Ben Golvin

Founding Principal, Equity Community Builders

Ben possesses decades of experience in managing all aspects of residential and mixed-use developments. His work in affordable housing includes leadership in rebuilding public housing projects critical to neighborhood revitalization. Ben’s capacity for community and team building is evident in his long-standing relationships and his reputation for integrity across public, private and non-profit sectors.

Ben has served on the Boards of the Northern California Association for Non-Profit Housing, Chinatown Community Development Center, and San Francisco Housing Development Corporation. He received a Bachelor of Arts from UC Santa Cruz and his Masters degree in City and Regional Planning from UC Berkeley.

Kacy Keys

Founder, Praxis Development Group

Kacy Keys, founder of Praxis Development Group (www.praxisdevgroup.com), comes to the endeavor with more than two decades of experience in large and complex development projects, with a track record of success.  Having been recognized as one of Los Angeles’ most influential women in real estate, Kacy has overseen the development of more than $1B in real estate assets (exclusive of land value) with experience in residential, retail, office and mixed-use product types. 

Specializing in urban infill, Kacy has a passion for projects that result in a positive impact, with an eye towards simultaneous value creation and neighborhood enhancement.  With her multi-disciplinary background as a land use/real estate attorney and developer, she looks at opportunity as “what can be” versus “what is.”  Understanding the regulatory and entitlement framework, and seeing opportunity in creative solutions, she brings her business savvy and creativity to everything she does.

Prior to forming Praxis Development Group, Keys was Senior Vice President for Seritage Growth Properties, overseeing all development for the company in the Western United States (roughly $800M in real estate and $600M of development).  She managed the Los Angeles office on behalf of the company, and also helped to spearhead joint development efforts and strategic initiatives on across the portfolio.  Specific and high profile projects for which she was directly responsible include the adaptive reuse of the Sears Santa Monica building; the entitlement of an 18-acre master plan in Redmond, Washington, as well as the negotiation and execution of various joint ventures to implement that vision; and the design and entitlement of University Town Center in San Diego.

Keys is an active member of the California Bar in good standing; a full member of Urban Land Institute; and a Board Member for Jazz Antiqua.

Margaret Miller

Senior Vice President of Development, The John Stewart Company

Margaret Miller joined the John Stewart Company (JSCo) in 2004 as a Project Manager and has been promoted over the past 16 years to now serve as JSCo’s Senior Vice President of Development.  In addition, she is now a shareholder and a member of JSCo’s Board of Directors (where she serves on the Board Finance Committee).  As Senior Vice President of Development, Ms. Miller oversees the full range of corporate activities related to developing affordable and mixed-income multifamily housing, including identifying and acquiring properties, business development, project design, obtaining entitlements and environmental approvals, financial structuring, loan packaging, construction oversight and regulatory compliance. 

Ms. Miller holds a Bachelor’s Degree in American History with a Minor in Economics from Bowdoin College, a Master’s Degree in Real Estate Development from Columbia University in New York and was a fellow at the University of Pennsylvania Center for Urban Redevelopment Excellence.

Philip Hart (Moderator)

Founder and Managing Partner, BioMed Development Group, LLC

Philip Hart is a veteran author, educator, urban planner and developer.   He is founder and managing partner of BioMed Development Group, LLC. Dr. Hart is a former professor of sociology and director of the William Monroe Trotter Institute for the Study of Black Culture at the University of Massachusetts Boston. He is co-developer of Boston’s CrossTown Industrial Park and BioSquare the city’s premiere biotech business park. He was project manager for the 5,000-seat West Angeles Cathedral in South Los Angeles. He was a construction manager for the $20 billion LAUSD new school construction and modernization program. He is a development consultant for the Charles R. Drew University College of Medicine Health Professions Education Building in Watts-Willowbrook. He served on the LA County Metro Expo Line Construction Authority Urban Design Committee. Dr. Hart was Executive Director of ULI LA from 2006 to 2008 and in 2008 was named ULI’s first Managing Director for Diversity and Inclusion Worldwide. In 2010 he was named Diversity Executive of the Year by Commercial Property Executive.