Marka Fields is a Chief City Planner for the City of Cleveland. She has 21 years of experience in land use planning, zoning, architectural design review, and community development. Ms. Fields approaches her work with the belief that all neighborhoods should have access to quality housing, jobs, and resources that allow residents to live a healthy and vibrant life. The principles of health, equity, and sustainability are at the core of everything she does as a planner. In her current capacity, Ms. Fields is responsible for managing a team of professional planners, ensuring that the physical development and short and long-term plans prioritize the health and sustainability of Cleveland neighborhoods. In addition, she manages planning efforts on the southeast side of Cleveland working with community development corporations, City Council members, and other community stakeholders. Ms. Fields was a contributing author of the City of Cleveland’s Citywide Plan, “Connecting Cleveland 2020”, and of the City’s vacant land strategy, “8 Ideas for Vacant Land Re-use in Cleveland”. She was also the Project Manager for the Safe Routes to Schools plan which resulted in infrastructure improvements in some of Cleveland's most challenged neighborhoods and the demolition of vacant and abandoned houses near school routes that were identified in the Safe Routes plan. Ms. Fields serves as an alternate for the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission, as a member of NOACA's Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, and as a member of Urban Land Institute's Outreach Committee. She is also the Chair of the Sustainable Cleveland 2019 Vital Neighborhoods Group and the Center for Achieving Equity treasurer, formerly known as Cuyahoga County Place Matters. Ms. Fields holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and a Master’s in Urban Administration from Wright State University. Ms. Fields volunteers on the Finance Committee and the Board of Trustees at Calvary Hill Church of God in Christ, where she is a member. Additionally, she serves as a mentor for Urban Planning students at Cleveland State University.

Actively engaged in real estate valuation, appraisal, market studies, and consulting services. Appraisals and consulting services have been performed on various properties, including, but not limited to, single and multi tenant industrial, single and multi tenant retail, mixed use facilities, subdivisions, student housing, multi family apartments and vacant land.

Ms. Lewis is the Senior Housing Program Development Manager at the Cuyahoga Land Bank, with primary responsibility for the redevelopment of a 30- acre neighborhood in East Cleveland, Ohio. She has over 30 years of experience working in community and economic development in a variety of settings, specializing in housing preservation, community engagement, strategic planning and increasing competitiveness of older cities. In addition to 20 years in municipal government, she has worked at the international level with the United Nations Development Program, in a non-profit setting at the San Francisco Food Bank, at the County level with the Cuyahoga County Board of County Commissioners and at the regional level with the Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) in Cleveland. She served for many years on the board of Policy Matters Ohio, and currently serves on the Princeton Prize in Race Relations and the NCST Middle Neighborhood’s Steering Committee. She is a graduate of Princeton University in New Jersey, and Cambridge University in England, with an academic background in both political science and development economics.

As the founder and principal of Fairmount Properties, I have been leading the development, ownership, and management of mixed-use real estate projects across North America for over 25 years. The majority of these initiatives occur on or near collegiate communities or healthcare systems throughout North America. My passion is to create vibrant and sustainable communities that enhance the quality of life and economic vitality of the areas where we operate. I have a strong background in public private partnerships, working with best in class educational and healthcare institutions to deliver innovative and mission aligned initiatives on or at their campus edge. I have expertise in capital markets, financial analysis, and real estate economics, enabling us to secure funding and optimize returns for our investors. Our team of 30 highly skilled and talented associates share the overall vision and values for our mission , and together we have established Fairmount Properties as a well-respected industry leader.

Kevin Nowak is responsible for the vision, strategy and overall management of CHN Housing Partners, its operating entities and real estate partnerships. Under Kevin’s leadership, CHN has grown to an operating budget of $68 million and a real estate development pipeline of over $200 million, expanding its work to fill gaps in residential mortgage markets, implement impactful housing services and address affordable housing shortages across four states. Strategies developed during Kevin’s time at CHN have included becoming a member of the NeighborWorks America network, launching CHN Housing Capital, a non-profit community development financial institution created to address mortgage deserts and equity in access to homeownership, re-aligning CHN’s home repair and rehab work to address asset quality issues in Cleveland and Detroit, developing and becoming the network manager of the Detroit Housing Network, administering both the first of its kind Cleveland Lead Safe Home Fund and the $100 million Cleveland/Cuyahoga County rental assistance program, and growing CHN’s role as a strategic partner to other non-profits seeking to meet housing needs in their communities in Michigan and Pennsylvania . In addition to his work at CHN, Kevin serves on a number of boards, both national and local, including as the president of the Ohio Housing Council, and board member of the Housing Partnership Network and Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing. Prior to CHN, Kevin was the National Equity Investment Manager of Key Community Development Corporation, and earlier in his career, he practiced real estate and corporate law at Thompson Hine LLP. A proud native of Detroit, who now resides in the Cleveland area with his wife and family, Kevin holds bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Michigan and University of Michigan Law School.