Michael Israel, based in Chicago, is a prominent entrepreneur and innovation leader with deep expertise in the technology and real estate sectors. Over the past decade, Michael Israel has been at the forefront of launching and scaling disruptive startups, driving

success in both software and hardware industries. His ability to innovate has made him a sought-after figure in the venture capital-backed startup community.

Currently, Michael Israel holds the position of Chief Innovation Officer at Shapack Partners, a role that underscores his leadership in Chicago’s dynamic real estate market. In addition, he runs DISRVPT VENTURES, an independent consulting firm serving top-tier

clients such as LG Group, Kiferbaum Development, Finalyze Capital, Mode Mobile, and Mark Cuban Companies. Michael Israel’s influence extends across various sectors, reinforcing his status as a key player in the Chicago innovation scene.

Kelly Sewell Nagel is the head of residentials for EDENS, a

leading national owner, developer, and steward of more

than 100 open-air retail and mixed-use places in high-

growth markets coast to coast. Prior to joining EDENS,

Kelly was the founder and managing partner of Residy, a

multifamily investment management platform, and was

responsible for acquisitions and asset management of the

venture’s investment portfolio. She has broad experience in

multifamily operations, development, and investments in

both publicly traded REITs and privately held firms and has

developed and asset managed thousands of apartment

units.

Before founding Residy, she built and oversaw the

multifamily platform and portfolio for a Philadelphia-based

real estate private equity fund manager, managing

acquisitions, dispositions, financings, redevelopment and capital expenditures, asset and property

management. She served as a regional vice president at AIMCO Apartment Homes, one of the country's

largest owners and operators of apartments, with 125 communities in 17 states, where she was responsible for

the company’s east coast investments including acquisitions, developments, redevelopments, and

construction. Ms. Nagel led development and asset management teams for over $1.5 billion of multifamily and

mixed-use projects throughout the US. She also provided direction and strategic oversight in key functional

areas of operations, marketing, long-range planning, and property management for over 5,700 apartments.

Ms. Nagel has held senior positions at AvalonBay Communities and Archstone where she led development

teams for over $600 million of multifamily and mixed-use projects. She started her commercial real estate

career at Regency Centers, a leading national retail REIT, where she was responsible for the financial

underwriting of acquisitions and developments for multiple markets. Prior to commercial real estate, Kelly was

a senior program manager for the Defense Intelligence Agency and served as a consultant with Accenture.

She has been an active member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) since 2009, recently serving as a Global

Governing Trustee and she is a past chair of the Americas Women’s Leadership Initiative. Kelly is also on the

leadership team of the Urban Development and Mixed Use (UDMUC) Bronze Product Council.

She holds an MBA from Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, and a

BS in Business Administration & Accounting from Washington & Lee University, where she sits on the advisory

board for UNC’s Leonard Wood Center for Real Estate Studies (executive committee and chair of the

nominating and governance committee), and currently chairs the board of advisors for the W&L Williams

School of Commerce. She is a Girl Scout leader and a board member of Good Shepherd Housing, a nonprofit

providing affordable housing and ancillary services in Fairfax County, VA. Kelly also serves as an adjunct

professor and executive in residence for the Steers Center for Global Real Estate at Georgetown University’s

McDonough School of Business. Kelly resides in McLean, VA, with her three children.

Lela Cirjakovic joined JLL to lead the firm’s national multi housing property management platform in America. Working with national and regional leadership, Lela will focus on building and growing client relationships across the platform.

Lela has nearly 30 years of experience in real estate asset management. Prior to JLL, Lela served as executive vice president of operations at Waterton, a vertically integrated real estate investment firm. In this role, she had direct oversight of Waterton’s Portfolio of multifamily properties and was responsible for the strategic direction of the management platform, enhancing the portfolio’s financial performance and the resident experience. Lela was a voting member of Waterton’s leadership and investment committees while managing operations, sales, marketing and technology.

Prior to joining Waterton, she spent 12 years at CAMCO, Inc., a Chicago multifamily property management company where she served as member of the Senior Executive Committee and as regional property manager overseeing the company’s Midwest operations. Previously, Lela was a regional property manager for Midland Property Management where she was responsible for 8 properties in 4 states. Ms. Cirjakovic’s career began at the Illinois Housing Development Authority where she was an asset manager.