George Forristall is Vice President, Market Leader, of Real Estate Development at Mortenson, where he leads development opportunities across Arizona, Nevada and the Carolina’s.  His expertise lies with bringing complex projects from concept to completion. With nearly 30 years at Mortenson, George has built a career creating innovative development solutions that align financing, design, construction, and operational goals to deliver long-term value for owners and communities.
 
Among his recent work, George has helped advance higher education initiatives, including the University of Arizona's new The Catalina residence hall, a 1,300-bed on-campus community being delivered through a public-private partnership with Collegiate Housing Foundation. Drawing on extensive experience in development strategy, financing, and stakeholder partnerships, he brings valuable insight into how universities can address growing housing demand while supporting student success and long-term campus growth. Known for his collaborative approach, he builds alignment among public and private stakeholders to advance complex projects from vision to reality.

Tom S. Chung is recognized for his creation of a nourishing public realm by pioneering sustainable Mass Timber Architecture, celebrating material and craft, and sharing his knowledge with current and future generation of architects.

Tom is a national leader with over 20 years with Leers Weinzapfel Associates. He has been a primary designer for a number of the firm’s most prominent projects, including John W. Olver Design Building at UMass Amherst, Adohi Hall at the University of Arkansas, and Center for Engineering, Innovation and Sciences at Wentworth Institute of Technology. He has extensive experience in the practice and education of Mass Timber Design. He has worked closely with researchers, structural engineers and fabricators to gain mastery over this new technology. As a Korean born, naturalized American who was raised to value education and its opportunities for success, Tom is deeply committed to giving back through teaching and service. Within the office, he is a mentor and advisor to the next generation of young designers.

Tom Chung joins the fellow principals Andrea Leers, FAIA, Jane Weinzapfel, FAIA, and Josiah Stevenson, FAIA.

Dafna Kaplan is the founder and CEO of Cassette, a uniquely collaborative multi-family modular housing supplier & subcontractor delivering best-in-class modular systems with well-planned project integration and implementation services. Kaplan’s industry expertise and executive leadership spans A/E/C, consumer tech, non‐profit, and entertainment industries. In 2018, Kaplan’s study and analysis of the prefab/modular construction market sparked the 2019 founding of Cassette.

Kaplan currently serves on the boards of the AIA | Los Angeles and the Western Museums Association. She has also served on the ULI Executive, Communications and Urban Marketplace Committees, the A+D Museum board, and the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) accessories board. Kaplan has an MBA, Summa Cum Laude from the UCLA Anderson School of Business, and a BA in Human Services from the University of Oregon.

Having trained and practiced architecture in the UK, Steven has a wealth of experience in building

design, delivery, and construction. As project architect for several large projects, he has been

responsible for leading projects from conceptual design through to delivery on site.

Since moving to Canada, Steven has worked primarily on bespoke design projects for a range of

clients. His passion within architecture is the delivery of excellent work. Translating concepts into

designs, design into construction drawings, and finally delivering the building on site is a long

process and it is his belief that during this time, focus should never waver. Throughout each project,

Steven pushes himself and his team to ensure that the building continues to develop and improve,

so that the final product inspires and enhances the experience of the end user.