1. Your career began with an internship that changed your trajectory. How did that early experience shape the leader you are today?

Without a doubt, I wouldn’t be here without that internship, which was through a program called INROADS. But the foundation for my drive as a leader was laid even earlier.

My father worked in a factory when I was growing up. I remember visiting him and being fascinated by how everything operated. I told him I wanted to work in a factory just like he did. He looked at me and said something to the effect of, “You shouldn’t just work in the factory. You should aim to own buildings like these.”

That moment shifted something in me. It expanded what I believed was possible.

Years later, through INROADS, I was given the opportunity to intern at Duke Realty. That experience didn’t just introduce me to commercial real estate. It exposed me to how capital is deployed, how assets are managed, how lease transactions are structured and how long-term value is created. It showed me how buildings like the one my father worked in were financed, developed and operated.

The internship gave me technical skills, but more importantly, it gave me confidence and clarity. It connected my father’s advice to a tangible path forward and helped me see that ownership, leadership and long-term impact were within reach – not just abstract ideas.

That perspective still shapes how I lead today. I think long-term. I value focus and discipline. And I believe that a formative experience, paired with the exposure that comes with it, can change the trajectory of a life.

2. What does access and exposure mean to you in the context of institutional real estate?

Institutional real estate is a capital-intensive, relationship-driven business.

Access has historically meant entry to networks, information and mentorship – the door opening. Once that door opens, you’re exposed to everything on the other side. And while talent is not limited by geography or background, the opportunity to reach that door often is.

When I was starting out, I didn’t grow up around this industry. I didn’t have a built-in network. What changed my trajectory was that I was given an opportunity to step inside, see how the system actually works and understand how I could operate within it.

Being invited into rooms where decisions are being made, seeing how capital moves, learning how risk is evaluated and deals are made, navigating how relationships are formed and maintained – that kind of behind-the-scenes exposure is transformative.

Once you understand how something works, it becomes less intimidating. You begin to see where and how you can contribute. But it requires opportunity.

That’s why programs like this matter. They don’t just create openings. They create perspective.

3. Why is now an important moment to invest in the next generation of CRE leaders?

We’re at an inflection point in commercial real estate.

Capital markets are more complex. Supply chains are being reconfigured. Technology is reshaping how buildings are designed, operated and valued. Sustainability expectations are rising. The pace of change is accelerating. That kind of environment requires new thinking.

Institutional real estate has always been a long-term business. We allocate capital across decades, not quarters. If that’s true, then we have to think just as intentionally about the talent pipeline that will steward that capital in the future.

Investing in the next generation isn’t just about creating career opportunities. It’s about strengthening the industry’s long-term resilience. Fresh perspectives challenge assumptions. Analytical rigor evolves. New leaders bring different ways of thinking about risk, efficiency and impact.

If we want this industry to remain disciplined, innovative and relevant over the next 20 years, we have to develop the people who will lead it.

That requires intentional, long-term investment in people.

4. When you think about the next 20 years of CRE, what kind of leadership will matter most?

The leaders who will matter most are those who combine discipline with adaptability.

Our industry has always rewarded discipline – strong underwriting, operational execution and long-term thinking. That won’t change. But the environment around us will continue to evolve. Technology will reshape how assets are operated. Capital will move differently. Demographics and policy will influence demand in new ways.

The next generation will need to be both students of the fundamentals and architects of change. They will need the humility to keep learning and the conviction to make decisions in uncertain environments.

Most importantly, they will need perspective – an understanding that we are stewards of long-term capital and the communities shaped by it. That mindset shapes how you allocate resources, how you assess risk and how you define success.

Leadership in this industry isn’t about chasing cycles. It’s about building platforms that can evolve and endure.

5. If you could give one piece of advice to a student entering this industry today, what would it be?

Aim higher.

When my father challenged me to own the buildings rather than work in them, it shifted how I saw what was possible, and that perspective changed everything for me.

This industry rewards discipline, patience and performance over time. Learn the fundamentals. Understand how capital works. Build relationships the right way. Develop credibility by doing the work well. But don’t limit your ambition based on what you’ve seen so far. Exposure expands vision. Vision shapes possibility.

You may start as an intern, but that’s just a starting point. Your potential is not defined by where you begin.It’s defined by how you respond to the opportunity in front of you.