Future of Alexandria

With a commitment to ensuring every child’s opportunity at success, protecting Alexandria’s long-term fiscal health and investing in the infrastructure that improves our quality of life, Justin Wilson was elected Mayor of the City of Alexandria in November of 2018 and re-elected in November 2021. As Mayor, Justin represents the City regionally on the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Board of Directors. Within the City, Justin leads the City-Schools Subcommittee, the ARHA Redevelopment Committee, the Quality of Life Committee, Legislative Subcommittee, the Audit Committee, the Employee Pension/Compensation Committee, the Potomac Yard Metro Implementation Advisory Group and the Combined Sewer Outfall Project Review Team Workgroup. An experienced community leader, Justin previously served 8 years on the City Council prior to his election as Mayor, including service from 2016 – 2019 as Alexandria’s Vice Mayor. Justin’s leadership has led to new investments in schools, transportation and environmental infrastructure. He has worked to expand early childhood education, address growing student enrollment, accelerate economic growth, advance climate policy as well as protecting and expanding housing affordability. Prior to his election to the City Council, Justin served as the Chair of the Alexandria Transit Company Board of Directors, which operates the City’s DASH bus service, and served on the Budget & Fiscal Affairs Advisory Committee. His neighbors recognized his leadership and twice elected him president of the Del Ray Citizens Association. Justin chaired the City’s effort to promote participation in the 2010 decennial Census, and he represented Alexandria on the Board of Directors of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority—preserving and managing 11,000 acres of open space and 24 regional parks. He was an appointee of Governor Mark Warner to the state’s Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice and later to the Board of Juvenile Justice—a position he was re-appointed to by Governor Tim Kaine. He holds a bachelor’s of science degree in Information Systems from Virginia Commonwealth University, and is a Fellow of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia. Justin is employed by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) as a Senior Director. An avid runner, Justin has completed eight marathons, and he lives in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria with his wife, Alex, a life-long Alexandrian, and their son, Eli and daughter Lena, both Alexandria City Public School students.

Jay Kelly serves as a Vice President in Foulger Pratt’s development group. Mr. Kelly joined Foulger Pratt in April 2021 to lead the company’s redevelopment efforts at Landmark Mall. Prior to joining Foulger Pratt, Mr. Kelly spent six years at JBG Smith Properties overseeing the day-to-day development operations of several high profile mixed-use projects including 1221 Van Street (DC), West Half (DC), Eckington Yards (DC) and 1900 Crystal Drive in National Landing. Prior to JBG SMITH, Mr. Kelly served as an Assistant Vice President at the New York City Economic Development Corporation. He received a BA in Public Policy Analysis from Duke University and an MBA from Wharton and a JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

As Director of Real Estate and Development at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (“Metro”), Nia oversees the agency’s transit-oriented real estate development program and the execution of its 10-Year Strategic for Joint Development. She recently completed $1B office consolidation and the construction of three new office buildings totaling 1M sf. Metro’s new Headquarters achieved LEED Platinum certification and has received numerous awards. Nia has over 20 years of public-private real estate experience, leveraging her private sector perspective with public sector institutional owners to transform its real estate into economic catalysts. Highlights from her career in the Washington DC region include spearheading the creation of the Ballpark District, a mixed-use destination and home of the Washington Nationals; interchange and historic preservation approvals for the DHS Headquarters at St. Elizabeths West and East Campus; site selection and development strategy for the relocation of the FBI Headquarters including redevelopment entitlements for the existing site on Pennsylvania Avenue; and re-zoning the SW Ecodistrict, a federal enclave south of Independence Avenue and Interstate 395, to make way for new infill and redevelopment of underutilized federal assets. Prior to being recruited by CarrAmerica to Washington DC, Nia began her career in New York City at Lend Lease in construction management, and as Vice President at the NYC Economic Development Corporation serving under Mayor Bloomberg and Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff. Nia holds a Bachelors degree in Environmental Design from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a Masters degree in Real Estate Development and Investment from NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate. She loves the arts and currently serves on the board of CulturalDC. Nia is a member of Lambda Alpha and recently served on the ULI Washington’s Sustainable + Resilience Local Product Council, ULI’s Women's Leadership Initiative and a graduate of the Regional Leadership Program at the Urban Land Institute. She has spoken at Corenet, AIA Urban Design Symposium, and Design Build Institute of America.

Lauren Riley joined the Firm in 2019 and works in the Land Use and Zoning practice group in the Arlington office. She primarily focuses on securing zoning and land use entitlements including rezonings, special permits, and special exceptions. Before joining the firm, Lauren worked for the general practice law firm of Walton & Adams, P.C., where she gained valuable experience in eminent domain practice, zoning and land use research, and civil litigation. Lauren earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Alabama in 2015 and graduated from William & Mary Law School in 2018, where she was an articles editor for the William & Mary Business Law Review. While in law school, Lauren was a summer associate for the Firm and for the City of Hampton Attorney’s Office. She also served as a research assistant to Professor Lynda L. Butler, working on global land use and environmental research.

Mark is responsible for creating residential investment value by developing new and repositioning existing residential properties; and adapting non-residential structures for residential use. With over 35 years of experience, Mark has a successful track record with notable institutional and private equity partners for securing private equity investments in emerging markets that provide value-add or opportunistic return strategies. Mark joined AREP in 2016, bringing a residential investment, development, and operational background across multiple asset classes nationwide - from rental communities (including significant mixed-use) condominiums & townhomes to municipal assets, including healthcare centers, charter schools, and cultural facilities. Before joining AREP, Mark was the Operating Partner for Jair Lynch Development Partners, a Washington DC-based investment, development & advisory services firm. Specifically selected by the California State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTRS) for this role, Mark was instrumental in growing the company into an institutional-grade platform that deployed over $100M in equity capital into emerging markets. Prior to joining Jair Lynch, Mark started an urban-focused practice in Washington DC for The Bozzuto Group, a nationally recognized investment, development, construction & property management firm. Under Mark's leadership, he grew the operation to a 35 person team achieving a net income of $6M in its third year. Mark holds degrees in Engineering and Business from the University of Colorado and the University of Denver. He has served on institutional boards and non-profits, including the Maryland Governor's Green Building Task Force, National Association of Real Estate Investment Managers, Lambda Alpha International, Urban Land Institute, HomeAid DC, and Renaissance Housing Corporation.

Austin Flajser is in charge of day-to-day operations of The Carr Companies with over 40 executive suite, hotel, commercial and retail assets under management in 8 markets across the country. These assets account for over $180M in annual operating revenue and over $200M of new projects currently in the development pipeline. Austin received his Bachelor of Science from Vanderbilt University, his Masters in Real Estate from Georgetown University and his Certificate in Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management from Cornell University.

Michael was born in Toronto, and raised in Tennessee and Texas. He worked in Boston, New York, Atlanta, Dallas, and Washington, D.C. before joining BVA in 2014 as a senior associate, bringing with him a portfolio of commercial work from leading international firms such as Leo A. Daly and Gensler, and ecclesiastic and single family residential projects from his own practice. Michael was named principal in 2018. Michael attended the College of William and Mary (B.A. Linguistics) and later studied architecture at the University of Texas, Arlington (M. Arch), receiving the AIA Henry Adams School Medal. Both his parents are architects with philosophical and artistic interests and Michael embodies their renaissance spirit. Early in his architectural career, he discovered he had a facility for designing airports, libraries, university buildings, and other sophisticated commercial and institutional buildings, yet ultimately, he decided to focus on projects with the capacity to inspire the human mind and spirit. Traveling yearly on his father’s “Foundations of Civilization” study tours to Rome inspired his desire to bring the beauty of Europe’s churches to America. At BVA, Michael’s expertise imbues specialty institutional, commercial, and ecclesiastic work with deeply meaningful beauty and authenticity, while enriching his work with BVA’s broad array of residential clients. Chair, Education Committee, Institute for Classical Art and Architecture, Washington Mid-Atlantic Chapter. Director At-Large and Lead Co-Chair, Partnerships and Outreach Committee, Association for Preservation Technology International. Founder and Co-Chair, Partnership for Catholic Sacred Architecture and the Living Presence Symposium Series. Steering Committee Member, Neighborhood Friends of George Washington’s Mt. Vernon

Pillsbury partner James Bobotek concentrates his practice on a variety of construction and insurance matters. Jamie guides clients through all phases of development and construction of commercial properties, including preparation, review and negotiation of development, design, construction, design-build, and related agreements. Jamie also counsels clients in analyzing insurance coverage claims, formulating risk management strategies, and developing contractual insurance requirements. Jamie has secured many favorable outcomes for commercial policyholders on CGL, builder's risk, commercial property, business interruption, E&O, cyber, professional liability, D&O, pollution, fidelity and other claims. Representative Experience Drafted and negotiated construction, design, and development contracts for projects totaling billions of dollars. Represented public-private partnerships with respect to construction, design, and ancillary agreements relating to United States military housing privatizations across the country, including projects in California, Arizona, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Nevada, Georgia and Missouri. Drafted form construction and design contract packages for owners, developers and contractors for use throughout the United States. Achieved partial summary judgment against AIG entity in connection with property insurance coverage dispute for multinational university arising from the 2010 earthquakes in Chile. Obtained a summary judgment ruling in a Student Financial Corp. bankruptcy legacy case for an additional insured/policyholder under a fidelity bond (financial institution bond) in connection with alleged Ponzi-scheme losses. Obtained a dismissal of first-filed insurance carrier declaratory judgment action, allowing an iconic brand company's $18 million flood loss claim to proceed against carrier in carrier's home forum of Tennessee. Deployed novel theory to defeat insurance carrier effort to align parties to create federal court jurisdiction, creating favorable new law in removal disputes with insurance carriers. Represented a telecommunications provider in successful prosecution of its claims against its E&O insurer confirming coverage for class action claims alleging cyber-related activities. Obtained significant recovery under a builders risk policy on behalf of a contractor for a delay claim arising out of a subcontractor's provision of defective materials. Procured multi-million dollar defense and indemnity recovery under "personal injury" CGL coverage relating to a discrimination suit brought by the U.S. Department of Justice on behalf of multiple claimants. Obtained recovery under an event cancellation policy for two class action suits brought as a result of logistical difficulties in connection with a client's presidential inauguration-related experiential student conference. Obtained full property loss and business interruption coverage, as well as defense and indemnity coverage for third-party suits, arising out of a catastrophic fire at a defense contractor's warehouse facility. Attained defense and indemnity coverage for an international construction company arising out of concrete plant emissions. Obtained defense and indemnity coverage under a professional liability policy for an engineering company faced with excess exposure. Recovered full pre-suit indemnity for a government contractor in a construction claim related to faulty subcontractor work. Protected a commercial developer's interests under a builders risk policy in connection with a faulty workmanship claim. Represented clients in various industries in structuring and negotiating the terms of their cyber insurance programs. Professional Highlights Member of the Insurance Recovery & Advisory practice, named by Law360 as a Practice Group of the Year in 2015 and 2016. Member of the ABA's Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee, co-chair of its Construction Subcommittee and appointed vice-chair of the Committee's 2017 Annual CLE Seminar and Meeting. Authored "Builders Risk Insurance," New Appleman on Insurance Law Library Edition, Chapter 50 (updated 2016) and "Understanding Product Liability Insurance," New Appleman Insurance Law Practice Guide, Chapter 30B (2013). Presented "Mind the Gaps: Potential Gaps Between Cyber and Other Commercial Policies," at the ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation CLE Seminar, March 2016.

LeVar Crooms currently holds the esteemed position of Market President at United Bank, where he oversees the Arlington and Alexandria markets. In this role, his responsibilities encompass strategically driving both commercial and retail production while ensuring the profitability and sustained growth of these markets. Crooms plays a pivotal leadership role in managing public relations efforts for Arlington and Alexandria, while also representing United Bank in the community through active participation in civic affairs and professional organizations. Before joining United Bank, Crooms spent a decade at M&T Bank, where he served as Senior Vice President in the Commercial Real Estate Finance Division. During his tenure, he successfully financed over $2 billion worth of residential and commercial projects in the Greater Washington DC area. His clientele ranged from institutional to middle-market and family office companies. Crooms's exceptional performance was consistently acknowledged, earning him the President's Council Sales Award four times within M&T Bank's Commercial Banking Division. His leadership and contributions to the Greater Washington community were further recognized with prestigious accolades including the 2022 Washington Business Journal 40 under 40 and the 2023 Northern Virginia Leadership Center for Excellence 40 under 40 awards. Crooms embarked on his professional journey at BB&T in 2006, where he completed the commercial credit training program. Within two years, he rose to manage a team of eleven before progressing to a portfolio manager, and ultimately a relationship manager. Beyond his professional endeavors, LeVar is actively engaged in various boards and committees. He serves as a Board Member of NAIOP (National Association for Industrial and Office Parks) Northern Virginia chapter since 2020, contributing his expertise to the Education Committee. He was recently appointed to the Board of Junior Achievement of Greater Washington, the nation’s largest organization that teaches young people about work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. Previously, he held board positions with the Urban Financial Services Coalition DMV Chapter (2016-2019) and the Dr. William T. Syphax Education Foundation (2019-2023), where he served as Secretary and Vice Chairman. Crooms is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. LeVar graduated with honors from Johnson C. Smith University in 2006, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. When not immersed in his professional pursuits, LeVar finds joy in family life, residing in Arlington, VA, with his wife Anshia and their son Zachariah. Crooms is an avid traveler and enjoys reading.