the Baltimore Museum of Industry, which he accepted alongside his father, Tom Bozzuto, in 2016. Toby is happily married and the proud father of three beautiful children. He is an avid musician, a rare book collector and enjoys cooking for his family.

Colleen is President and Chief Operating Officer at Taconic. She also leads Taconic’s Development and Construction practice. As President and COO, Colleen oversees corporate matters across the firm. As Head of Development and Construction she manages all aspects of development including strategic planning, zoning and entitlements, predevelopment, project budgeting, design management, construction oversight, procurement, risk management and insurance, community relations, branding, and marketing through sale or lease-up. Since joining Taconic in 2000, Colleen has planned and overseen both ground-up and restoration projects in the commercial, residential and mixed-use sectors, totaling over 7 million square feet of commercial space and 1,500 units of housing. In addition, Colleen leads Taconic’s development advisory business, which focuses on key partnerships for client-led development and construction projects. Colleen received a Bachelor of Arts degree magna cum laude in psychology from Boston College, and earned a Master of Science degree in real estate development and finance from NYU’s Schack Institute of Real Estate. Colleen is an active member of ULI’s Program Steering Committee, NYPEN, Professional Women in Construction, and sits on the Fordham Real Estate Executive Advisory Council.

Miki Naftali is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Naftali Group, established in 2011. With over 25 years of experience in the international real estate industry, Mr. Naftali has a track record of acquiring, developing and managing properties with a total of $9 billion in assets, across North America, Asia, Europe and Israel. Mr. Naftali has developed a vast portfolio of 18 luxury condominium buildings in New York City with a total of 1,333 residential units- among other projects including luxury rental buildings and mixed-use properties. Mr. Naftali is noted for spotting unique opportunities and launching projects that raise the bar for creative development in the domestic and international real estate industries. From an array of ground-up new development to meticulously preserving and restoring landmark buildings, Mr. Naftali’s success in development creates unparalleled demand and value. His most notable project in New York has been the $450 million restoration and reconfiguration of the iconic Plaza Hotel, preserving its beauty and history while transforming it into a successful mixed- use development, containing a five-star hotel, private residences, and celebrated shops with a world-renowned gourmet food hall. Prior to establishing Naftali Group, Mr. Naftali was the President and CEO of Elad Group and its subsidiaries, overseeing all operations in New York, Florida, Canada and Singapore. He was instrumental in launching Elad Canada’s IPO, and served as the chairman after it became public. He established and was the President and CEO of Elad Properties, the development arm of Elad Group, which acquired The Plaza Hotel among other notable properties. Miki Naftali was recognized for his development, marketing and financial activities- ranked No. 18 on the list of the Top 100 Most Powerful People in New York Real Estate by the New York Observer. Mr. Naftali is the former Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors of DGRE, a European real estate investment firm with an impressive portfolio of holdings. Mr. Naftali is an active keynote speaker and accomplished guest lecturer. He has addressed a Private Society at Yale University, the YJP Real Estate Investment Summit, Friends of the IDF and audiences of University of Sothern California and Columbia Business School.

Simon Ziff serves as president of Ackman-Ziff, a position he assumed in 1995. Since joining the firm as an Analyst in 1989, Simon has overseen the arrangement of 100+ billion of debt, mezzanine, and equity financings for some of the nation’s foremost real estate developers and owners while simultaneously solidifying the firm’s relationships with key capital sources. He engineered the firm’s unique, collaborative culture and directed AZ’s evolution as an industry thought leader with over 50 professionals.   Simon received a B.S. in Finance from The Pennsylvania State University and an M.S. in Real Estate Finance from NYU. He has been recognized on multiple occasions by Penn State and NYU, as well as being awarded REBNY’s first “Most Promising Commercial Salesperson” award, the “Most Ingenious Deal of the Year” award six times and winning the prestigious Louis Smadbeck award.   Simon has also been active in many leadership roles for universities and not-for-profit organizations. Simon has also been involved in teaching at University of Miami and NYU on families in Real Estate.   Most recently, Simon has been lecturing at many undergraduate and graduate programs including a course on Family Real Estate Business Management at NYU Schack.

Jordan Bargas is a Executive Vice President of Development at Related Ross. Since joining Related in 2015, Jordan has served in various corporate roles and has also led several development projects across multiple geographies and asset classes, including his involvement in Hudson Yards—the largest private real estate development in US history. Jordan is responsible for all aspects of the development life cycle, from deal sourcing, design, zoning, capital financing and asset management. Initially born in Palm Beach County, Jordan relocated to South Florida in 2022 after spending ten years working in New York City’s real estate investment market. Prior to Related, he worked at Eastdil Secured on their investment sales team. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a Bachelors of Business Administration and is a board member for the Friends of the Underline.

Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos is the co-founder, President, and COO of Flag Luxury Group, a real estate development firm focused on luxury hotels, boutique hotels, and retail. Dayssi oversees all aspects of the firm’s initiatives, including site selection, finance, acquisitions, branding, management contracts, design, programming, zoning, construction, and asset management. Her renowned portfolio includes the 250-key Ritz-Carlton New York (named a “Best Hotel in New York” by Condé Nast Traveler), ICON Park (named among the “Best Things To Do in Orlando” by US News) and The Ritz-Carlton Residences, South Beach – a collection of “beach houses in the sky” setting a new standard of Miami luxury. Before joining Flag Luxury, Dayssi worked as a commercial real estate financial analyst and broker in New York. She earned a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, where she has served on the Board and as a guest lecturer in its 45th Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series. Dayssi is a valued member of the President's Council of Cornell Women and the Trustee Council of the University. She holds a Master’s in Real Estate Development and Finance from NYU. Dayssi is also the co-founder of Women’s Power Series, a nonprofit empowering women entrepreneurs through accessible networking events. She is the founder of The Friends of New Yorkers for Children, which supports children in foster care through education, mentoring, and career initiatives. She serves on the board of Save Venice, the largest private nonprofit dedicated to preserving the art and architecture of Venice. Dayssi has been honored with multiple industry accolades, including CRE Women in Real Estate, the Casita Maria Medal of Honor, and the Maryhaven Philanthropist of the Year, and has been inducted into Hospitality Design’s Platinum Circle for their lifetime achievement award. Website: flagluxury.com

As President and Co-Founder of Terra, David Martin’s ambition has been to evolve the South Florida landscape and enrich the lives of the people within it. He has spent the past 15+ years recognizing opportunities to invigorate Miami's spirit by creating truly original and exceptional spaces in unexpected places thus redefining the way people live, beyond the norm. David's vision has led the company operations, sales, and marketing as well as investment and development projects. David leads some of Miami’s most impactful real estate developments, with an emphasis on neighborhoods like Coconut Grove, Miami Beach, Doral and Weston. Examples are the Bjarke Ingels-designed Grove at Grand Bay and the Rem Koolhaas/OMA-designed Park Grove, two new luxury condos that are helping revitalize Coconut Grove. Glass, a 10-unit condo designed by Rene Gonzalez, was recently completed in Miami Beach's SoFi district. Eighty Seven Park, Terra’s newest project just up the coast in North Beach, will be a 70-unit beachfront condo designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano. Terra is also developing the Modern and Neovita communities in Doral, as well as Botaniko in Weston, a master- planned community designed by Chad Oppenheim and Roney Mateu. With a unique interest in education, the arts and health foundations, David is actively involved in South Florida’s civic and business communities. He and his wife support several organizations with philanthropic contributions, including Miami Children's Health Foundation, Vizcaya Museums and Gardens, and the Wolfsonian FIU. He’s also an advisory board member for the UM School of Architecture Real Estate Development + Urbanism program and a member of the Latin Builders Association. David and his family are also responsible for the donation of the Freedom Tower to Miami Dade College in 2008. David is a graduate of the University of Florida with a master in business administration.

Martin Nussbaum is the co-founder and principal at Slate Property Group. He has over twenty years of experience buying, developing and operating real estate across the United States. He currently oversees the strategic visionary behind the business platform, investment decisions and overall operations of the company. With a focus on multifamily and mixed-use properties, Martin leads strategic repositioning, ground-up development and conversion projects. Under Martin’s leadership, Slate has remained an active lender in the New York metropolitan real estate market with over $1 billion in loans closed and $300 million in the pipeline. Many of these deals came through Slate’s active lending affiliate called SCALE Lending, a direct lender providing first mortgage financing secured by commercial real estate assets with a focus on senior transitional loans. SCALE leverages off the Slate platform to guide investment decisions and assess the valuation of collateral, including land acquisition, construction, new development, re-development, inventory and assets with a lease-up or reposition component. It has more than $2 billion spread across 4.2 million square feet in ongoing developments. Prior to co-founding Slate Property Group, Martin served as the co-founder and managing partner of Silverstone Property Group, a full-service real estate owner and operator in New York. While overseeing Silverstone, he purchased more than $1 billion in real estate assets. Earlier in his career, Martin worked for a family office based in New Jersey overseeing a portfolio of over 5,000 apartments and three million square feet of commercial property throughout the tri-state area. He started his career in real estate investment banking working at Wells Hill Partners. Martin received a Bachelor of Science degree from the State University of New York Albany.