Future of Harlem Summit

As a lifelong resident of the 70th Assembly District, Inez E. Dickens is a tireless fighter for basic civil and human rights, social justice, wage equity, inclusion and diversity. She is committed to improving the quality of life of everyone in her community. Moreover, for over 30 years, beginning as a student activist at the sides of her father and mentor, the late Harlem businessman and New York State Assemblyman Lloyd E. Dickens, and her uncle, the late Assemblyman and state Supreme Court Justice Thomas K. Dickens, Inez has taken an active role in economic development, supporting small businesses with a focus on minority- and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs) and strengthening New York’s celebrated village of Harlem. MWBEs remain Inez’s main focus for political and economic empowerment for minorities. Inez was first elected to office in 1990 as a state committeewoman and district leader and eventually rose through the ranks. Inez became the council member for the 9th New York City Council District in 2006, serving the communities of Central Harlem, Morningside Heights, East Harlem and parts of the Upper West Side. As a newly elected council member, Inez hit the ground running after she was appointed to the leadership positions of majority whip and chair of the Committee on Standards and Ethics. She broke another glass ceiling by becoming the first African-American woman in the history of the New York City Council to be appointed to the higher leadership position of deputy majority leader and chair of the Subcommittee on Planning, Dispositions and Concessions. During her tenure in office, Inez brought millions of dollars in services and resources to her community and to economically distressed communities throughout the city of New York. She has fought to make our great city a welcoming place for all, assisting in building futures of promise for her constituents and all New Yorkers. Inez is a product of the New York City public school system. She studied real estate and land economics at New York University and later completed her studies at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

Nicole joined BDG’s development team in August of 2012 and is engaged in all aspects of the development process. Nicole creates financial models in connection with potential and ongoing development projects, working with lenders and investors. Nicole oversees the marketing and sales / leasing strategies with respect to BDG’s new residential developments and coordinates the development of BDG’s affordable housing program. She is responsible for the leasing of several of BDG’s largest retail assets including East River Plaza, Gotham Plaza and The Crossings at Southern. Prior to joining BDG, Nicole worked in public finance, providing investment, debt, derivative and tax advisory services to cities, states and local governments. Nicole holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and a Masters of Business Administration in Real Estate Finance from Columbia Business School.

Since joining L+M in 2005, Tell has directly overseen the development of over $1.4 billion of mixed-use and residential development, including over 1,300 residential units and over 150,000 square feet of retail space. He currently manages the team focusing on market-rate development. With primary responsibility across the practice areas of finance, design, constructability and legal review, he has overseen all stages of development, from acquisitions through predevelopment, construction and leasing and sales, in townhouse, mid- and high-rise construction, across all income bands. His specialty areas include market-rate and for-sale product, complex environmental cleanup efforts, and layering multiple financing sources and tax abatements. Tell is a two-time winner of the “Big Apple Brownfield Award” for environmental remediation, a recipient of a Multifamily Executive Award for mid-rise development. He sits on the Board of the Greenpoint Manufacturing Design Center. Tell has a MA in city planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a BA in history and a BA in Psychology from Brown University.

Eric Brody is an accomplished builder and developer in New York City with nearly two decades of experience in the mid-market multifamily sector. The son of an architect, Eric has developed approximately 800 units across NYC, totaling nearly $1 billion worth of real estate. Noticing the inefficiencies of the construction and development process, Eric launched ANAX Real Estate Partners, a privately-held, New York City-based construction and development company, as well as ANAX Ventures, an early-stage proptech investment fund focused on identifying and testing solutions that impact the urban landscape. Through ANAX, Eric invests in nascent technologies and then implements them in his own developments, forging the path for the transformation of the real estate and construction industry. Eric was previously the Chief Operating Officer and Managing Partner at Wonder Works Construction, where he led the operations and oversaw multiple project execution, asset acquisition, debt/equity procurement, and investor relations. Complementing his experience, Eric is the host of the Real Tech Talk podcast where he interviews leading technologists, CEOs, and creators in the PropTech space about how their technology can affect change within the industry. Eric also hosts a short-form video series, The Blueprint, for The Real Deal, which breaks down different elements of the construction and development process.

Stephen has built BHSDM into a market leader through record-setting sales, unparalleled client service and creative marketing, leading an unmatched team of sales and marketing professionals. Stephen Kliegerman is trusted advisor to developers and investors, a leader and mentor to real estate agents and marketing professionals, a respected and often called-upon pundit to members of the media, and a 20-year veteran senior executive at Terra Holdings. He has overseen more than $15 billion in sales, representing over 10,000 units in the New York City area. He has also spearheaded some of the fastest-selling developments with the industry's most prominent developers and been lauded for achieving record-setting prices. With more than 30 years of experience in New York real estate, Stephen is recognized as a trailblazer in the brokerage community, known for cultivating genuine partnership, integrity and tenured market knowledge. He is widely quoted in globally recognized media as a market authority including; The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, New York Post and Crain's New York Business, among others. Under his leadership, prominent developers including Toll Brothers City Living, SJP Properties, Savanna, Adam America, The Stahl Organization, L+M Development Partners and The Gotham Organization, have sought his team for their skillful understanding of all stages of the development marketing process - from pre-development planning to turnaround strategies. A graduate of The George Washington University, Stephen serves on the Board of Directors for the school's Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis. He is the 2012 recipient of The Real Estate Board of New York's Henry Forster Award for lifetime achievement and currently serves as Co-Chair of the New Development Committee. He has also completed five terms on the Residential Ethics Committee, twice as Co-Chairman and four terms as Chairman of the Downtown Committee. A Licensed Real Estate Broker since 1989, Stephen previously owned and operated his own real estate brokerage, management and consulting firm, Herbert H. Kliegerman Associates, Inc. In 1998, the firm, which specialized in the management, sale and leasing of co-ops, condominiums, and lofts in Downtown Manhattan, merged with Terra Holdings. Stephen is a triathlete as well as an avid skier, tennis player and cyclist.

Lauren Wolf is a Vice President in the Real Estate Transaction Services division of the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). In this capacity, she leads transaction structuring and negotiation of public-private partnerships throughout New York City with a focus on East Harlem, the St. George Waterfront and office/industrial assets ranging from Midtown Manhattan to emerging New York City office markets. She joined NYCEDC in 2012. Prior to NYCEDC, she worked in the acquisitions division of The Hampshire Companies, a Morristown, NJ based real estate private equity firm with approximately $3 billion in real estate assets. She began her career as an investment banker with Cowen and Company focusing on the technology and alternative energy sectors. Lauren received her undergraduate degree from Brown University and her MBA from the Tuck School of Business. She has served on the board of the Friends of Governors Island since 2014.

Beatrice Sibblies is the managing partner of BOS Development, a community-focused real estate development and brokerage firm based in Harlem. BOS Development creates the spectrum of projects necessary for a vibrant community. BOS Development’s debut project, 88 Morningside, is an 80,000 sf residential co-op and community facility building structured on a 99-year ground lease from a Presbyterian church. With the building’s sleek interior and exterior design, the project received numerous accolades for its design quality. The project also resulted in the successful renovation and expansion of the church facilities and created an annuity for ongoing operations. Based on the success of the 88 Morningside transaction, BOS has built a practice working with faith-based institutions to optimize their real estate portfolio. Current projects include development of a charter middle school in the Sugar Hill Historic District, creation of a new furnished rental platform in core Central Harlem as well as other hospitality, culinary and education projects. BOS Development has also formed an Opportunity Zone fund focused on real estate for education uses. In her leadership of BOS Development Ms. Sibblies brings to bear a track record of financial innovation as a former investment banker and a deep commitment to building communities. Prior to forming BOS Development, Ms. Sibblies worked at J.P. Morgan Chase, acting as first a Vice President of Emerging Markets Research and then Vice President of Structured Finance. Ms. Sibblies graduated from Yale University with a major in Economics and Political Science. She also gained a Master’s in Business Administration from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Ms. Sibblies serves on a number of non-profit boards including Harlem Park to Park, a Central Harlem merchant and community development organization; Higher Heights for America, a women’s leadership development organization; and the Urban Design Forum, a convening organization for thought leaders on urban design and development.

JERRY SALAMA has been a Principal of The Janus Property Company since 1998. The Janus Property Company is a recognized leader in the transformation of New York City's obsolete buildings and underutilized land areas into dynamic structures and vibrant neighborhoods. Prior to Janus, Mr. Salama was Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Acting General Manager of the New York City Housing Authority and Counsel to the Deputy Mayor of New York for Finance and Economic Development. Earlier in his career, Mr. Salama was a real estate attorney with the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. Mr. Salama received a J.D. from Harvard Law School, a Master in Public Policy from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from the University of Pennsylvania. For the last 19 years, he has taught a course at the New York University School of Law entitled "Land Use, Housing and Community Development in New York City.

Shallini Mehra joined Meridian Investment Sales in August 2018 as a Managing Director. Ms. Mehra was previously with a boutique investment sales firm, where she spent 16 years. She has successfully completed more than $1 billion in real estate transactions across all asset classes including multifamily stabilized assets, mixed use, commercial, retail, SRO’s, development, affordable housing, note sales, air rights, residential coops and condos. Her background in finance and strong analytical skills combined with her tenacious nature and diplomacy has proven highly beneficial to her clients in achieving their real estate goals. Her prior experience includes three years in investment banking at J.P. Morgan, where she worked in various groups including Real Estate and Lodging, Syndicated Finance and Telecom, and Media and Technology. Before J.P. Morgan, Ms. Mehra spent four years with Arthur Andersen in its Audit & Business Advisory Practice working with Financial Institution clients. Ms. Mehra graduated from Binghamton University with a B.S in Accounting and received her MBA from The Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University. Ms. Mehra is a member of The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP) and the Young Men’s / Women’s Real Estate Association of New York (YMWREA).

Michael A. Tortorici is one of the Founding Members of Ariel Property Advisors. Serving the company as Executive Vice President in the Investment Sales Group, Mr. Tortorici is responsible for originating and executing the sale of commercial real estate transactions throughout the five boroughs. Since beginning his career in commercial real estate in 2004, Mr. Tortorici has participated in the sale of over 600 transactions worth more than $2 billion in gross consideration. Mr. Tortorici has represented many institutional and non-profit clients, including The Catholic Archdiocese of New York, The Watchtower, L+M Partners and Two Trees. He serves as a regular source for various publications, such as The New York Times, The Commercial Observer, The Real Deal, Real Estate Weekly and the New York Daily News. The Commercial Observer named Mr. Tortorici one of Commercial Observer’s 30 Under 30, which recognizes emerging commercial real estate professionals, and the Real Estate Forum has identified him as one of Tomorrow’s Leaders: New York, as well as naming him and his partners Top NY Brokers in 2013 and 2014. Mr. Tortorici is involved in various non-profit initiatives, including The Inner City Scholarship Fund and The Futures in Education Program, both of which support educational measures for K-12 students throughout New York City. He is an active member of industry organizations such as the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) and Bronx-Manhattan North Association of Realtors (BMAR). Prior to forming Ariel Property Advisors, Mr. Tortorici spent seven years at Massey Knakal Realty Services, now Cushman & Wakefield. Mr. Tortorici graduated with honors from New York University’s Stern School of Business, where he earned a B.S. in economics and management. Originally from Franklin Square, New York, he currently resides in Brooklyn. He can be reached at 212.544.9500 ext. 13 or via email at mtortorici@arielpa.com.

Under Karim’s stewardship, Genesis has fostered community advancement through high-quality multifamily development in urban centers. Prior to founding Genesis, Karim was an investment banker with Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs and an investor with General Atlantic, a private equity firm in Greenwich, Connecticut. Karim earned a BA in Economics and Philosophy from Amherst College. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Master’s degree in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. A resident of Harlem, Karim serves as Treasurer of the Trustee Board of the First Corinthian Baptist Church, Trustee of the Citizens Budget Commission, Trustee of the Randall’s Island Park Alliance Board, Board Member of the Citizens Housing Planning Council, the New York State Association for Affordable Housing and a Member of the Leadership Council for Habitat for Humanity NYC. He is married to Luz Elena and has two daughters.

Marco Lala is one of the most active investment property specialists in Manhattan, The Bronx, and Westchester County. Marco joined RM Friedland in 2018 with a focus on investment sales in the $1- $100M range in The Bronx and Northern Manhattan. His team of four and growing runs a seamless and expert process that ensures optimal results for their clients. Within his first 60 days at RM Friedland he had already been awarded over $70 M in exclusive seller representation assignments. His sharp focus and intensity have resulted in a string of seventy seller-oriented building transactions in as little as eighteen months during his 20+ year career. He has personally handled the sale of over $1.4 billion in the New York Metropolitan Area amounting to over 400 properties sold.

Andrew Barrocas has enjoyed success as a dominant force and respected authority in the New York City real estate industry for many years. In his accomplished career, he has sold over $10-billion worth of property, and managed, trained, recruited and collaborated with the city's top agents and brokers. As CEO and Founder of MNS, Andrew currently oversees more than a billion dollars’ worth of real estate, as well as an exceptional team of talented agents and project managers focused on providing the utmost level of client service. Andrew entered the real estate field after graduating from the WP Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. He went on to achieve instant success and recognition as one of the "Top 30 Brokers Under 30", according to The Real Deal. Over the years, Andrew has been a continually sought-after expert on real estate who has been featured in The New York Times' "The 30-Minute Interview", quoted in all major New York publications, and spotlighted on The Stoler Report. Since founding MNS in 2006, Andrew has grown the company substantially in terms of its revenue and its team, which is now over 125 people. He also serves his industry as a licensed teacher through the State of New York, passing on his knowledge and array of professional experience of real estate sales to real estate brokers and salespersons. Andrew is also an active member of The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), The Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP), Young Jewish Professionals (YJP) and Young Presidents Organization (YPO). He and his wife Rachel are the proud parents of three beautiful girls – Cayden, Ella and Zoe.

Seth Glasser is one of the top producing multifamily agents in Marcus & Millichap’s Manhattan office. He spends the majority of his time selling the team's exclusive listings on the Upper West Side and Upper Manhattan. Seth’s most distinguished transactions include the sale of a 19 building, 300 unit portfolio in Harlem, a 100 foot wide elevator building on West 125th Street and a large elevator building near Yeshiva University just hours before a foreclosure auction. Other notable transactions include the shares of a C-Corporation on 107th Street, a development site on West 83rd Street, as well as a 12 story trophy asset on West 82nd Street. Often after a transaction is completed, many of his client have come back to Seth for guidance to complete a 1031 Exchange into another multifamily property or most often into single tenant net leased deals across the country. Seth’s diversified experience in selling apartment buildings with HAP contracts, regulatory agreements, tax credits and SRO’s has enabled him to develop a skill set necessary to navigate the constantly evolving New York City housing regulation system. He has been able to maximize value for his clients during uncertain economic times by sourcing capital from across the city, the nation and overseas. Private individuals, institutional funds, syndicators, foreign investors as well as non-profit organizations continue to look to Seth for guidance that leads to financially rewarding results. Since joining Marcus and Millichap in 2009, Seth has been awarded Marcus & Millichap’s Rookie of the Year, Rising Star, and has received multiple sales recognition awards including the firms National Achievement Award. He was honored as one of Commercial Observer’s 30 Under 30 and has been quoted in The Real Deal, The New York Times, The Commercial Observer, and Real Estate Weekly. Seth graduated with a dual degree in Economics and Finance from Muhlenberg College. Outside the office, Seth enjoys hiking and playing basketball. He is involved in several charities and affiliations including WWF, ASPCA, YJP and AIPAC. He is originally from Long Island and currently resides in the Flatiron District. Defining Attributes: - Multiple National Sales Recognition Awards - Selected For Commercial Observer’s Top Thirty Under Thirty Award - Marcus & Millichap’s Manhattan Office Rookie Of The Year - Pace Setter Award - Specialization in Mixed-Use And Multifamily Investment Sales In Manhattan