Adam Lubinsky is an Associate Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP), where he also serves as Interim Director of the M.Sc. Program in Real Estate Development. He is a Partner at WXY, an award-winning architecture and planning firm in New York City. Trained as an architect with a Ph.D. in planning, Adam specializes in strategic frameworks, master plans, and feasibility studies for institutional and public projects. Over two decades of work in the U.S. and U.K., he has combined community engagement, data analysis, and design to help cities and neighborhoods adapt to change while supporting residents.

Benjamin Duzett is the Site Civil Residential Department Manager at Focus Engineering & Surveying, where he oversees planning, design, and delivery of residential development projects across Utah. He leads a team dedicated to providing responsive client service and practical, high-quality solutions that move projects from concept to completion. Since joining Focus in 2013, Benjamin has advanced through roles as Staff Engineer and Assistant Department Manager, gaining expertise in site civil design, project management, and residential land development. Benjamin holds a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from the University of Utah.

Chris Herbert is the Managing Director of Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, where he leads the Center’s research, conferences, and fellowship programs focused on housing policy and urban development. His work emphasizes the financial and demographic dimensions of homeownership and their implications for housing policy. He also teaches as a Lecturer in Urban Planning and Design at the Harvard Graduate School of Design and previously served on the Board of Directors of Freddie Mac. He holds a PhD and Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard University and a Bachelor’s in History from Dartmouth College.

Christi Smith is the Director of Innovation and Partnerships at the Housing Partnership Network, which advances new business and program concepts to address gaps in affordable housing and community development. She previously served as the Director of Programs at Enterprise Community Partners, where she managed the $40 million Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge and led national initiatives including the Faith-Based Development Initiative. Earlier, Smith served as Vice President of Strategy and Communications at the Urban Land Conservancy and as Director of the ACE Mentor Program of Colorado. She holds a Bachelor’s in Sociology from the University of Colorado.

Clark D. Ivory is CEO of Ivory Homes, Utah’s largest homebuilder since 1988, which has delivered more than 23,000 single-family homes and 3,000 apartments. He co-founded Ivory Innovations and the Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability, advancing solutions to housing challenges. Clark has served in leadership roles with the Federal Reserve, the Salt Lake Chamber, and the University of Utah. A graduate of the University of Utah and Harvard Business School, he and his wife Christine have provided more than 2,500 scholarships to Utah students. In 2024, he received the Giant in Our City Award for his leadership and philanthropy.

Dejan Eskic is a Senior Research Fellow at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, where he specializes in housing, construction, and real estate research, as well as fiscal impact studies and demographic analysis. He has advised policymakers, national retailers, and real estate investment trusts on housing and economic trends. Prior to joining the Institute, Dejan worked in retail research, evaluating sales performance through statistical gravity modeling. He has also contributed to public-private partnerships involving tax increment financing and to numerous real estate market studies. Dejan holds a Master’s in Real Estate Development and a Bachelor’s in Urban Planning from the University of Utah.

Eduardo Guerrero is a Senior Lecturer of Architecture and Urban Design at the University of Arizona and host of Crossing City Limits, a podcast on environment and culture. He previously practiced architecture and urban design in California and Chile, where he designed and built hundreds of social housing units in the Atacama Desert and led neighborhood revitalization efforts in Santiago for the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning. Eduardo holds a Master of Urban Design from the University of California, Berkeley.

Eric Maribojoc is a Professor of the Practice at the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, where he also serves as Associate Director of the Wood Center for Real Estate Studies and leads its Housing Affordability Initiative. He previously directed the Center for Real Estate Entrepreneurship at George Mason University and taught at American University. With more than 25 years of real estate industry experience in investments and development, he has also served in public service roles on the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority and related housing committees. Eric holds an MBA in Finance and Real Estate from American University and a Bachelor’s in Economics from Ateneo de Manila University.

Jennifer Gilbert is Executive Director of the Housing Policy Action Center at Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association. She previously founded and led Housing Navigator Massachusetts, a nonprofit that created a nationally recognized affordable housing search platform used by more than 35,000 people monthly. In 2024, she launched the first municipal-level Housing Supply Dashboards to increase transparency and drive better housing policy. Earlier in her career, Jennifer oversaw development projects that produced more than 1,000 affordable housing units as well as arts spaces, early education centers, and a health clinic in partnership with Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She holds a Master’s in City Planning from MIT, a JD from Northeastern University and a Bachelor’s in History from the University of Pennsylvania.

Jennifer Posner is Director of the University of Miami Climate Resilience Institute. She brings 20+ years of experience in equitable urban resilience, physical planning, and policy. She previously served as Senior Manager for Policy & Programs in UM’s Office of Civic and Community Engagement, leading initiatives at the intersection of affordable housing, climate resilience, and racial justice. Previously she worked with the NYC Department of City Planning, as Deputy Director in the Planning Coordination Division. Jennifer holds a Master of City Planning from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor’s in Sociology and French from the University of Virginia.

Jeremy Potter is the Founder of Next Belt Strategies LLC, where he advises startups, growth companies, and established organizations on strategy, product development, policy, and compliance across housing, fintech, title insurance, mortgage, and proptech. He also serves as Residential Business Lead for IncentiFind, Strategic Advisor at Ampliforce, and sits on the Board of Directors of CATIC Financial, Inc. His past roles include senior leadership positions at Rocket Mortgage, Quicken Loans, and Norcom Mortgage, with a focus on product innovation, compliance, and housing finance. Jeremy holds a J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law and a Bachelor’s in Political Science from the University of Mary Washington.

Josh Soffe is the Director of Real Estate Development at Call to Action Foundation, leading mixed-income housing efforts across the Intermountain West and collaborating with development partners and local government to enhance affordable housing initiatives. Previously at FJ Management, he oversaw mixed-use development, managed healthcare-related private equity investments, devised a senior living bridge lending program, directed medical real estate projects, and launched a wellness support program for Maverik store employees. Before that, he served as a Clinical Tissue Recovery Coordinator at Intermountain Donor Services. He holds an MBA and a Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of Utah, along with a BS in Psychology.

Kara Murray-Badal is Director of the Housing Venture Lab at Terner Labs, where she leads efforts to accelerate innovation in housing production and finance through early-stage ventures. Before joining Terner Labs, Kara built a career at the intersection of housing, economic development, and social impact. She has advised startups, nonprofits, and government partners on strategies to test and scale models such as missing middle housing, modular construction, shared equity, and social housing. Kara holds an MBA from The Wharton School, an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School, and a BA in Psychology from Stanford University.

Kent Colton is President of K. Colton LLC and a former Senior Scholar at Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. He has more than 30 years of experience as a housing scholar and expert in mortgage finance and housing policy. From 1984 to 1999, he served as Executive Vice President and CEO of the National Association of Home Builders, and earlier as Executive Vice President for Policy, Planning, and Economic Research at Freddie Mac. He was a member of the Millennial Housing Commission and Staff Director of the President’s Commission on Housing. Kent is a graduate of Utah State University and holds an M.P.A. from Syracuse University and a Ph.D. in Urban Studies from MIT.

Matt Hoffman is a Managing Partner of HousingTech, which he founded in 2019 to accelerate innovation in the housing market, increase supply, and improve affordability. He also co-founded CIRGO, serves as a Fellow with Renaissance Philanthropy, and previously completed a two-year appointment as Senior Advisor to the Commissioner of the U.S. General Services Administration’s Public Buildings Service. Earlier in his career, he was Vice President of Innovation at Enterprise Community Partners and held senior roles in federal policy, consulting, and real estate development. Hoffman is a member of ULI’s Innovation and Technology Council and has served as an Ivory Innovations Fellow and advisor to multiple housing innovation initiatives. He holds a Bachelor’s in Public Policy from Brown University and a Master of Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School.

Mike Kingsella is the CEO of Up for Growth, where he leads national advocacy efforts, builds cross-sector partnerships, and advances data-driven housing policy solutions. With over 20 years of experience in housing finance, policy, and community development, he has worked extensively on zoning reform, public finance, permitting, and housing affordability. Mike has a Bachelor’s in Community Development and Real Estate Development, from Portland State University.

Nathan Wildfire has worked in community and economic development for almost 20 years, in Pittsburgh, Vermont, and Oregon. He's passionate about the grassroots and personal connections of community building, and the macro changes possible through creative, data-driven public policy. Nathan is privileged to have learned from incredible mentors through every step of his career. He is a choir leader, writer, and outdoor explorer of the incredible Pacific Northwest.

Paige Roosa is Director of the Mayor’s Housing Innovation Lab in Boston, where she leads efforts to test new housing policies and designs to improve affordability. Previously, she created a housing stability department in Richmond, California, and worked as a Senior Development Review Planner in Santa Barbara County. Paige holds a Master of City Planning from UC, Berkeley, and a Bachelor’s in Plant Biology from Cornell University.

Reed Kelterborn is Director of Education at the Softwood Lumber Board, where he leads initiatives to expand wood education in architecture, engineering, and construction management programs across the United States. A licensed professional engineer, Reed has experience designing complex wood structures and promoting wood construction internationally. He has also held sales and technical advisory roles in China and led wood education efforts in Canada. He holds a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from McMaster University.

Sepideh Farnia is a designer-turned-developer with an M.Arch (Housing) and ~10 years as a lead architect/project manager. She earned her Master of Real Estate Development + Design from UC Berkeley and is now a Construction & Development Associate at Base Builders Inc., closely involved in residential construction in California’s South Bay. A 2024 Hack-A-House Grand Prize winner, she focuses on cost-effective, resilient housing and practical construction innovation.

Prior to founding Alcoved, Sharon has held roles as a VC Researcher at Suffolk Technologies and Director of Real Estate at Juno. Her career in real estate private equity and private debt at Varde Partners and Starwood Capital Group spans the US, Asia, and Europe. She has invested in over $2 billion of capital on behalf of institutional investors, playing a key role in acquisitions and management of projects. Sharon advocates for housing affordability and equity through policy reform, construction technologies, and public-private partnerships. She holds dual MPA/MBA degrees from Harvard Kennedy School and MIT Sloan School of Management, along with bachelor’s degrees from the Wharton School and Penn’s School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Simon Hyoun is Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the Softwood Lumber Board (SLB), where he leads brand strategy, content development, and outreach initiatives to advance the use of softwood lumber in residential and commercial construction. Prior to joining SLB, he held senior roles at Zonda (formerly Hanley Wood) and Hanley Wood Marketing, where he directed client services, content strategy, and B2B marketing programs for leading construction brands. Simon holds a Master’s in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor’s in English from Rutgers University. His career blends creative communication, industry expertise, and strategic vision to promote sustainable building practices and innovation in the built environment.

Taft Price is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Entrepreneurship and Strategy at the University of Utah. He has played a key role in the growth of several successful companies and is active in civic and philanthropic efforts. His past roles include President of TaskEasy, Co-founder of Oakley Networks (acquired by Raytheon in 2007), Managing Partner of Alta Capital Management, and Vice President at Richter & Co. and Cerberus Partners. Taft holds an MBA from New York University and a Bachelor’s from Brigham Young University.

Zak Davidson is a Master’s student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Research Assistant at Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, where he focuses on affordable housing policy and innovation. He previously served as a Graduate Fellow with the Boston Housing Authority and Power A Clean Future Ohio, and worked for seven years as Legislative Aide to the President of Columbus City Council. Zac earned his Bachelor’s in Political Science from Tulane University. Additionally, he was a winner of the 2024 Hack-A-House competition.