How many years have you been in the (commercial real estate) industry?

I have 21 years of experience as a real estate developer. It all started with a $50M condo project in the DC area for a family office and have since developed $3B of projects across 26 states, including Boston, NYC, and DC. But I am most known for my impeccable business timing … deciding to go out on my own in 2008 days before Lehman failed. I luckily survived and was able to run that development company for 10 years. I now lead a real estate owner’s project management company in Boston called Collaborative RED.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone entering CRE?

For my first decade in the workforce, I was completely dedicated towards education and self-improvement—securing two Master’s degrees, accumulating numerous certifications, and even reading multiple ULI textbooks cover to cover. Later I got caught up in the execution of the work and lost focus on growing. My advice to you and to myself is NEVER STOP LEARNING. If you’re not growing, you’re falling behind. Keep expanding your knowledge and skills to stay ahead, that is the best competitive advantage.

What’s your favorite thing about real estate?

I’m a huge building nerd! Each building embodies millions of choices, being there you can learn the story—from meeting user needs to navigating codes and community demands. This process is as magical to me now as it was the first day I stepped onto a construction site.

What motivates you?

Contributing to the growth and success of clients, colleagues, and newcomers gives me a deep sense of purpose. I find great joy in mentoring, teaching, and learning alongside others, and I thrive in a collaborative environment.

What’s your biggest career accomplishment?

I’ve been fortunate to be able to mentor and formally teach over 100 people at institutions like BAC, NYU, and GWU. I believe in helping first and leaving each situation better than I found it. This approach has allowed me to foster long-standing, trusted relationships in the industry, which I value greatly.

Why do you find ULI valuable?

The access to projects, insights, and expertise within ULI is simply invaluable. Everywhere I’ve been—Boston, NYC, DC—the local ULI staff have been incredibly supportive, offering a unique combination of deep local knowledge and extensive national reach. It’s the only organization I’ve encountered that maintains such high quality across all markets. I’ve taken many of their webinars and in-person classes, and they consistently prove to be worth every minute and dollar invested.

What are you reading, watching, or listening to now?

Want to improve the rigor of your decision making? Want to be less emotional and more complete in your thinking? Reading Annie Duke’s books Thinking in Bets and How to Decide changed my life. I love her books; they’re actionable and eye-opening each time I read- this is my 3^rd time reading both (haha).

What are you looking forward to?

I believe in my bones that in 10 years, both our industry and state will be in a much better place, and I’m eager to contribute to making that vision a reality. I’m optimistic despite challenges like affordability, zoning, NIMBYism, and frozen capital markets, because the industry’s fundamentals are the strongest I’ve seen in my career. I’m excited to tackle the housing crisis by addressing the undersupply and retaining young talent, which is crucial for the area’s future.