Bisnow SoCal Power Women

Garland is a hyper-connector, inclusion & equity strategist and leadership business partner with a demonstrated history of working in a variety of environments: professional services, start up, and agency environments. She is currently a senior member of CBRE’s People Recruiting team based out of their Los Angeles office with 8 years’ experience within the commercial real estate industry and over 15 years’ experience within talent acquisition and development. She partners with market and divisional leaders to drive results in both recruitment and retention. Garland is also the creator and host of “Full Circle with Garland,” a weekly podcast where she dives into career conversations with diverse entrepreneurs, executives and thought leaders who share her interest in greater social impact, true inclusion, and sustainable wealth building. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA in American Studies and a MS in HR Development. Lastly, she’s on the board of African American Real Estate Professional Los Angeles (AAREP LA), the advisory board for Real Estate Association of Latinx professional (REAL) and on the Advisory Board for Los Angeles in addition to being an active member of the Programs and Urban Plan committees.

Kesha Fisher is a Director in Greystar’s Newport Beach office who oversees the firm’s Southern California fund of owned and JV development assets that span from Ventura to Downtown San Diego. Her current lease-up portfolio is valued in excess of $1 billion, and the development pipeline on which she is responsible for guiding Greystar’s development team is valued nearly $5 billion. Kesha operates a diverse team across all walks of life, and her leadership and vision during the COVID-19 pandemic has allowed the assets under her control to keep pace performance-wise. She is also one of a handful of leaders at Greystar that is working on a committee to address racial equality within the company, and the industry as a whole.

Erin Poulson Morris, based in the Los Angeles office, is responsible for sourcing prospective tenants for build-to-suit, lease, and land sales of Wonderful Industrial Park, as well as other Wonderful commercial parks. In this role, she is also a liaison to the brokerage community and works with both internal and external agencies to develop various marketing materials and websites to showcase Wonderful’s parks and developments. Her additional responsibilities include sourcing real estate investment opportunities and attending national conferences to increase the visibility of the Wonderful Real Estate brand. Erin has over 10 years of experience marketing both commercial real estate property and real estate private equity funds to institutional and high-net-worth investors. Prior to joining Wonderful Real Estate, Erin was Associate Vice President at CIM Group where she was responsible for investor relations and capital-raising efforts, Senior Associate Investment Sales at Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, and Associate Director of Hotel Acquisition and Development at Hardin Investment Partners. Erin has an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Business with a concentration in Real Estate Finance and Strategy, and a BA in Economics from Spelman College.

Marika Erdely is the founder and CEO of Green EconoME, a full-service Energy Consulting and Construction Company located in Santa Monica, CA. Our mission is to provide clients with optimum energy efficiency and water-saving solutions for building sustainability. Marika had been a financial professional for over thirty years. In her last position, Marika held the role of CFO/VP at New Millennium Homes, a major home builder and land developer of The Oaks of Calabasas. Marika acquired her Contractors License B (#1001368) in 2007 and C-10 in 2018. In 2009, Marika founded Green EconoME and became a LEED AP BD+C (Building Design and Construction). Marika became a Certified Energy Auditor (CEA) in 2016. Marika holds an MBA from Pepperdine University and a BA in Business Economics from UCSB. She is a frequent speaker on energy legislation and efficiency. Marika was nominated as LABJ’s Women CEO of the year in 2019.

Jaime Lee is the Chief Executive Officer of the Jamison group of companies, a privately-held, family-run real estate business, which controls over 18 million square feet of commercial office, retail, medical, and multifamily properties throughout Southern California.  Jamison has been one of the largest commercial landlords in Los Angeles for the past twenty-five years. Since 2014, it has quickly become one of the city’s most active multifamily developers as well, bringing to market 5,000 units with an additional 2,500 units currently under construction and 7,500 more in development. Earning both BA and JD degrees from the University of Southern California, the Los Angeles native currently sits on the USC Board of Trustees where she co-chairs the Alumni Affairs and University Development committee and sits on the Executive, Audit Compliance Risk & Privacy, Nominating & Governance, and Academic Affairs committees. She is also a member of the Board of Councilors for the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and an Executive Committee member of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate. A longtime university volunteer, Jaime previously served as President of the USC Alumni Association Board of Governors and President of the USC Asian Pacific Alumni Association Board of Directors. Jaime is active with her high school alma mater, where she is a member of the Harvard-Westlake Board of Trustees and a founding member of its inaugural Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council. Jaime is also involved in a number of civic and non-profit organizations at the city, state, and community levels. She has served the City of Los Angeles as an appointed commissioner under three different mayoral administrations. Appointed by Mayor Eric Garcetti, she was elected President of the Board of Harbor Commissioners for the Port of Los Angeles in April 2018, the largest container port by trade volume in the western hemisphere. She also serves on the Mayor’s International Advisory Council and as co- chair of the public-private partnership non-profit Global LA. She previously served for four years as President of the Los Angeles City Employees’ Retirement System Board of Administration, which oversees the City’s $22 billion employee pension fund, and on the boards for the Industrial Development Authority and the Quality and Productivity Commission. She currently serves the State of California as Vice Chair of the California Film Commission and previously spent seven years as a commissioner on the Speech Language Pathology, Audiology & Hearing Aid Dispensers Board. Jaime is active in the community as a board member of the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2028 where she sits on the Executive, Compensation, and Conflicts committees, the Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall, and the Korean American Foundation Advisory Board. Recognized for her professional and civic contributions, Jaime has been named one of the 500 most influential people in Los Angeles by the LA Business Journal every year since 2018. She was honored by Asia Society Southern California as their 2020 Urban Visionary, by the USC School of Architecture with their 2021 Distinguished Business Leadership Award, and in 2022 with the LA Parks Foundation’s Rose Award and a Los Angeles Times Woman of Influence Award. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their three children.

Nadine Watt is CEO of Watt Capital Partners. Nadine brings over 25 years of real estate expertise and an entrepreneurial drive to her position, where she oversees day-to-day activities and strategic planning for all commercial investment activities including acquisitions, development, and asset management for the company’s 6 million- square-foot portfolio. Previously, Nadine served as President of Watt Companies. In 2011, she led a strategic reorganization of the company that moved the firm beyond traditional property management and leasing to a focus on acquisitions and real estate development, as well as joint venture opportunities. Nadine played a key role in launching Watt Companies’ acquisition division – Watt Investment Partners – that now actively invests $60 million in a variety of property types across the Western United States. Throughout her 20-year tenure at Watt Companies, Nadine has touched all facets of the company’s operations, including the development of thousands of apartment units and numerous shopping centers. Nadine was also responsible for a widely celebrated multi-million-dollar renovation program at Watt Plaza, a 920,000 square foot, Class-A office building in Century City. The building was certified Platinum LEED and was recognized by BOMA International with an award for Outstanding Building of the Year. Nadine was recently inducted as the President of the University of Southern California Board of Governors and serves as Vice-Chair of the Lusk Center for Real Estate, as well as on the USC Associates Board of Directors. She was the first woman to be named Chair of the Los Angeles Business Council, a position she held for 7 years and is now the immediate past chair. She is a Board Member of Fisker Inc. (FSR) chairing the Compensation Committee, Visionary Women, and the City of Hope Los Angeles Real Estate & Construction Industries Council. Nadine received the Century City Citizen of the Year award in 2017 and the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2018. Nadine has also been the subject of a spotlight piece in the Los Angeles Times highlighting her career path and business success. She has also previously held Board Positions on two other publicly traded companies, The New Home Company (NWHM) and 1 st Century Bank. A graduate of Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, Nadine also holds a Master of Arts degree from the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California. Nadine currently resides in Beverly Hills with her husband Andrew Jameson and their two daughters, Keira and Reese Jameson.

Rochelle Mills leads Innovative Housing Opportunities and its Housing Innovation Fund (HIFund) affiliate. HIFund devises creative private financing to deliver catalytic and comprehensive affordable housing developments. Ms. Mills brings a diverse background in architecture, design, construction administration, community planning, writing, and cultural tourism. She is immediate past president of the Southern California Association of NonProfit Housing (SCANPH) and serves on several public and nonprofit boards (including CAL-ALHFA and Arts for LA), services committees, and leader groups.

As a real estate development leader, Ekta brings over 20 years of experience in investing and developing multifamily residential and mixed-use projects across the nation. At SoLa Impact, she heads the development department forging a new path for high quality affordable housing and workforce housing in California’s historically overlooked Black and brown communities. She is a member of the firm’s Investment Committee responsible for providing oversight for the real estate investments of the firm. Prior to SoLa Impact, Ekta spent the majority of her career in Southern California with Alliance Residential, leading ground-up new construction and value-add investments with Prudential and AIG as capital partners. Ekta has executed over $2.5 billion RE transactions with over 7,000 units in Southern California. Prior to that, she worked in the New York and Chicago regions on multi-phase, mixed-use, mixed income public-private partnerships. Ekta was honored as a leading woman in Commercial Real Estate by Bisnow, Globe Street, Los Angeles Business Journal. She is a US Green Building Council LEED Accredited Professional, Housing Committee member of HomeAid Orange County, serves on Cornell Alumni Admissions Committee, was appointed to the City of Santa Ana General Plan Advisory Group, and is a member of Bisnow DEI board. She is a graduate of Cornell University and holds an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business.

Britney Willhite's practice focuses on real estate transactions, particularly leasing and purchase and sale transactions. She assists her clients through all phases of their transactions from top to bottom. She enjoys the challenge of working with clients on developing successful and executable plans of action, no matter the size of the transaction. Her clients praise her for her understanding of their businesses and business needs, and for maintaining value for them in her work. Britney handles all types of leasing matters, including office, retail and industrial leasing, as well as ground leasing. Her day-to-day leasing work ranges from routine leasing matters for client portfolios to the leasing of large individual properties. Her vast experience in leasing gives her a broad market perspective that enables her to take unique and complicated issues and turn them into successful solutions for her clients. Britney also works with clients on the purchase and sale of real estate from both the seller and buyer sides, including vacant land, redevelopment opportunities and existing office, retail and industrial properties, on both an individual property and portfolio basis. She has a complete understanding of purchase and sale transactions and takes a hands-on approach to all aspects of these transactions, from due diligence, survey and title insurance matters to the closing of escrow. In particular, Britney specializes in complex real estate deal structures involving multi-party transactions and development matters. One of Britney’s most significant recent matters involved a ground lease for a government-owned airfield for which Britney managed an array of due diligence and leasing issues, and negotiated with local and federal governments.

Kathleen S. Briscoe is the Partner, Chief Capital Officer of Dermody Properties and has primary responsibility for all aspects of the company’s business related to its capital strategy and execution. She is a member of the Company’s Executive Committee and Investment Committee and brings with her over 30 years of experience in the institutional real estate investment management business. Prior to joining Dermody Properties in March 2018, Ms. Briscoe held senior consulting and management positions at a number of real estate investment companies, including Arixa Capital, Cordia Capital Management, LLC, Institutional Real Estate, Inc. and Crosswater Realty Advisors. Ms. Briscoe has also served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Investment Officer for real estate at Cordia Capital Management, overseeing approximately $100 million of commercial real estate investments per year throughout the Western U.S. (2013-2016), Chief Investment Officer for IDS Real Estate Group in Los Angeles (2009-2011), and Managing Director and the Head of the Los Angeles office for Buchanan Street Partners (2007-2008). From 1987 to 2007, Ms. Briscoe was a Shareholder at Lowe Enterprises, a real estate investment, asset management, and development company, where she managed the firm’s investment clients, was Key-Man on a value-add private REIT, managed several portfolios, and served on the Executive Committee and as a voting member of the Investment Committee. Ms. Briscoe received a B.A. from Dartmouth College and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Ms. Briscoe is an Independent Director for Griffin Capital, Resmark Equity Partners, LLC, and Crescent Capital SPAC. Ms. Briscoe is a council member of the Urban Land Institute, an Editorial Advisory board member for Institutional Real Estate, Inc., a member of PREA and the Capital Markets Affinity Group, and a member of AFIRE, NAIOP, and the National Association of Real Estate Investment Managers. She is also a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors.

Maki Nakamura Bara, President & Co-Founder of The Chartres Lodging Group, LLC and Chairman of the Board for affiliated management company, Sightline Hospitality, is a leading expert in investing in and repositioning urban hotels and resorts. Since the formation of Chartres Lodging in 2002, she has acquired and repositioned approximately $5 billion of lodging assets in the U.S. and Japan and completed more than $1 billion in the redevelopment of these assets. In recognition of her extensive experience in the lodging sector, particularly in acquisitions, asset management, development management and her role in the growth of the two companies, Ms. Nakamura Bara was recognized as the top "40 Under 40" by M&A Advisor, received the ''Best Executive" Stevie Award for Women in Business, was named a "Woman of Influence” in commercial real estate by Real Estate Southern California magazine, was a three-time honoree of Bisnow’s Power Women LA and recently honored as one of Hotel Management’s 2021 Influential Women in Hospitality. She is also a frequent speaker at various industry conferences. Ms. Nakamura Bara’s previous experience includes participating in the formation and growth of the lodging activities of Lend Lease Real Estate and Strategic Hotel Capital. She has also worked at Oxford Capital Partners, Inc. and PricewaterhouseCoopers in the hospitality consulting division. Ms. Nakamura Bara is a graduate of UCLA and is fluent in spoken Japanese.

Natalie Teear is Senior Vice President, Innovation, Sustainability and Social Impact of Hudson Pacific Properties (NYSE: HPP), a Los Angeles-based real estate investment trust focused on owning, operating and developing office and studio properties along the West Coast. Teear is responsible for advancing Hudson Pacific’s proptech initiatives and Better Blueprint TM corporate responsibility platform, which amplifies the company’s vision to create sustainable, healthy and equitable communities. Since Teear joined Hudson Pacific in 2019, the company has achieved numerous proptech and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) milestones, including but not limited to: rolling out a tenant app at all multi-tenant properties, achieving 100% carbon neutrality in all operations, securing Fitwel Viral Response certification, boosting LEED and ENERGY STAR certifications to 80% and 71% (respectively) of the in- service office portfolio, launching a companywide diversity, equity and inclusion program, and pledging $20M for innovative homelessness solutions across its markets. Prior to Hudson Pacific, Teear was a leader in PwC’s Sustainability Services team, where she counseled businesses on strategies for sustainable growth, which included addressing environmental and social issues related to climate change, housing insecurity and homelessness, hunger and malnutrition, water scarcity, deforestation and human rights. Prior to PwC, Teear was an environmental consultant with URS Corporation (now AECOM), focused on large water infrastructure projects in the West Coast and Pacific territories. Teear serves on the Executive Committee for the Los Angeles Sustainability Executives Roundtable and on the boards of Westside Urban Forum and Hollywood4WRD. She is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and events around the country. Teear earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from Dartmouth College and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Management from Yale University.

Tonja Boykin joined the Weingart Center in 2016 to serve as its Chief Operating Officer. Tonja has 28 years working as a high-performing nonprofit management executive with national and regional expertise in building/optimizing organizational processes, measurement systems, and infrastructure to maximize business results in philanthropy, resident programs and permanent and affordable housing development industries. She is a skilled strategist who transforms strategic plans into workable solutions and benchmarks performance against key operational targets/goals. Tonja is recognized as a national leader in community organizing, program development and strategic initiatives focused on the hardest to serve populations including families, youth, seniors, and individuals experiencing homelessness or at risk of losing their housing. Prior to joining the Weingart Center, Tonja served as the Chief Operating Officer for Skid Row Housing Trust and the Regional Director of Philanthropy for Mercy Housing California. Tonja’s career with Mercy Housing began in 2001 and she served in various regional and national capacities throughout her fourteen year career there. Her early working life began as a program liaison in Mayor Richard Riordan’s office for L.A.’s Best After-School Enrichment program. She was also a Program Director at the Weingart Urban Center YMCA and a Senior Development Associate at Netzel Associates prior to joining Mercy Housing. Tonja studied at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, Pacific Oaks in Pasadena California, and the Fashion Institute Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, California.

Janne Cordova holds over 15 years of commercial real estate and financial services experience. She is a Property Manager at RiverRock Real Estate Group, a property, asset and construction management firm who provides management and accounting services for over 28 million square feet of commercial and industrial properties. In Janne’s current role, she is involved in the portfolio management of office, medical, and industrial use asset types. Janne has held various positions in real estate, such as property manager, associate vice president in REIT investment sales, and underwriter. Her property management experience includes over 8 years of hands-on, commercial experience, working closely with various construction, asset management, acquisitions, and brokerage teams. She is versed in the operations and financials management of commercial assets, with experience in vendor management, lease administration, rent collection, annual budgets, cash flow analysis, CAM reconciliations, and the execution of monthly variance report narratives. Her client partnership experience includes private and institutional investment partners, such as UBS, Guggenheim, CIGNA, Westbrook and Walton. In aggregate, her hands-on management experience includes over 25 industrial, office, and medical properties totaling more than 3 million SF, the management of over 50 capital improvements, and the training of more than 24 portfolio staff members. A high-level of customer service and the importance of maintaining strong relationships with her clients, vendors, and team members is of extreme importance to Janne. She has an attention to detail, and consistently evaluates services and recommendations of each asset, keeping each client’s financial objectives in mind. Janne holds her California Department of Real Estate Salesperson license, and has obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business. An advocate for continuing education and the mentorship of up and coming professionals, Janne has served on several BOMA Orange County committees, including positions as chairperson and interim director of Industry Programs. She also recently served as leader of the Nominations Committee for CREW Orange County’s 2019 Spire Awards, an organization committed to furthering the career of women in real estate. In her spare time, Janne stays active, reads, and enjoys her family and friends. She also likes to give back to her community through various charities such as CASA, the Second Harvest Food Bank, and the Orangewood Foundation.

Suny Lay Chang, Chief Operating Officer of Linc Housing, has nearly 20 years of professional experience in affordable housing, community development, and strategic management. Her career has been driven by her passion for economic development and poverty alleviation, leading Suny to her work in affordable housing. Suny sees affordable housing as a powerful catalyst to build communities and neighborhoods, as well as a vehicle for economic growth for families and local economies. As COO, Suny works with the President and CEO to lead key initiatives for the organization, including strategic goals, stakeholder partnerships, and internal planning. Suny also leads Linc's housing development operations including development, project financing, and construction administration for all Linc projects. Prior to joining Linc in 2007, Suny served as Director of Development for New Economics for Women, where she oversaw the financing and construction of new projects, and negotiated joint venture development partnerships. As Management Consultant with The Boston Consulting Group, she consulted for senior managers of Fortune 100 companies across several disciplines, including strategy and operations, valuation and financial analysis, marketing, asset management, and post-merger integrations. Suny's experience in economic development also includes work in developing countries, serving at United States embassies in Uruguay and Cambodia. Suny's rigorous business background allows her to apply her technical skills to the nonprofit world and use her analytical strengths to address social and economic issues that have motivated her work since her undergraduate days. Suny obtained her MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and her bachelor's degree in economics from Harvard University, where she wrote her thesis on measuring the effects of economic growth on poverty alleviation. She revisited Harvard to complete the Achieving Excellence program, a prestigious training program for community development leaders offered by NeighborWorks® America through the Kennedy School of Government. Suny's current leadership roles include serving on the Community Board for St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach and the Western Region Advisory Committee for the Low Income Investment Fund. Suny and her husband enjoy hiking and photography, and opportunities to do both when traveling with their two children.

Janis Cannon is Senior Vice President of Upscale Brands and a member of the senior executive team for Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world’s leading lodging franchisors. In this role, she is responsible for the overall performance and growth of the company’s upscale portfolio and leads the brand strategy and positioning of Cambria Hotels and the Ascend Hotel Collection. Since joining Choice Hotels in 2016, Ms. Cannon has increased Cambria’s hotel openings and pipeline developments by more than 50 percent, driven revenue in key urban markets, and grown the Ascend Hotel Collection, recognized as the industry’s first “soft” brand, to more than 250 properties worldwide. Prior to joining Choice Hotels, Ms. Cannon spent more than 25 years in branding, sales, marketing and hotel operations. She most recently served as Vice President and Global Brand Leader of Upscale and Lifestyle Brands at IHG, where she developed and implemented brand strategy, and facilitated development projects and positioning efforts for the company’s portfolio. Previously, she held senior leadership positions as Deputy Commissioner in the Georgia Department of Economic Development, and Global SVP at Swissotel Hotels and Resorts. Ms. Cannon earned her bachelor’s degree in speech communication from Valdosta State University. She was named as Female Executive of the Year by Hotel Interactive Inc. in 2019 and recognized by Hotel Business Magazine as one of the industry’s “Top 10 to Watch” in 2018. She currently serves on the Executive Planning Committee for NYU’s International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference.

During this time of system transformation and geographical growth for Cedars Sinai, Alicia is responsible for the management and leadership of capital projects related to the health system’s expansion, the Medical Delivery Network growth, and the built platforms supporting care delivery transformation. Her responsibilities include hands on work with Real-Estate strategies that support the robust portfolio of new clinical space. Since 1995, Wachtel has dedicated her career to Healthcare Design. Prior to joining Cedars-Sinai in 2017, Alicia Wachtel was a Principal in the Los Angeles office of HOK. Wachtel’s professional career has been focused on the delivery of complex replacement projects and the multiple delivery methodologies associated with them, including hospital P3s. Alicia holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Urban Design from the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, where she transferred from the School of Architecture, Universidad del Estado, Montevideo - Uruguay.

Robin Hughes joined the Housing Partnership Network as its President and Chief Executive Officer in 2022. She brings over 35 years of experience in the affordable housing and community development sector. As HPN’s chief executive, Hughes leads a collective network of the nation’s leading affordable housing and community development nonprofits and oversees the vision, strategy, and sustainability of practitioner-driven peer exchange, policy, and innovation/R&D to spark systems change and social enterprises that solve for closing the gaps in the sector. Hughes also manages a portfolio of businesses co-designed and/or launched with network members, which currently include Housing Partnership Fund (CDFI), Housing Partnership Insurance Exchange, Framework Homeownership®, and the Charter School Financing Partnership. Prior to joining HPN, Hughes served as the President and CEO of Abode Communities for 26 years. Abode Communities is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit architect, developer, manager, and operator of service- enhanced affordable housing. Under her leadership, Hughes transformed the organization into one of the nation’s top developers and the premier provider of environmentally sustainable affordable housing in California. During Hughes’ tenure, Abode Communities developed more than 50 residential and mixed-use communities; created new affordable homes for over 12,000 California residents and provided a social safety net for its residents through Beyond Homes, the organization’s substantive resident services program. Early in her career, Hughes held positions in the private and public sectors including The Richmond Group of Companies, Citibank, the Community Development Commission of the County of Los Angeles, and the Office of the Mayor of the City of Los Angeles. Hughes received her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in public administration from the University of Southern California and certification from the executive program in Community Development at Harvard Kennedy School.

A 15-year advocate in homelessness, Veterans, and mental health services, Jennifer leads PATH’s strategic direction, business management, and person-centered efforts across California. She guides the organization’s statewide initiatives, working alongside 900 staff with a shared commitment to establish permanent solutions to homelessness that are faster and more affordable. Working with PATH’s chief executive officer, Jennifer also helps manage the organization’s assets, direct mergers and acquisitions, analyze risk for new projects and programs, and coordinate legal issues. Under Jennifer’s mission-driven leadership, PATH’s programs statewide have increased by more than 20 percent each year, increased operations from $15M to $140M, and expanded its reach from 4,000 Californians across 90 cities to 26,000 across 150. She also works with PATH’s real estate affiliate, PATH Ventures, with its housing portfolio’s rapid expansion to 2,150 units completed or in the pipeline. Jennifer is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Prior joining PATH, Jennifer worked at the Greater Los Angeles Department of Veterans Affairs, where she managed the nation’s largest program to help Veterans and their families find supportive housing. She currently serves on the Los Angeles Regional Community Veterans Engagement Board and is a partner with Social Justice Partners Los Angeles. Jennifer received a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, double majoring in psychology and anthropology. She holds a master’s degree in social work (MSW) from the University of Southern California, where she later became an adjunct lecturer for the MSW course, Policy and Practice in Social Service Organizations.

As Chief Operating Officer at NAI Capital, Ms. Stein oversees 15 offices throughout Southern California, including the Corporate Headquarters totaling over 235 brokers, managers and staff. Through leading 46 direct report team members, Ms. Stein is able to facilitate comprehensive performance in the day-to-day management within the areas of human resources, marketing, contracts, accounting, information technology, and business development. Ms. Stein executes the ability to manage existing operations while developing and identifying new opportunities for company growth. Ms. Stein has a broad and multi-functional background combined with extensive knowledge in many cross-industries. These professional skill sets are easily transferable and applicable to other industry employment opportunities in the ever changing global workforce environment. Specialties: Operations management, training, human resources, benefits administration, marketing, payroll, information technology, policy and procedure, business development, vendor relations, compliance, and corporate communications.

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.

Lynn Jochim oversees day-to-day operations for FivePoint Holdings, LLC, a leader and collaborator in the evolution of cities of the future throughout California. FivePoint’s inclusive and mixed-use communities include Great Park Neighborhoods in Irvine, FivePoint Valencia (formerly Newhall Ranch) in Los Angeles County, and FivePoint Candlestick / The San Francisco Shipyard in San Francisco. Together, these mixed-use communities will include approximately 40,000 residential homes and 23 million square feet of commercial space, while generating approximately 288,000 jobs during construction and $54 billion in activity for the California economy. Through her role, Jochim is implementing solutions to some of California’s biggest challenges -- job creation, climate change, the environment, mobility and the lack of affordable housing and housing inventory. Each FivePoint community provides equal access and opportunities for all by seamlessly integrating the most important aspects of people’s lives – homes, schools, offices, shops and retail, integrative health and wellness, arts and entertainment, sports facilities, parks and nature, and open space. Jochim has been a key member of the leadership team at FivePoint since its inception and has worked together with the team for more than 20 years. Previously, Jochim served as Regional Vice President of Lennar Homes in the San Francisco Bay Area. Prior to joining Lennar, she worked for Ernst & Young San Francisco Real Estate Consulting. In the early 1990’s, Jochim founded and was president of a minority and woman-owned business that contracted with the Resolution Trust Corporation and successfully managed and disposed of a large portfolio of commercial and hotel assets and loans. Jochim currently serves on the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate Executive Committee. She also has also served on the board of the Oakland Children's Hospital and as a president and board member of the Building Industry Association (BIA) in northern California. In addition, Jochim founded the BIA Women’s Education Council. Jochim has received numerous honors, including a Women in Business Award by the Orange County Business Journal and the International Women’s Day Award by the Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce for her contributions to her industry and community. Jochim holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from California State University, Sacramento with an emphasis in real estate, land use and finance.

Vickie is responsible for Western Region commercial property management and leasing. She is a licensed California Real Estate Salesperson and a member of Orange County Building Owners and Managers Association and NAIOP. Vickie enjoys traveling to new destinations and is an avid gardener.

Tanya Muro is Chief Operating Officer of Versity Investments, LLC. She has 20 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry and has closed more than $1.5 billion in real estate equity, beneficial interests, LLC/LP interests, land development and oil and gas transactions. Muro was directly involved in the startup of three real estate firms consisting of more than 100 syndications, including the first tenant-in-common acquisition. Her career began at the age of 20 working for Direct Capital Securities, Inc (formerly Direct Stock Market) based in Santa Monica, CA. That company would later downsize from 50+ employees to 4, retaining Muro for her quick thinking, adaptability, and eagerness to tackle any challenge. It was during this time that Muro learned all aspects of the business, from regulatory bodies and industry regulations, to finance and accounting, deal structure, due diligence and the importance of building and establishing relationships. During her 10-year tenure at Direct Capital, Muro would help grow the leading managing broker-dealer from 4 employees to 25, close more than $200 million in direct real estate equity and $160 million in oil and gas and run lead as the Director of Business Development. Muro left Direct Capital to partner with Louis Rogers to run the West Coast arm of Spectrum Realty Services, an investment firm specializing in title, escrow and 1031 exchange qualified intermediary services for real estate Sponsors, including REITs, DST’s and real estate syndications. After a short, but lucrative time there, Muro would partner with Orange County company, Nelson Brothers Professional Real Estate in 2009, and during her 10-year tenure was instrumental in helping to propel the company’s revenue and ranking them as the 4 th fastest growing real estate company by the Inc. 500. Muro has closed and managed the relationships of over 5,000 investors and has overseen the acquisition and management of over 6,000 beds of multi-family properties, including due diligence, debt and equity financing, securities regulation and compliance. As part of the company’s internal advisory board, she provides key analysis and the structuring of transactions and operations. Most recently, Muro was actively involved with the startup in all operations to launch of the company’s new property management division, Book & Ladder. The company is currently involved with the management of two portfolios in California and will be bringing additional properties under Book & Ladder’s umbrella starting in late fall. For several years, based on her experience at other firms, she has envisioned operating a property management company that would be different from others and provide an unforgettable and memorable college living experience. Muro firmly believes in providing extras in all business dealings and training her staff by keeping the 4 R’s in mind: Relationships, Responsiveness, Resourcefulness and Red-Carpet experience. These are the special touches that allow her to befriend everyone in her path. Muro worked in Aliso Viejo, CA for 8 years before deciding to move her family from El Segundo to Laguna Niguel in 2017. Married to her high school sweetheart for 15 years, she enrolled her then 6-year-old daughter, Kerington, into St. Anne School, where she remains actively involved in the school and community. Muro attends St. Timothy’s Catholic Church and spends weekends volunteering in outreach programs, including Second Harvest Food Bank.

Airport lounge for LAXSUL, 80,000 SF creative space for Team One, 120,000 sf office space for Deloitte, 100,000 sf technical and production space for DirecTV, and multiple buildings in the LinkedIn campus in Carpinteria. Her wide experience managing and building relationships with the consultants and integrators and her deep understanding of the technical and infrastructure requirements, makes her uniquely suited for managing and adding immense value to technical projects. Education and Affiliations Anu holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and is a LEED Accredited Professional.

Laure Thibodeau brings 18 years of multifamily experience to her role as Sr. Regional Property Manager of Operations for the California region with LMC. Laure has held roles across the industry with Carmel Partners, GH Palmer and UDR, giving her a diverse background that includes lease-ups, acquisitions, dispositions, renovations and repositions. Prior to joining LMC in 2016, Laure was the Regional Property Manager for UDR overseeing their portfolio in Los Angeles. Laure currently oversees a portfolio of more than 2,700 homes for LMC at various stages from pre-development to ongoing operations. Laure has been involved in 14 lease-up communities and 5 dispositions with LMC. Laure works side by side with the development team on underwriting and is involved in the pre-development planning and programming of all assets in the portfolio. She also works closely with all departments to ensure communities are achieving their goals and exceeding financial performance expectations. Laure makes a positive impact on her teams daily with strong mentorship and a dedicated attitude to always doing the right thing, the right way. She believes in leading by example by staying active in the industry and innovating her approach. Laure graduated from University of California with a master’s degree in Regulatory Sciences and a bachelor’s degree in biology.

Born and raised in Southern California, Supervisor Lisa Bartlett has been a resident of South Orange County for more than 20 years. Lisa began her career in public service when she was first elected to Dana Point City Council in 2006. This opportunity led to her serving as both Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem for the city. Supervisor Bartlett was elected to the Orange County Board of Supervisors in 2014 and was re-elected in 2018 to represent the Fabulous Fifth District. She was unanimously elected by her Board colleagues to serve as Chairwoman of the Board of Supervisors for 2019. In both her public and private life, Supervisor Bartlett is known for supporting projects she believes will improve economic development, property values, and overall quality of life. She brings that prolific vision to the Fifth District and Orange County at large, and is a strong proponent of fiscal responsibility, accountability, and greater transparency in government. In addition to her role on the Orange County Board of Supervisors, Lisa represents her constituents on 14 regional and state boards and commissions. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Orange County Transportation Authority, Orange County Fire Authority, Transportation Corridor Agency, South Coast Air Quality Management District, and numerous other boards and commissions. She is also First Vice President of the California State Association of Counties. Lisa earned her Bachelor’s degree in Finance, a Master’s degree in Business Administration, and became a Certified PMP (Project Management Professional) as well as a licensed Real Estate Broker. Her professional career spans many decades and includes holding executive management positions in a worldwide computer software company, a project management consulting firm, and several law firms. In addition to her professional career, Supervisor Bartlett has always been actively involved in philanthropic work and several non-profit organizations such as Children’s Hospital Queen of Hearts Guild Symphony, the Dana Point Historical Society, Dana Point Lighthouse Society, and the Dana Point Relay for Life.

Ms. Shultz comes to Duke Realty from Dermody Properties where she was Senior Vice President of Capital Deployment for the Southwest Region. Her responsibilities included acquisitions and management of industrial assets and development sites in Southern California. Prior to joining Dermody Properties, she served as Vice President of Capital Deployment at Prologis and AMB Property Corporation. Ms. Shultz holds an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management and a Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting from Mississippi State University and is a former CPA. She is active in the Southern California NAIOP chapter and is an organizing committee member for the annual UCLA versus USC Real Estate Challenge.

As the Managing Director, Kim Bucklew is responsible for multifamily development across Southern California, including the review, negotiation, coordination and processing of all property transactions. Her background includes acquisitions and due diligence of new development sites, as well as development management for market-rate apartments, student housing and senior living communities. Ms. Bucklew is an active member of Urban Land Institute, ULI, Young Leader Mentorship Program, Urban Development Mixed Use Council – Silver Flight, the Metro Atlanta Chamber and the Atlanta Multifamily Network in Atlanta. She received an MBA from the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Charmaine Atherton - Senior Vice President, Bank of America Merrill Lynch - Community Development Banking - With a geographic reach from Fresno to the Mexican border. Community Development Banking is dedicated to lending and investing in low and moderate-income communities with a focus on increasing the supply of affordable housing for renters and homeowners, supporting small businesses, and promoting economic development in distressed and underserved communities. Charmaine brings thirty-four years of real estate and finance experience to the task, with the last twenty years focused on affordable housing and economic development. Prior to joining Bank of America in 2002, Charmaine held such divergent roles as portfolio manager for a national syndication firm, asset manager for a regional developer, commercial mortgage banker for a regional business bank, community development lending officer for both a regional and a national bank, director of finance for a national tax credit syndication firm’s development arm, and housing director for a local non-profit development corporation. Charmaine is a past chair of the loan committee of the California Community Reinvestment Corporation, and Past President of the Board of the Los Angeles Conservancy. She currently serves on the Board of EngAGE (formerly More Than Shelter for Seniors), the Executive Committee of the Central City Association and the Advisory Council of the Urban Land Institute’s Los Angeles District Council, where she chairs their Women’s Leadership Initiative.

Heather Turner is the CEO and co-founder of Tamarack Capital Partners, a privately held real estate investment firm that focuses on value-add hotel and resort investments. Prior to founding Tamarack, Ms. Turner was a partner at DiNapoli Capital Partners. Earlier in her career she worked with Maritz Wolff, Broadreach Capital Partners, The Walt Disney Company and the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She is an active member of the AHLA Hotel Investment Roundtable and a past Chair of the Hotel Asset Managers Association. Heather received her BS from Florida State University and her MBA from the Harvard Business School.

Ada Arevalo is the Founder and Managing Partner of iimpact capital, a private equity real estate advisory and investment firm focused on diverse and emerging managers with impact and sustainable investment strategies. Prior to founding iimpact, Mrs. Arevalo was the Chief Impact Officer at Alliant Strategic Investments, a national private equity firm focused on the preservation & impact of affordable housing. In this capacity, Ms. Arevalo lead the firm’s capital raising and investor relation strategies while also being responsible for the development, implementation and measurement of the sustainability and social impact programs across the portfolio. As a member of the investment committee, Ms. Arevalo brought over 15 years of real estate investment experience and unique perspective and passion for ESG and D&I to the investment thesis. Prior to joining Alliant Strategic Investments, Ms. Arevalo was part of the founding team at Avanath Capital Management. Serving over 8 years in several capacities, Mrs. Arevalo most recently served as VP of Fund Management, in that role she was the co-head of capital raising, head of investor relations and Chair of the impact investing committee. Ms. Arevalo also focused her efforts on creating a national and global presence for the firm by participating in multiple industry conferences as both a speaker, moderator and general delegate. Ms. Arevalo also serves as Chair of REĀL, Real Estate Association of Latinx Professionals, an organization focused on the advancement of Latinx executives, professionals and future leaders in the commercial real estate industry.

As EVP of Property Management, Kayce Hawk manages operations, strategic planning, impact initiatives, and business development of Rising’s property management assignments and teams. Kayce was an integral part of Rising’s reposition and sale of Rising's signature project PacMutual. Her expertise in project management combined with a prior career in accounting lent itself well to streamlining the multiple repositioning projects that took place at PacMutual. Prior to joining Rising Realty Partners in 2014, Kayce managed 4.6 million sq. ft. of Class A industrial buildings for institutional owners in Seattle. In 2011, Kayce completed her Certified Property Manager (CPM) designation through IREM. Kayce also earned a bachelor’s in communication from Seattle Pacific University. Outside of the office, Kayce's passion has been horsemanship since the age of five. It's an art she plans to craft for the rest of her life. From 2008 to 2013 she worked as a part time riding instructor for children on the weekends. Since her move to Los Angeles, Kayce purchased a young horse and spends her weekends at the barn riding through Vasquez Rocks. She also enjoys hiking, camping, eating and cooking great food, and kickboxing.

Jeannie Vu is Chief Financial Officer of JRK Property Holdings. Prior to joining JRK, Jeannie was Senior Vice President at Colony Capital. At Colony, she held various roles in acquisitions, originations, and corporate finance. Previously, Jeannie was an Associate in the Financial Institutions Investment Banking Group at FBR Capital Markets and a Senior Associate in the assurance practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Jeannie received a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Marshall Business School, University of Southern California.

Robin Potts is the Co-Head of Real Estate Investments and Director of Acquisitions for Canyon Partners Real Estate LLC. Ms. Potts has been with Canyon for 11 years and is responsible for overseeing the origination and acquisitions of debt and equity investments across Canyon’s real estate platforms and holds a seat on all real estate investment committees. During her tenure at Canyon, Ms. Potts has facilitated the acquisition, financing and development of over $5 billion of commercial real estate transactions across all asset classes including multifamily, condominiums, office, retail, hospitality, industrial, student housing and mixed-use. Ms. Potts previously worked in the Financial Institutions Group of Credit Suisse in Los Angeles and focused on equity, debt, and M&A transactions in the mortgage real estate investment trust sector. Ms. Potts is a graduate of Harvard University, and received a B.A. degree in Economics.

Ms. Lawshe joined the company in 2002 and is responsible for providing leadership to the acquisition and development team. She has extensive experience with the use of low-income housing tax credits, multi-layered financing structures and HUD project-based rental programs, as well as conventional financing. While at GHC, Ms. Lawshe has been responsible for the acquisition and financing of approximately 15,000 units exceeding $750 million dollars in value. Ms. Lawshe has more than 20 years of experience in real estate development and finance. Prior to joining GHC, Ms. Lawshe served as the chief executive officer of A Community of Friends (ACOF), a Los Angeles-based nonprofit development organization. Under her leadership, ACOF produced approximately 800 units in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties, and raised more than $100 million in capital from private and public sources. Ms. Lawshe obtained an MBA, with a concentration in real estate finance, at the Anderson School at UCLA and a bachelor of science in industrial management/industrial engineering from Purdue University.

Named in the 2019 Building Design + Construction Magazine's class of the top 40 Under 40 professionals for their transformative leadership in the AEC profession, Stacey serves as the Southwest Regional Design Resilience leader and Director of Sustainable Design in the Newport Beach office. Stacey specializes in integrated sustainable design and strategic thinking for all practice areas, including: hospitality, retail, sports, campuses, higher education, corporate headquarters + offices, net zero energy projects, and master planning. Her holistic approach includes facilitating eco-visioning sessions, managing third party certification; materials and health + wellbeing research, and development of both internal and external educational content. She is a LEED Fellow, certified interior designer, and professionally accredited in EcoDistricts and Fitwel third party certification programs. She is the go-to resource for eco charretting for health and wellbeing, environmental stewardship integration, and third party certification program knowledge, including: LEED, Fitwel, WELL, EcoDistricts, Living Building Challenge, and others. Stacey sits on the Advisory Committee to the Center for Active Design for Fitwel credit content management. Additional extra-curricular involvement includes serving as the Education Chair for NEWH, where she manages sustainable content for major US Hospitality tradeshows and conferences. Examples of recent project work include a confidential State University project pursuit of the Living Building Challenge certification with the goal of being Net Positive Energy and LEEDv4 Platinum; the Westfield Century City outdoor shopping mall (LEED Gold), Century Plaza Hotel (LEED for Neighborhood & Development), the Banc of California LAFC stadium (LEED BD&C Gold), Hugo Boss Boston (LEEDv4 ID&C Gold), and multiple CBRE locations including the Masonic Temple, to name a few.

Patty serves as JPI’s Executive Vice President and Regional Managing Partner of the Western Region. She will serve as a pillar of our people-first culture with a focus on innovative problem solving, departmental collaboration, and professional development for her region. Patty also is responsible for all components of the region’s operations including site acquisition, development, design management, construction, capital markets, portfolio management, and disposition. She serves as a member of JPI’s executive leadership team and investment committee. Patty brings more than twenty years of leadership experience in real estate development and management having previously held positions with The Resmark Companies, SunCal Companies, and Fremont Investment & Loan. Outside of the office, Patty serves her community as an Executive Mentor and is on the Real Estate Advisory Board at the University of California, Irvine Paul Merage School of Business. She earned a Bachelor of Arts Magna Cum Laude from the University of California, Irvine.

Teresa Zien is a Managing Director at Invesco Real Estate (IRE) and is responsible for overseeing the capital markets activities for the Invesco Real Estate Structured Investments group. Prior to joining IRE in 2017, Ms. Zien spent two years as the chief operating officer of Colony Mortgage Capital, LLC, with responsibility for overseeing the company's day-to-day operations. Prior to joining Colony, Ms. Zien spent three years as a director in the asset finance – commercial real estate group of Credit Suisse, where she oversaw all US commercial mortgage backed securities (CMBS) securitizations and commercial real estate warehouse facilities. Prior to joining Credit Suisse, Ms. Zien was a director at Citigroup in the CMBS and real estate finance group, where she managed CMBS issuance in her 10-year tenure. Ms. Zien earned a BS degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Laura Archuleta strongly believes, “a complete community includes housing choices for all families." Since 1999, Laura has focused Jamboree Housing Corporation on the relentless pursuit of quality housing that people can afford. She’s guided Jamboree from a small, Irvine, CA-based nonprofit developer of affordable and workforce housing with 750 homes into a leading statewide provider of more than 7,500 homes in more than 75 communities. While she’s proud of Jamboree’s expanding portfolio, it’s the faces behind these numbers that matter to her most. In 2001, her desire to go beyond housing and provide needed services for residents, and her vision for healthy communities, motivated Jamboree to start an in-house Resident Services Group – one of the industry’s first – that fosters learning, healthy living and community building for residents. These crucial services empower Jamboree residents to excel in school, cultivate strong friendships and develop more active lifestyles. Laura remains passionate about the award-winning quality of Jamboree housing and services in neighborhoods throughout California. A gifted visionary and an exceptional innovator, she simultaneously creates a spirit of collaboration among her staff and external partners, while relaying her inspiring sense of mission and maximizing the talents and skills of those around her. She has a dynamic directoral style that keeps Jamboree on the cutting-edge of the industry. And, people have taken notice: In 2014, Laura was named “Person of the Year” by the Southern California BIA 55+ Housing Council for her commitment to providing innovative housing for seniors. She serves on a number of industry boards. Laura’s personal commitment to affordable housing spans more than 25 years. Her own family experience drew her initially to the nonprofit housing sector. Her mother was born and lived in public housing growing up – instilling in Laura a strong sense of community and compassion. Prior to joining Jamboree, she held several public sector positions, and her advocacy has led to the production and/or preservation of more than 10,000 high quality homes for low-income families and seniors. What does she love about her job? “I believe we have a tremendous impact on so many people’s lives and the way we go about doing that continues to change.”

Lee Raagas, Chief Executive Officer of Skid Row Housing Trust, understands that hard work does not guarantee housing or healthcare. From her low-income community roots comes the passion to work on behalf of individuals and families that continue to struggle, and the inspiration for her professional and personal goals. Lee has developed significant expertise in securing financial and organizational stability for corporations as well. The Trust’s Board of Directors recognized that this combination of attributes makes Lee the right leader for the nonprofit’s next chapter. Lee applies her 20 years of experience in the housing / mortgage industry and financial services sectors to build an operationally sound foundation for the Trust’s future. She continues to push innovative and transferable solutions from other sectors to upgrade policies, procedures, and programs at the Trust, expanding the organization’s framework for long-term sustainability and growth. Lee constantly asks, “What else can we do for our mission?”, and partners with Trust staff to overcome obstacles and promote the success, health, and wellness of residents. Lee has a B.S. in Organizational Psychology from San Diego State University and was a mentor for master’s program students at the Shidler School of Business at University of Hawaii. She is a Gallup Strengths Coach and is Six Sigma certified.

Morgan is an experienced real estate attorney with an eye for deal-making. Morgan's analytical approach and ability to adapt allows her to make deals come together in a way that best serves her clients’ business interests. Based in the firm’s Orange County office, Morgan’s transactional real estate practice focuses on acquisitions, dispositions, and leasing of industrial, retail, mixed-use, office, and master-planned residential communities across the United States. In addition, Morgan represents clients on challenging, environmentally impacted projects.