Karen Iverson, manager of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency, oversees implementation of the Rail Trail Corridor redevelopment and is leading collaborative public-private partnerships that result in catalytic change. With over twenty years of experience in real estate finance, urban planning, and strategic leadership, she has brought her experience working at the Portland Development Commission back to her hometown. Karen started her career in San Diego with a team that developed the Community Benefit Agreement model to ensure affordable housing, local jobs, and sustainability outcomes in publicly financed redevelopment. Prior to joining the City, Karen was the Executive Director of HomesFund, a CDFI in Durango, Colorado. Under her leadership, the agency increased annual loan deployment by 250% and partnered on the development of over 200 affordable housing units. To learn more about the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency and read the 2020 Annual Report https://www.cabq.gov/planning/metropolitan-redevelopment-agency

Mikaela Renz-Whitmore has been with the City of Albuquerque Planning Department for 10 years. She is the manager for the Long-Range Planning team, which is responsible for listening to and learning with the community and then updating the Integrated Development Ordinance annually and the Comprehensive Plan every 5 years. She previously worked in the private sector on planning projects throughout New Mexico and on the Navajo Nation.

A native New Mexican, Jay Rembe has over 25 years of experience in the New Mexico commercial and residential real estate industry. He began his career as a commercial real estate broker with CB Commercial in 1993 where he specialized in retail brokerage. In 1997, he joined Maestas and Ward Commercial Real Estate as a partner, where he continued to specialize in tenant/landlord representation and investment opportunities. In 2001, he created Infill Solutions Urban Design and Development which in 2012 merged into rembe urban design & development. As a founding board member of the Urban Land Institute’s New Mexico chapter, Jay helped promote the organization’s goals of education, sustainability and best practices in land use and development in New Mexico.

Todd Clarke is a 2nd generation CCIM, a fourth generation native New Mexican and commercial Realtor. Prior to being Realtor of the year, Todd was co-founder of Commercial Association of Realtors in NM, and has been an international instructor for the CCIM institute – opening up the eastern European and Chinese markets for commercial real estate education. In the last dozen years, he has taught over 4,000 students in 173 courses, a half dozen of which he has authored. Todd authored the 320 page textbook on “Understanding NM’s Property Tax System” and teaches the NM Real Estate Commission approved course. He has handled thousands of property tax protests, winning 97% of his cases with an average reduction of 24%. For the last 21 years he has focused his brokerage efforts on apartments in the southwest and he has listed and sold over 10,000 units. His consulting company has worked on projects like the Old Albuquerque High School Lofts and the all three phases of the ABQ uptown lifestyle center. Todd also maintains a blog covering the latest trends in commercial real estate and technology.

Since 2018, Christopher Ptomey has served as Executive Director of the ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing. The Center leverages the vast knowledge and experience of ULI’s membership to advance residential development and housing affordability through research, local and national convenings and consultations, and the Jack Kemp and Robert Larson awards programs, which highlight innovative and best practices for improving housing affordability. In addition to his work at ULI, Ptomey currently serves as a governing board member for the Grounded Solutions Network and the National Housing Conference. Prior to joining the Center, Ptomey led Habitat for Humanity International’s US government relations and advocacy team for more than a decade. Previously, from 2001-2006, he represented the State of Texas as Federal Liaison for the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, and from 1995-2000, he served as a senior legislative advisor to Rep. Michael Collins of Georgia. Ptomey holds degrees from Haverford College (BA) and George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School (JD) and a law license in his native Tennessee.