WDC Current Programs

Upcoming Program

April 25, 2024 at 1:00 PM ET: From Dirt to Dollars – How Strategic Marketing Helps Monetize Development

This virtual Developer Forum will explore how development value is enhanced when strategy informs marketing and brand development. Andrea Mignone  of Rose Associates and Madelyne Kirch of Sun & Moon Marketing Communications will present the successful marketing tools deployed at Hoyt & Horn in downtown Brooklyn. They will demonstrate how a deep understanding of a project’s market supported by a clear and focused communications and marketing strategy can help monetize an investment and increase project value. Register Here

May 1, 2024 At Noon ET with ULI Toronto-Virtual Women Transforming Toronto: Female Developers delivering Iconic Projects.

This interactive virtual discussion with Zahra Ebrahim of Monumental Projects, Tsering Yangki of Dream and Sherry Lajani of Spotlight Developments will explore how women developers are delivering iconic projects in Toronto that are inclusive, innovative and transformative. From Distillery District and Corktown Commons in downtown to The Inclusive Condo in an ethnically diverse neighbourhood, the featured projects will demonstrate how new communities are being created that are driven by design excellence and expanded access to housing. NON-ULI members register here.

Recent WDC 2024 ProgramS

January 16, 2024 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM ET: Looking Back, Looking Forward

Inspirations and collaborations for 2024 featuring Sylvia Warren of Simply the Best Coaching in conversation with our WDC community and Program Co-Chairs Kate McGee and Lisa Clark

February 29, 2024 at 1:00 PM ET: Investment Forum

Raising and deploying capital for real estate development takes more than time and true grit– it’s the art of matchmaking money to developers and their projects. Developers must market their projects and establish credibility with various capital sources to secure needed funding. Investors and lenders need to find and evaluate many projects before selecting those that best match their underwriting criteria and win the deal. Elaine Magil of Cinnaire will moderate this experienced panel who will discuss best practices to successfully raise and deploy capital featuring Renee McDonnell of IHP Capital Partners and Sonya Rocvil of Bedrock Real Estate Investors and Jenn Quader of The Smart Agency.

April 7, 2024 – 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM ET: Spring meeting in North Brooklyn

Sunday’s program started at Greenpoint Landing where Marian Klein and Anne Carson Blair of Park Tower Realty showcased this stunning mixed-use development. We toured numerous women-led developments, and Mimi Raygorodetsky of Langan, Lissa So of Marvel, Melissa Bindra of Vaya Development, and Toby Moskovits of Heritage Equity Partners shared their insights about how women developers and entrepreneurs continue to transform North Brooklyn. We capped off the day with a lively reception in Williamsburg.

April 8, 2024 – 1:30 PM ET to 8:00 Pm: Spring Meeting in Manhattan

Monday’s program started in Chelsea with a tour of the beautifully designed Ruby mixed-use development by MAG Partners followed by an inspiring presentation and conversation with its founder MaryAnne Gilmartin. The program then featured a dynamic panel of women developers building vibrant mixed income developments throughout metro NY– Carolee Fink of MSquared, Nicole Lockett of Genesis Companies, Laura Rog of LMXD, and Robin Zeigler of Mural Real Estate Partners. Our final panel and reception was held at the thoughtfully renovated 22 Vanderbilt building.

Recent WDC 2023 Programs

September 13, 2023 at Noon ET:  WDC Investment Forum: Guarantees – Partnering to Close the Capital Gap.

Securing guarantees are a significant hurdle when it comes to raising capital for development. Organizations across the U.S. are closing the capital gap with programs that provide debt, equity and credit enhancement for developers whose balance sheets don’t meet traditional investor requirements. We learned how these innovative programs are meaningfully reducing the systemic barriers faced by emerging women and BIPOC developers, and how they can be replicated and expanded to broaden capital access. Charmaine Curtis of Curtis Development moderated a panel of innovative capital providers which featured Miranda Walker of U.S. Bank and Reagan Maechling of Enterprise and Marseah “Marcy” Delatte, Principal Owner of New Orleans Restoration Properties.

November 2, 2023, 5 PM to 8 PM PT: WDC LA Fall Meeting Thursday Evening Program: The VIP In LA CRE

5:00 PM Program Started at the lobby of Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel (1100 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90016, a short walk from the LA Convention Center) followed by VIP reception at hotel’s Cabrillo Club room at about 6:30 PM.

Channing Henry, Karin Liljegren, and Morgan Sykes Jaybush, the masterminds behind the award-winning Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel, led a swanky VIP tour. Once a grand Renaissance Revival-style building from yesteryear, this 13-story, 115,000-square foot beauty now boasts a fresh new look courtesy of designer extraordinare, Kelly Wearstler, and project architect Omgivning.

We got a sneak peek at the innovative way they’ve transformed this spot into the talk of the town, listed on both National and local historic registers. Thanks to a water tank conversion, the hotel’s multi-level rooftop oasis features a pool, restaurant, and bar lounge with stunning views of downtown, making it a masterpiece worth seeing. Our tour concluded with a VIP reception at the hotel’s Cabrillo Club room.

November 3, 2023, 8:30 AM to 3 PM PT: WDC LA Fall Meeting Friday Program: Rewriting the Script – On Progress and Partnerships in CRE

8:30 AM –Omgivning, 1301 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012(about 20 minute drive from Convention Center)

9:00 AM Program Started followed by 10:00 AM development tour and presentation at small retailers in Chinatown, Little Tokyo and Arts District.

11:45 AM Lunch and Afternoon Presentations–LA Cleantech Incubator (LACI), 525 S. Hewitt St, Suite 150, Los Angeles 90013

Friday’s program began with a light breakfast at Omgivning Architecture + Interiors’ new home at Søm, a coworking company for design-related professionals, a walking tour and finished with a dynamic panel at the LA Cleantech Incubator. Our tour made several stops along the way, exploring local cultural districts and women-led projects:

  • Walk through LA’s historic Chinatown neighborhood
  • Take the light rail to Little Tokyo
  • Walk to the Arts District and and to the Sixth Street bridge where we will hear about how Skanska’s leadership and direction on this iconic endeavor featuring women in construction
  • Finish at the LA Cleantech Incubator (LACI) with an overview of the innovative facility

We concluded with a powerhouse panel of LA’s innovators. These women entrepreneurs are writing a new script on innovative partnerships and lessons learned creating a new paradigm of business success in CRE: Karin Liljegren , Dafna Kaplan, Dalila Sotelo, Leslie Haro, Dana Trujillo, and Christianne Schrobilgen.

November 15, 2023, 1 PM ET: Virtual Developer Forum – Building Partnerships: Forward-thinking project delivery solutions

This program showcased innovative financing and construction techniques being used by development teams to achieve high quality projects with efficient design, reduced construction costs, and timely project delivery. Iliana Niculescu-Roman of SCCS Group moderated this experienced panel featuring Suzanne Brown of Equity Community Builders, Lia Tatevosian of Swinerton, and Joy Ou of Group i.

December 6, 2023 8:00 PM to 9:30 PM ET: Virtual Holiday Cocktails and Conversations

This program featured dynamic female founders, including Kirstyn Shaw and Alex Gagne who shared their hilarious stories about growing their retail businesses. Following their presentations and Q&A, we broke into small groups for more intimate conversations. We also shared cocktail/mocktail recipes featuring women vintners/distillers and raise our glasses together to toast the holidays and our amazing ecosystem of women in development!!

 Visit 2023 Archive For More Details:

  • January 11, 2023 at 1 PM ET:  WDC Investment Forum – Organizing Investment Club of Accredited Investors.
  • January 17, 2023 at 5 PM ET:  WDC Investment Forum – Organizing Investor Collaborative.
  • March 2, 2023 at 1 PM ET:  Room of Our Own – Disruptive Innovators Propelling Housing Forward.
  • April 25, 2023 at 1 PM ET:  Planting Seeds: How crowdfunding, micro-loans and philanthropy are catalyzing transformative developments.
  • May 14 & May 15, 2023 at the start of ULI Spring Meeting
  • June 13, 2023 at 1 PM ET: Room of Our Own: Design, Build, Scale: Leaping forward to provide housing for all.
  • August 8, 2023 at Noon ET:  WDC Copia-Investor Collaborative Roundtable Featuring WREIC and Its Co-Founders.

Save the date!

  • April 25, 2024 at Noon 1 PM ET, Important role of stategic marketing in real estate development
  • Wednesday, May 1 at Noon ET, with ULI Toronto: Female Developers Delivering Iconic Projects