ULI Cleveland 2025 International Women's Day

When

2025-03-04
2025-03-04T13:30:00 - 2025-03-04T18:00:00
America/New_York

Choose Your Calendar

    Where

    Thompson Hine LLP Will open in a new window 127 Public Square Floor 39 Cleveland, OH 44114 UNITED STATES

    Pricing

    Early Pricing Until January 10 Members Non-Members
    Private $75.00 $100.00
    Public/Academic/Nonprofit $75.00 $100.00
    Retired $75.00 N/A
    Student $15.00 $30.00
    Under Age 35 $60.00 $80.00
    Pricing
    Private $100.00 $135.00
    Public/Academic/Nonprofit $100.00 $135.00
    Retired $100.00 N/A
    Student $30.00 $45.00
    Under Age 35 $80.00 $135.00

    Join us for the 2025 ULI Cleveland Women's Day Summit, an inspiring gathering designed to advance gender equity in real estate and land use leadership. Taking place at Thompson Hine LLP, this bi-annual event will showcase the groundbreaking work of female leaders in real estate, architecture, urban planning, and development who are driving change and fostering inclusive growth across the Cleveland region and beyond.

    The Summit will feature insightful discussions, practical tools, and networking opportunities to connect ULI members and industry professionals with best practices for fostering equity in leadership and land use. Attendance is limited, so early registration is encouraged—our 2023 Summit sold out quickly!

    This event is open to all. 3 hours of AIA/AICP and Real Estate CEU's are pending. 

    Schedule of Events

    • 1:30-2:00 pm | General Registration
      Complimentary headshots, Networking
    • 2:00-3:15 pm | Keynote Speaker: Julie Jones
      From improving self-talk to building a more positive culture, Julie’s job is to guide you and your team on the path of success. Julie is fueled by her commitment to excellence and goes the extra mile in implementing personalized programs leading you or your team toward peak performance. As an experienced teambuilder and Certified Mental Performance Coach and Visualization Specialist, Julie has seen the benefits of building and maintaining a positive mindset, creating partnerships with a purpose, and providing tools as we strive for significant performance outcomes.
    • 3:15-3:30 pm | Break
      Complimentary headshots, Networking
    • 3:30-5:00 pm | Innovation Talks & Roundtable The Innovation Talks & Roundtable will feature a series of brief yet impactful presentations by industry leaders, each offering unique perspectives, tools, and strategies for addressing key challenges in business, development, and community impact. These thought-provoking presentations will set the stage for interactive breakout discussions, where participants can engage in deeper conversations, explore real-world applications, and collaborate on practical solutions. Our distinguished speakers include:
      • Kelly Noll, Real Estate and Environmental Partner at Benesch – Kelly will discuss the role of artificial intelligence in advancing organizational missions, demonstrating how AI-driven tools can enhance efficiency, streamline decision-making, and maximize impact in real estate and business operations.

      • Yvette Ittu, President & CEO at Cleveland Development Advisors – Yvette will provide insights into the most innovative investment strategies shaping Cleveland’s future in 2025, highlighting key opportunities, emerging trends, and the role of strategic capital in fostering economic growth.

      • Keisha Gonzalez, Senior Director, Social Impact Investing and Economic & Community Development at the Cleveland Foundation – Keisha will focus on the intersection of community development, placemaking, and equitable growth, sharing insights on how social impact investing can drive meaningful change in neighborhoods and business districts.

      Following the presentations, attendees will participate in small breakout discussions tailored to their areas of interest, allowing for deeper engagement, knowledge-sharing, and actionable takeaways. Whether you're looking to harness AI for business efficiency, explore investment opportunities, or drive community impact, this session will provide valuable insights and connections.

    • 5:00-5:15 pm | ULI Member Acknowledgement
    • 5:15-6:30 pm | Happy Hour/Networking
    ULI Cleveland Women's Leadership Awards

    As part of the ULI Cleveland International Women's Day Summit, ULI Cleveland will present two distinguished awards to honor the exceptional contributions of female member leaders. These awards recognize the individuals who embody the spirit of leadership, innovation, and dedication to the mission of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) while inspiring others in the real estate and land use industry.

    • Linda Striefsky Lifetime Leadership Award: Named in tribute to Linda Striefsky, a long-time and dedicated member of ULI Cleveland, the award celebrates her legacy of leadership, mentorship, and unwavering commitment to advancing women in the profession. This prestigious award will be presented biannually at ULI Cleveland's International Women's Day Summit, honoring a female member of ULI Cleveland who exemplifies Linda's values of leadership, community engagement, and dedication to the mission of ULI. The recipient will be someone who has demonstrated excellence in her field, inspired others through her actions, and made significant contributions to both the industry and ULI Cleveland. The Linda Striefsky Leadership Award serves not only as a recognition of individual achievement but also as a symbol of ULI Cleveland’s continued commitment to fostering the next generation of female leaders in real estate and urban development.
    • Erin Ryan Emerging Leader Award: The Erin Ryan Emerging Leader Award honors the memory of Erin Ryan, whose outstanding dedication to the Urban Land Institute Cleveland has left a lasting impact on the organization and the community. Erin Ryan served as the Programming Committee Co-Chair from 2018-2020, Women’s Leadership Initiative Co-Chair from 2020-2022, and the Regional Product Council Chair starting in 2024. In the spirit of Erin’s legacy, the recipient will be a ULI member who is poised to become a future leader in the industry, contributing fresh perspectives and making meaningful strides within ULI Cleveland and the broader real estate community. This award will recognize one emerging female leader, 34 years of age or younger, who demonstrates leadership, innovation, and a commitment to advancing the real estate and land use industry, reflecting Erin’s passion for empowering women and shaping vibrant communities.

    ULI Cleveland International Women’s Day Summit Award Nomination Form

    We are no longer accepting nominations. 

    Sponsorship Opportunities Available
    Celebrate and support the Women’s Leadership Initiative by sponsoring this impactful event! Your sponsorship will help amplify the voices and achievements of women and allies in real estate, working to further advance women in leadership across our industry. Learn more about sponsorship opportunities online here.

     

    About the Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI)
    The ULI Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) is committed to raising the visibility and number of women in leadership positions in both ULI and the broader real estate industry. WLI programs offer a range of opportunities from professional development and learning programs to informal networking events, all designed to promote and support women’s career advancement in real estate.

    Thompson Hine LLP 127 Public Square Floor 39 Cleveland, OH 44114 UNITED STATES

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    Speakers

    Julie Jones

    Julie Jones is a highly respected leader in collegiate athletics, with a career spanning 26 years as a Division I softball coach, athletics administrator and champion for women’s athletics. Her coaching philosophy has always been centered on developing well-rounded student-athletes—Smarter Students, Stronger Athletes, and Better People. Now, as the founder of SSB Performance, LLC, Jones applies her passion for personal growth specializing in mental performance coaching helping athletes and business teams nationwide develop a Smarter, Stronger, Better mindset. In addition to her work as a mental performance coach, Jones serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Akron, Ursuline College, and Baldwin-Wallace University. She teaches a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses, including well-being and performance, sports psychology, athletic coaching, and public speaking. She played a pivotal role in developing Ursuline's Curated Wellness master’s program and Institute for Women, Wellness and Work. A dynamic and engaging public speaker, Jones has delivered presentations to hundreds of groups, from Fortune 500 companies such as Sherwin-Williams and Oswald Companies to national conferences, business teams, and athletic programs. Known for her energy, passion, and practical insights, she speaks on mental performance, leadership, communication, team culture and peak performance. During her tenure at Cleveland State University (1993-2006) and the University of Akron (2006-2019), Jones achieved over 500 career victories. She began her head coaching experience at CSU as the youngest head coach in the country and ended her time there with the most wins in school history of any sport. Her leadership produced five Academic All-Americans, 55 All-Conference honorees, eight NCAA All-Mideast Region selections, 86 Academic all-conference student-athletes, 13 Academic All-District selections, 12 All-Region selections, four Pitchers of the Year, the 1997 MCC Player of the Year, the 2016 prestigious MAC Nan Harvey award winner the 2017 MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year. She was named MCC Coach of the Year. These honorees and their teammates rewrote the CSU and UA record books for pitching, home runs and all base running categories as a perennial NCAA leader in stolen bases. Her players excelled on the field and in the classroom, with team GPAs reaching as high as 3.53, and they regularly received accolades for their community service efforts. Jones’s impact extended beyond the softball field, as she implemented leadership and mentoring programs at both Cleveland State and Akron. She also served on NCAA championship committees and played a key role in NCAA Compliance at Cleveland State. Her legacy includes five former players being inducted into the CSU Athletics Hall of Fame and many others continuing their athletic careers professionally, both in the U.S. and abroad. A graduate of Baldwin-Wallace University, where she was a standout catcher and NFCA Academic All-American, Jones led her team to the NCAA Tournament and set records that still stand today. Her contributions to the sport and her teams have been recognized with inductions into the Baldwin-Wallace Athletics Hall of Fame and the Summit County Softball Hall of Fame. Jones also earned a master’s degree in Communication theory and Methodology from Cleveland State University and is a graduate of Leadership Akron (Class 28) and the prestigious NACWA/HERS Administrative Institute. Jones's dedication to excellence is also reflected in her personal life. A breast cancer survivor, she is a seven-time winner of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Survivor Award. Her commitment to giving back is further demonstrated through her involvement with the Leadership Akron Alumni Association and several other community boards, including serving as past chair of the Gay Community Endowment Fund. Jones remains involved with the sport she loves as regional director of the USA Softball High Performance Program and Softball at the Point, LLC, a company she co-owns, which offers coaching clinics and camps to help young athletes achieve their dreams of playing in college. Jones’s expertise, resilience, and passion for developing leaders—whether on the field, in the classroom, or in the boardroom—make her a highly impactful speaker, leader and mentor in performance coaching and personal development.

    Keisha Gonzalez

    Program Manager, Social Impact Investing & Community Development Initiatives, Cleveland Foundation

    Keisha González joined the Cleveland Foundation in June 2018 as the Program Officer for Community Revitalization and Engagement. In her current role, Keisha is responsible for supporting the foundation's Social Impact Investing initiatives through the management of both current and future investment opportunities that will lead to equitable economic growth. She works in collaboration with colleagues to position the foundation’s strategy for community development innovation, supporting efforts to strengthen the sector’s capacity and appetite for innovative risk. Prior to joining the foundation, Keisha served as the Managing Director for Metro West Community Development Organization. In this capacity, she implemented the organization’s strategic plan, management of programs and operations, and cultivated productive relationships in the public, private and civic sector. During her career at Metro West, Keisha also held the positions of Community Organizer (2014) and Director of Economic Development (2016). In these capacities, she focused on community-building initiatives designed to improve conditions in the neighborhood through the involvement of residents, businesses and community institutions. Keisha earned a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Cleveland State University and went on to earn her Master of Arts in Historic Preservation from the University of Delaware. During her time at the University of Delaware she worked for the Mid-Atlantic Historic Buildings and Landscape Survey at the Centre for Historic Architecture and Design documenting at-risk historic dwellings, infrastructure and landscapes for local and state governments. Committed to the equitable placemaking, Keisha has worked on many key projects in the cities where she has lived. Locally, Keisha was a part of the executive steering committee that launched La Placita and has elevated the La Villa Hispana as a priority placemaking initiative for the Clark-Fulton neighborhood. On the east coast, she worked on the Delaware City Oral History Project, a campaign designed to digitally document local recollections pertaining specifically to the history of the natural areas surrounding Delaware City, Delaware.

    Kelly Noll

    Real Estate & Environmental Partner, Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff

    Kelly focuses her practice on representing Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), institutional investors, private equity funds, developers and owners of commercial real estate on a broad range of commercial real estate matters, including acquisitions and dispositions of commercial properties; mortgage and mezzanine financing; entity planning; redevelopment of commercial assets; and leasing of retail and office properties.

    Yvette Ittu

    President, Cleveland Development Advisors

    Yvette M. Ittu serves as Executive Vice President of Finance and Operations of the Greater Cleveland Partnership and as President of Cleveland Development Advisors (CDA), a leading organization in impact investing. CDA facilitates private-sector funding for transformative real estate projects that drive growth and development across Northeast Ohio. Both organizations share a mission of fostering economic development throughout the region. Before joining CDA, Yvette practiced law as an associate at Calfee, Halter and Griswold LLP, specializing in public law and public finance. In this role, she acted as bond counsel for numerous financings involving the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, the City of Cleveland, and other Ohio local governments. Her career also includes serving as Finance Director for the City of Lakewood and holding key financial management positions for the City of Cleveland including the principal financial position for Cleveland Public Power. From 2015-2020, she chaired the Cleveland International Fund, a private equity firm operating as an EB-5 regional center authorized by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Yvette is a Commissioner for the Cleveland Metroparks and contributes to several boards and committees, including the National New Markets Tax Credit Coalition, Downtown Cleveland Inc., Digital C, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress’s Village Capital Corporation, and Benjamin Rose Institute. Yvette holds a Juris Doctorate from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and is a certified public accountant with a bachelor's degree in business administration from Cleveland State University.