Wendy Rowden, Chair
President
Building for the Arts NY, Inc.

Ms. Rowden is the President of Building for the Arts NY, Inc., the developer and operator of the theaters, restaurants and apartments known as Theatre Row. Ms. Rowden’s mandate is to expand the depth and scope of the organization’s reach, using arts as a catalyst to economic development. Ms. Rowden comes to Building for the Arts with 30 years of experience in the real estate industry. Prior to joining Building for the Arts, she led Jonathan Rose Companies’ Investments where she was responsible for all aspects of the firm’s investment management business. Prior to Jonathan Rose Companies, Ms. Rowden served as Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of The Rockefeller Group, the U.S. Subsidiary of Mitsubishi Estate Co.

Ms. Rowden is a Trustee of the Urban Land Institute, the Global Chair of ULI’s Women’s Leadership Initiative and the Chair of the ULI Global Awards Jury. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Actors Fund Housing Development Corporation, as well as an adjunct Professor at Columbia Business School, where she teaches Real Estate Development. Ms. Rowden is a past President of WX (New York Women Executives in Real Estate), a former member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of Cushman & Wakefield and a former member of the Board of Trustees of Maimonides Medical Center.

Ms. Rowden was honored as the 2016 WX Woman of the Year. She is also the recipient of numerous other awards including, Bisnow’s “50 Most Powerful Women in Real Estate”, United Way’s “Women United in Philanthropy Award” and Real Estate Weekly’s “Top 100 Women in Real Estate.” She holds degrees from Brown University, University of Michigan and New York University.

Stuart Ackerberg
CEO
Ackerberg

Mr. Ackerberg is Chief Executive Officer of Ackerberg, where he is responsible for generating new business along with quality control for development, acquisition, property management, leasing, and construction services.

Prior to forming The Ackerberg Group, Stuart served as General Partner, President and Chief Operating Officer for Birtcher Financial Services and was Vice President for Heitman Financial Services, Ltd.

He is an active member of the Urban Land Institute, Lambda Alpha International, and serves as a director of Hope For The City, the Minneapolis Parks Foundation, and ULI Minnesota. He is also an advisory board member for the College of Design at the University of Minnesota.

Stuart was recognized in 2013 as one of Minnesota Monthly’s 75 Most Influential Minnesotans. In addition, in 2012 he was named an Inaugural Progress Minnesota Honoree by Finance & Commerce. In 2009, Stuart received the Community Effort Award and the Charles Nelson Award of Excellence from the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota and in 2008 he was honored as the Inaugural E.J. Plesko Distinguished Speaker Series in Real Estate Development from the James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate, University of Wisconsin

Mr. Ackerberg and his family reside in the western Twin Cities at Indigo Acres, a “spiritual retreat”. Indigo Acres is a combination of historical experience through Native American dwellings including four 26-foot authentic Sioux tipis, an 1860 English Chateau, an 1880 cottage, and 150 acres of trails, ponds, sculptures, woods, a river, and “magic”. Also at Indigo Acres, he and his wife, Romy, operate a state-of-the-art breeding and training facility for American Saddlebred show horses.

Toni Alexander
President and Creative Director
InterCommunications, Inc.

The personality, energy and creativity of Toni Alexander are greatly reflected in the success of her firm, InterCommunicationsInc®. InterCom® specializes in strategic marketing and branding for resort and real estate projects and has worked in 25 countries worldwide.

Toni is responsible for directing InterCom’s award-winning creative work, built around the company’s expertise of “Imaging Places®.” For nearly three decades, InterCom has established a global reputation by emphasizing ongoing consumer research, utilizing fine art and photography as strategic design elements, and championing the principles of mainstream branding to help increase awareness of destinations around the world.

InterCom has been associated with visioning and launching a wide range of distinctive resort properties, including Hualalai on the Big Island of Hawaii; Peninsula Papagayo on Costa Rica’s Gold Coast; Punta Mita on the mainland coast of Mexico; Castiglion del Bosco, the Ferragamo family-owned property in Tuscany, Italy; the St. Petersburg Club in St. Petersburg, Russia; 3 Creek Ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Kohanaiki on the Kailua-Kona coast in Hawaii and several Four Seasons properties, most currently Four Seasons Residences Los Angeles.

A former ULI Trustee and one of the first women Governors of the 35,000-member organization, Toni has been a member of the ULI International Awards of Excellence jury, Chairman of the Community Development Council and has successfully initiated and chaired the Silver and Red flights of ULI’s Recreation Council. She is a contributing source for articles for ULI’s Urban Land Magazine and is a speaker on many ULI panels. Toni currently serves on the Program Committee and is a Counsel Counselor overseeing the Hotel Development Council, Entertainment Council and Global Exchange Council.  She is also on the Builder Level of Governors of the ULI Foundation.

An avid golfer, Toni serves as a marketing advisor to the private club she belongs to in California and is on the Board of Trustees of the Laguna Playhouse. She is a graduate of the University of California at Irvine and holds a BA degree from the School of Fine Arts.  She currently serves as a special advisor to the Dean of the UCI Claire Trevor School of the Arts.

Jeff Barber
Design Leader, Principal
Gensler

Jeff is the Southeast Regional Design Leader at Gensler. Previously a Co-Managing Director of Gensler’s Washington, D.C. office, Jeff also has served as a rotating member of the firm’s Management Committee. He is an award-winning architect and is an Architectural Design Director for Gensler’s global Commercial Office Building Developers practice. Jeff often leads large integrated projects, providing expertise on the design of the base building, as well as the interiors. His point of view bridges the shared interest of both building owner and user to create designs that successfully depict both parties’ objectives. Under Jeff’s leadership, Gensler’s Washington, D.C. office was named to The Washington Post’s inaugural 2014 Top Workplaces ranking.

He is a member of the Urban Land Institute and a frequent speaker on design insights at real estate and design industry events. Jeff is a Designated National Design Peer of the GSA Public Buildings Service, Design Excellence and the Arts Program. He earned a Bachelor of Science from Yale University and a Master of Architecture from the Yale School of Architecture.

Ame M. Engelhart
Director
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP

Ame Engelhart is an accomplished architect and urban designer focused on the design of cities, districts, and large, complex architectural projects. Based in Hong Kong since 1993 she extensive experience in China and SE Asia. Working with SOM since 1999, she has been collaborating with multi-disciplinary design teams on large scale mixed use developments and urban districts. Ame creatively addresses challenges and opportunities emerging from established and developing cities in Asia.

Trained in architecture and urban planning, Ame brings together the design skills and ambitions of both disciplines to develop holistic plans for urban centers and communities. She is dedicated to promoting the fundamental principles of livability and sustainability, and approaches each design project with respect to the unique social, economic, environmental and geographic conditions inherent in each city and site. She directs high-visibility, forward-facing projects that strategically define or redefine important places, positioning them for enduring growth. Currently she is leading SOM’s business development efforts in South East Asia and her current work includes projects in Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Manila.

She holds a Master of Architecture from Yale University, and a Bachelor of Architecture, CumLaude, from the College of Design Art & Architecture, at the University of Cincinnati. She also attended the Ecole des Beaux-Arts Americaine at Fontainebleau, France.

Michael Grove
Principal
Sasaki Associates

Michael plays a leading role in Sasaki’s global practice, focusing on the evolution of urban environments in Asia. As the director of Sasaki’s Shanghai office, he offers unique insight into the unprecedented transformation and urbanization of the region. Michael’s international experience includes large land planning, new communities, urban districts, and waterfronts.

On each project, Michael collaborates closely with clients to formulate conceptual planning and design ideas that balance development with environmental and cultural influences. As an advocate for both the economic and ecological impacts of development, he focuses on solutions that contribute to the health of people and the environment. This integrated approach encourages solutions that balance development needs with ecological and social imperatives.

Michael is a graduate of Cornell University, with a bachelor of science in landscape architecture and a focus on planning and urban design. He is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects and sits on the Global Exchange Council of the Urban Land Institute. His work has been recognized with numerous awards, and he is also a frequent presenter at conferences and universities around the world.

Sophie Henley-Price
Partner and Managing Director
STUDIOS Architecture

Sophie leads the business development and marketing efforts for the European Division of international design practice, Studios Architecture, based out of Paris. She joined STUDIOS in 2007 and was promoted to Associate Principal in 2011 and then Principal in 2013. In April 2015 she was named Managing Director of the Paris office. Prior to joining STUDIOS, Sophie had an extensive career in publishing – serving as Associate Publisher of the Art Newspaper and previously Illustrated Books Commissionning Editor at a variety of high profile publishers both in Paris and London. She has an MBA (INSEAD) and a First Class honours degrees in French Literature and Art History (UCL, London).

Lynn Hoffman Carlton, LEED AP
Vice President and Regional Leader of Planning
HOK

Lynn Carlton has over 15 years of experience in urban planning. Throughout her career, she has been involved in a variety of planning, design and urban landscape projects. She is well versed in comprehensive planning for downtown corridors, mixed-use developments, urban districts, waterfront locations, urban campuses, and regional sustainability planning. Lynn works closely with all types of stakeholders to develop common ground, to resolve barriers to implementation, and to inspire concerted action toward a shared vision.

Lynn holds a Masters of City Planning, Urban Design from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor of Arts from Colgate University.

Lance K. Josal, FAIA
President and CEO
CallisonRTKL-US

Lance K. Josal FAIA is the President and CEO of Callison RTKL, the global architecture, planning and design practice. A 35-year veteran of the industry, Lance was named CEO of RTKL in 2009 and has led them through continued growth and prosperity in spite of global economic challenges. In January 2015, he was named the CEO of both RTKL and Callison, the international architecture practice acquired by ARCADIS, RTKL’s parent company, in August 2014.

A strong and talented leader supported by a skilled management team, Lance has played an integral role in reshaping the practice model for global architecture firms. While under his leadership, RTKL has remained profitable, healthy and expansionist, especially in such markets as Asia and the Middle East. In his new role, Josal will focus on aligning two of the most prominent names in commercial architecture into the most innovative design practice in the world.

A frequent speaker and author on large-firm management issues and mixed-use development, Lance and his work have been recognized by regional and local AIA chapters, the APA, MIPIM, ICSC, the Congress for New Urbanism, and the Urban Land Institute. He is an officer of the AIA Large Firm Roundtable. In March 2009, he was elevated to the American Institute of Architects’ College of Fellows in San Francisco for his contribution to advancing the profession of architecture.

A graduate of North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota, Lance holds Bachelor Degrees in both Art (’77) and Architecture (’78). Throughout his career, Lance has maintained a relationship with his alma mater, serving as a founding member of the North Dakota State University Department of Architecture Advisory Board. He and his wife, Karen, live in Dallas, Texas.

Roger G. Orf
Head of European Real Estate
Apollo Global Management

Mr. Orf is a Partner of Apollo Management International LLP joining the company in November 2010. He is responsible for Apollo’s European real estate investment activities and serves on the Investment Committees of the Apollo North American Real Estate and the European Principal Finance funds. Previously Mr. Orf was responsible for Citigroup’s global real estate investment activities. He has spent the majority of his career investing in the European real estate markets since he arrived in the UK in 1991 whilst working for Goldman Sachs. Following his retirement from Goldman Sachs, Mr. Orf pursued an entrepreneurial career, highlighted by the founding of E-Shelter GmbH, a German-based data centre business which he and his partners sold for €1.1 billion to NTT.

He serves as chairman of the Urban Land Institute Europe and on the Board of Regents for Georgetown University. He previously served on the boards of Atrium European Real Estate, Regus PLC and Ambassador Theatre Group. Mr. Orf earned his bachelor’s degree Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa from Georgetown University and a JD and MBA from The University of Chicago. He has been a member of the Chicago Booth Global Advisory Board EMEA cabinet since 2006 and a member of the Council since 2015.

Alex Rose
Senior Vice President, Development
Continental Development Corporation

Alex J. Rose serves as Senior Vice President for Continental Development Corporation in El Segundo, California.  He is responsible for leading all development, acquisition, disposition and redevelopment activities for the suburban office/medical/R&D park developer, whose holdings cover nearly 5 million square feet in Southern California’s Los Angeles County South Bay and City of San Francisco markets.

Rose has overseen the development and acquisition of over 1 million square feet of Class A office, medical and retail space, the redevelopment of nearly 2 million square feet of single-tenant R&D facilities into multi-tenant office space, restaurants, retail, entertainment and education uses.  Previous responsibilities have included planning and execution of all tenant improvement, core and shell renovation and new construction work; major facilities maintenance and upgrades; project budgeting and cost controls; internal project management; architect, engineer and contractor management; asset and property management.  Rose also has extensive experience in title insurance and is a licensed California attorney, with experience in general civil and bankruptcy litigation practices.

He is an Urban Land Institute Foundation Governor, has served as a ULI Trustee, Chair of ULI’s Los Angeles District Council Executive Committee, Chair Chair of its Commercial and Retail Development Council and numerous other national and local leadership positions. Rose has chaired and served on nearly 30 national ULI Advisory Service assignments focusing on downtown and transit corridor redevelopment, revitalization and strategies as well as office and mixed use development issues.

Rose serves on the Board of Directors of Cross-Campus, a Los Angeles-based co-working/share office space provider, on the Board of Trustees of the California Science Foundation, on the Board of Business Advisors of Tideline Partners, a San Diego-based small scale, infill development firm, and in various leadership positions in numerous other non-profit, civic, community and academic organizations.   Rose regularly mentors numerous students and young professionals through formal mentoring programs organized through ULI as well as UCLA and USC undergraduate/graduate programs in business and real estate.

Rose received his MBA from the University of Southern California, his JD from Southwestern University School of Law and BA, Political Science from UCLA.

Rebecca Stone, AIA, LEED AP BD+C
Managing Principal
OZ Architecture

Rebecca Stone (Becky) has been with OZ Architecture since 1998 and is currently Managing Principal of the 150-person design firm based in Denver, CO.  She also leads the company’s Resort/Hospitality practice, which is widely known and respected, having worked on nearly every prominent winter resort in the U.S. and many notable hotels and restaurants, including: Snowmass Base Village, Verasa Westin, Napa Valley, CA; Westin Monache Resort, Mammoth Lakes, CA; The Nickle and the renovation of the historic  Hotel Teatro, Denver, CO; Industry, Denver, CO; Ranch & Conservancy, Kamas, UT; The Village at Winter Park, Frasier, CO; Punch Bowl Social Detroit, Schaumburg, Austin, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and Denver; and the Village at Baytowne Wharf, Destin, FL.

The hundreds of projects Becky has led and been involved with in the course of her career reflect her guiding principle — designing dynamic environments that enrich their communities and set the highest of standards.  Her extensive experience has also given her a unique and inherent understanding of the best way to create a sense of place — whether in an urban setting, the mountains, or by the sea.  In addition to her work with clients, Becky always takes time to serve as a mentor to OZ staff.

Becky received a Bachelor of Architecture from Iowa State University in 1993 and a Master of Architecture from Cornell University in 1995. She holds an architectural license in over 20 states, and is an active member of on several industry councils and boards, including ULI Product Council’s nationally and in Colorado.