Faculty - UDI Capital Region

Real Estate Development (RED) Management Certificate Program 2022-2023

Mark Holland, Faculty Chair

Mark is President of Westplan Consulting Group, a planning and development consulting company based on Vancouver Island. Following many years of education in innovative sustainable urban planning and design, Mark played a major role in charting the path on sustainable urban development in the 1990s including the planning of Southeast False Creek in Vancouver, which was declared the greenest neighbourhood in North America in 2009 by the US Green Building Council. Mark has won many awards for his projects and has developed many concepts and frameworks relating to sustainable communities such as the 8 Pillars of a Sustainable Community, Experience-driven Planning, and the acclaimed Resilient Cities Manifesto. He is the co-author of the widely referenced book Agricultural Urbanism, that focuses on progressive ways of integrating sustainable food systems into city planning and design.

Khushnum Patel, Senior Financial Analyst – Colliers Strategy and Consulting

Khushnum has over 7 years of work experience across real estate focused acquisition, development, underwriting, corporate finance and advisory. She supports Colliers’ Consulting and Strategy Group with detailed financial analysis and underwriting for real estate advisory, ongoing development & asset management and due diligence, including liaising with lenders, consultants and development managers on a variety of real estate development concerns. She is an expert at developing financial strategies that ensure assets provide affordable rents and positive cash flows to support both the community and the organization’s financial needs.

Lilian Kan, Director of Development – Colliers Strategy and Consulting

Lilian has over a decade of experience in land acquisition and development, government relation, and construction. She has been actively volunteering with different local organizations in Metro Vancouver. She currently serves as a board director with the Entre Nous Femmes (ENF) Housing Society and the Crossroad Hospice Society. Lilian is a Registered Professional Planner (RPP) and has a significant depth of experience with a wide range of property types, including residential, commercial, industrial, and mixed-use projects. She has also managed municipal permit approvals and overseen the construction of multiple sites in the Tri-Cities and Fraser Valley area for low-rises, townhomes, and single-family homes.

Ankita Khurana, Colliers International

Ankita has over 13 years of work experience across real estate focused acquisition, development & asset management, corporate finance and advisory. She supports Colliers’ Consulting and Strategy Group with detailed financial analysis and underwriting oversight for real estate advisory, ongoing development & asset management and due diligence, including liaising with lenders, legal advisors, project contractors, development managers and civic planning staff on a variety of real estate development concerns. She is an expert at developing financial strategies that ensure assets provide affordable rents and positive cash flows to support both the community and the organization’s financial needs.

Brandon Selina, Colliers International

Brandon is a Victoria native, and graduated, as a Dean’s List recipient with distinction, from the University of Victoria, where Brandon completed his Bachelor of Commerce degree. Brandon specialized in Service Management where he learned about strategy, operations, marketing, technology, and human resource management from a service perspective. Utilizing the key elements Brandon has learned, he can deliver a differentiated and exceptional service experience to his clients.

Prior to starting his career in brokerage, Brandon gained exposure to business development, valuation, capital markets, marketing, research, conveyancing, and debt financing through completing two co-operative work terms with Colliers International. Brandon’s previous experience gives him an excellent understanding of the Victoria market, accelerating his success in commercial real estate.

Brandon has focused his efforts on the investment market, where he has formed a robust understanding of an investment transaction from inception to completion. Brandon has accomplished several notable investment and land transactions, specializing in residential land redevelopment. His attention to the ongoing changes to the various official community plans, local area plans and gentrification of specific geographical areas in Greater Victoria allows him to find and present unique opportunities for redevelopment to his clients.

Brandon has underwritten over $700 million in asset value during his previous role as an analyst and has been involved in over $415 million in sale transactions in his first four (4) years as a broker to date.

Nima Rohani, McConnan Bion O’Connor and Peterson

Nima was born and raised in Victoria and has a strong network of family and friends in the community. He attended the University of Victoria where he received his undergraduate degree in anthropology before venturing to Australia to gain his law degree at James Cook University.

Nima joined McConnan Bion O’Connor and Peterson in 2016 and began building his own solicitor practice. His primary legal interests are in real estate law and construction law, as he has had hands-on experience working with trades, engineers, and homeowners.

Outside of the office, Nima frequents the gym and plays several sports including basketball, golf, squash, and tennis. He is an avid sports fan and enjoys visiting America to attend NFL games. He has also traveled the world and hopes to visit every continent at some point in his life.

Mike Achtem, Islander Engineering

Mike is a registered Professional Engineer and a graduate of Queens University. With over 30 years of experience, Mike is an expert at consulting on land development and municipal infrastructure projects throughout BC.

He is also a certified Project Management Professional as well as a certified Contract Administrator with the Master Municipal Construction Association.

Mike takes a value-added approach to all his projects, striving to provide clients with a results-orientated blend of cost and functionality. His clients include First Nations, municipalities, property managers, mining and forestry companies, federal and provincial governments, law firms, land developers and builders.

Liam Fast, D.R. Coell and Associates

Liam Fast is an accredited Appraiser with D.R. Coell and Associates Inc. He has over 8 years of real estate appraisal experience and over a decade of experience working in appraisal offices. Liam was awarded the AACI, P.App designation in early-2019 and has experience in the valuation of a broad range of property types, specializing in commercial property assessment appeal and advisory, rent arbitrations and negotiations, land and development property appraisals and litigation work.

Mark Holland, Westplan Consulting Group
Faculty Chair

Deana Grinnell, Canada Lands Corp.

Deana Grinnell is Executive Vice President, Real Estate, responsible for leading the successful management of the portfolio of real estate and development properties across the country and has a key role in fostering CLC’s partnerships with First Nations. Locally, Deana’s team is guiding the planning and development of the Jericho Lands and the Heather Street Lands into sustainable new neighbourhoods, working in partnership with the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. Deana draws from her background in award-winning real estate development, advancing sustainability, and public sector policy and planning. Deana is a Registered Professional Planner and completed her Masters in Community and Regional Planning at UBC.

Jennifer Kay, TownSquare

TownSquare is a planning consultancy based in Victoria, BC, providing professional land use, development, community engagement and comprehensive development planning services. Specializing in community and land use planning, TownSquare has extensive experience working for both public and private sector clients and engaging communities in long-range visioning and planning initiatives. Offering project management and coordination, TownSquare leads interdisciplinary teams through the complex development application and approval processes to successful results. TownSquare also works with communities, local governments and non-profit organizations to help realize long-range, sustainable planning vision and policy. Principal Planner, Jennifer Kay, MCIP, RPP, has over 20 years of experience leading land use planning and community engagement initiatives, with project experience in brownfield site planning, heritage revitalization initiatives, community planning, comprehensive development rezoning applications and land use planning bylaw development. Jennifer’s experience leading interdisciplinary consultant teams and community planning programs rests on her project management, communication and community engagement skills. Trained as an urban geographer, Jennifer completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Victoria, and her graduate studies at UBC’s School of Community and Regional Planning. Jennifer graduated as the head of her class, winning the H. Peter Oberlander Medal and Prize in 2001. Years of project experience since, in both public and private practices, has centred within the Capital Region and focused on delivering incremental additions to the city-building process. Jennifer is a skilled communicator, an astute listener with the ability to help convey complex land use and planning issues through meaningful dialogue and concise distillation. Winner of the 2019 PIBC Gold Award for Excellence in Planning, City & Urban Areas, the Nigel Valley Neighbourhood Plan will guide redevelopment of a 9-acre site in Saanich, BC into an innovative mixed-use neighbourhood of market and non-market housing and care uses. At the time, the project represented the largest single investment in affordable housing on Vancouver Island ($250 million), and the largest project led by BC Housing from conception to development, with a proposed gain of 275 non-market housing units and introduction of new market units.

Julie Brown, D’AMBROSIO architecture + urbanism

Architect, Senior Urban Designer and Project Manager

For 15 years Julie has worked on a wide range of architectural and urban design projects at DAU. She is a registered architect that has developed expertise in comprehensive planning through her involvement on small and large projects throughout BC including residential, commercial and brownfield development, town plans, active transportation plans, for both non-profits and private developers.

Most recently, Julie has successfully led the planning and detailed urban design for the Nigel Valley Neighbourhood Development; this complex project demonstrates an exemplary level of sustainability, accessibility and housing integration. The Nigel Valley Plan was recognized by the Planning Institute of BC as the 2019 Gold Winner for Excellence in Planning Practice for City and Urban Areas.

Julie is currently leading a comprehensive planning and urban design process for a 7-acre block to accommodate a wide mix of uses and public spaces in Victoria’s Rock Bay District.

Justin Filuk, Starlight Developments

Justin has over 15 years of experience in real estate development with a focus on project execution including acquisition, approvals, project design and construction oversight. Justin’s experience spans both the public and private sectors where he has worked on boutique infill developments, affordable housing projects and large multiphase master planned communities including the notable Hudson District in Victoria. Justin’s holds a Master’s degree in planning and urban design from the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Environmental Design and he currently serves as a member of the board for UDI Capital Region and actively contributes to stakeholder groups and educational sessions in the industry.

Michael Mortensen MA, MCIP RPP

MICHAEL MORTENSEN is a city planner, urban development consultant and teacher, and a passionate advocate for liveable cities. In 2016 he founded Liveable City Planning Ltd. with more than two decades of planning and development experience. A developer and a Member of the Canadian Institute of Planners, Michael understands private and public interests. In Vancouver, he worked in public service for a decade – first with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and subsequently with the City of Vancouver as a Senior Planner overseeing the review of major projects. His private sector experience includes transformative, mixed-use projects at scale in Vancouver and Toronto and international experience leading development teams in Grosvenor Great Britain & Ireland with projects in their London UK head office and in Edinburgh Scotland. Michael has served on the City of Vancouver’s Development Permit Board and the City of Surrey’s Urban Design Panel. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business, teaching an MBA course in Real Estate Economics, Pro Formas, and Urban Planning. He also teaches a Real Estate Development course for Simon Fraser University’s City Program. Michael serves on several boards including Urbanarium; Lambda Alpha International; Great Northern Way Trust; Small Housing BC and Vancouver Farmers Markets.

Mark Holland, Westplan Consulting Group
Faculty Chair

Morgan Brewster, CMSI Pacific

Morgan Brewster began his financial career with the Financial Institutions Commission of British Columbia, the government regulator of Mortgage Brokers. He joined CMSI Pacific in 2013. A managing partner at CMSI Pacific, Morgan has been involved in the origination, underwriting, placement, and closing of more than $4 Billion of commercial mortgages across all classes, including term and construction financing of retail, office, industrial and multi-family residential. Additionally, Morgan is responsible for the overall management of the company and its strategic direction.

Morgan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Calgary, and the Canadian Investment Manager designation from Canada Securities Institute. He is also a registered sub-mortgage broker in British Columbia and licensed Associate Broker in Alberta.

Morgan is an active volunteer with South Vancouver Little League and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Crescent Beach Swimming Club.

My Phung, Phung Horwood

My Phung has been active in the Real Estate Appraisal Industry since 2000. She spent several years appraising & consulting on large commercial properties, including National & International accommodation portfolios, and continues to work on a diverse and broad range of commercial assignments. In addition to completing Market Value (IC&I) appraisals, My also provides Depreciation Reports (Reserve Fund Studies) for strata corporations and Insurance appraisals for many properties and clients in the Greater Victoria and Lower Vancouver Island regions. She has extensive experience in preparing and analyzing financial statements, budgets and pro forma and holds the Accredited Appraiser (AACI) designation through the Appraisal Institute of Canada. My holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Victoria and has also completed the educational requirements for a Bachelor of Business in Real Estate from the University of British Columbia. Additionally, she has been granted the Certified Reserve Planner (CRP) designation awarded by the Real Estate Institute of Canada.

Mack Carson, Canada ICI

Mack Carson is Director of Mortgage Origination at Canada ICI Capital, one of Canada’s leading commercial real estate finance companies. He works closely with private investors, developers, private equity firms, and institutional clients from across Canada to place market-leading debt and equity capital on a broad range of commercial real estate assets. In his time with Canada ICI, Mack has been involved in securing over $800 million in capital for clients with a focus on multifamily, industrial, commercial, and land financing across British Columbia and Alberta.

Canada ICI provides capital for Borrower clients from 29 exclusive internal lending pools, and from strong relationships with over 120 other lenders across Canada. In 2021 over $7.2 Billion in funds were originated for clients across 650 deals (1.5 deals a day). Canada ICI is also a CMHC Approved lender and broker and placed over $2.1 Billion in CMHC insured capital for multifamily projects across Canada last year.

Mack holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance (First Class) from University of Alberta, serves as a member of the UDI Liaison for Colwood, and is a registered mortgage broker in British Columbia and Alberta.

William Wright, Director – Commercial Real Estate, RBC

Will Wright is a Director on RBC’s Commercial Real Estate Team. He manages a portfolio of over 30 real estate clients across British Columbia. RBC focuses on cash flow based lending with an emphasis on project pro-forma metrics. In his role, Will structures and negotiates lending for all phases of real estate development including, predevelopment, construction and stabilized income producing secured lending. Will has worked on a number of complex transactions including leasehold lending on First Nations land, syndicated high rise construction financing and predevelopment loans for multi-phase master planned communities.

Will has undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Victoria and an MBA from the University of Toronto.

Mark Holland, Westplan Consulting Group
Faculty Chair

Nima Rohani, McConnan Bion O’Connor and Peterson

Jeremy Burgess, Reed Pope Law Corporation

Jeremy A. Burgess is a Litigation Associate of Reed Pope Law Corporation and practices as a corporate commercial litigator focusing primarily on disputes concerning real property, construction, contracts, and intra- and inter-company disputes including:

Builders’ liens in residential and commercial construction (and related collections and litigation efforts)
Negligent construction (contractual disputes, negligent construction disputes, undisclosed defects, and deficiencies)
Disputes related to real property interests and rights (easements, trespass, encroachment concerns)
Contractual disputes (fights over provision of services, interpretation of contracts, demands for performance, termination)
Collapsed and troubled real property purchases (patent and latent defects, claims for specific performance); an
Commercial lease disputes (interpretation, termination, seeking damages or orders for possession).

Before joining Reed Pope, Jeremy practiced as a corporate commercial litigator in the Okanagan for 10 years where he represented clients in the Provincial Court of British Columbia, Supreme Court of British Columbia, and British Columbia Court of Appeal. He also practiced part-time for many years as a contractor for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada where he was frequently before the Provincial Court of British Columbia and Supreme Court of British Columbia.

Andrew Tomilson, Cox Taylor

Andrew Tomilson is a contracts lawyer at the law firm Cox Taylor in Victoria, BC. Andrew works with all types of clients in the industry, including owners, general contractors, subcontractors, and material suppliers. As well as acting as project counsel for clients, he provides planning and strategy advice on all aspects of construction projects, including contract drafting, procurement, and liens.

Mark Holland, Westplan Consulting Group
Faculty Chair

Cory Gain

Corine (Cory) Gain is an unusual hybrid of community planner and corporate records and information management professional. She enjoys helping people in their quest for answers and solutions. With a Bachelor of Arts in Economic Geography, a Professional Specialization Certificate in Local Government Management, Membership in the Canadian Institute of Planners, over twenty-five combined years of experience in planning and corporate administration supported by extensive practical knowledge and skills, Cory now puts her unique perspective and problem-solving skills to work as a consultant to local governments and others who need assistance navigating local government processes. She has a passion for establishing policies, procedures and land use bylaws that result in improved outcomes and customer satisfaction; she enjoys creating context-sensitive planning and regulatory solutions supported by communication materials that improve user comprehension and increase community engagement.

Jarret Manatowitsch

Director of Planning and Building Services, Central Saanich, BC

Greg Gillespie

Greg is a creative and passionate land use consultant with proven success in land use and project management at a senior level. He offers 16 years of extensive leadership and real estate experience delivering end-to-end land management expertise in acquisitions, permitting and municipal affairs across multiple geographic regions.

Greg is an accredited Project Management Professional. He currently chairs Saanich’s Advisory Design Panel and is an active board member of the UDI Capital Region. As Founder of Gillespie Land Management, Greg has led a broad spectrum of successful projects, including residential revenue portfolios, telecommunications networks, waste-to-energy facilities and multifamily/mixed-use developments.

Mark Holland, Westplan Consulting Group
Faculty Chair

Shane Moore, Ryzuk Geotechnical

Shane Moore started his career with Ryzuk Geotechnical in the year 2000. In 2008, he and his partners purchased Ryzuk Geotechnical and Shane became the President and General Manager, helping to grow the company from only 12 staff members to a bustling business of 53! Bringing over 26 years of experience in geotechnical and hydrotechnical projects throughout British Columbia, Shane enjoys spending time in the field as well as in the office. While most of his work is centralized in BC, it has taken him as far abroad as Japan and Grand Turk.

Dr. Katie Cummer

Dr. Katie Cummer has a wide range of knowledge and expertise in the field of heritage conservation. Principal of Cummer Heritage Consulting (CHC), her expertise includes conservation planning, educational programming and heritage-focused research. She is an active researcher and writer, working throughout the province, conducting assessments of sites to facilitate informed decision-making, including Heritage Values Assessments, Statements of Significance and Heritage Conservation Plans. She has authored and co-authored a number of academic papers, books, book chapters and consultancy studies on topics related to heritage conservation, including adaptive reuse, area conservation planning, the Historic Urban Landscape approach, interpretation, policy studies and recommendations on best practice for official Government use. She is a Professional Member of the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals (CAHP), accredited for the Education, History and Planning specializations. She is also a Professional Member of The Hong Kong Institute of Architectural Conservationists (HKICON). She is the Vice President of the BC Association of Heritage Professionals (BCAHP) and a recent Member of the Heritage Advisory Panel for the City of Victoria.

Shannon Murray, Talmack Urban Forestry

Shannon Murray (she/her) is an ISA qualified tree risk assessor and certified arborist working as a project arborist at Talmack Urban Forestry Consultants. After completing her Bachelors of Science in Ecology from the University of Guelph, Shannon moved to Victoria in 2019 to work as a climbing arborist. Transitioning to a consulting arborist role in 2021, Shannon works with private land developers and local municipalities on various urban development projects. Her role includes designing and implementing tree protection strategies to ensure compliance with local bylaws to retain and enhance the urban forest.

Nadine King, WATT

Nadine has recently been appointed Vice President, Transportation at WATT. This role includes managing and supporting a transportation team of thirty spread across five offices in Western Canada. Nadine’s 23 years of experience spans multiple provinces and clients from private developers to municipal and provincial government, in traffic operations as well as transportation planning and design. Nadine’s projects range from construction traffic control plans to site impact studies for new developments and network / community transportation master plans. As a senior transportation engineer, Nadine has worked on small to large scale planning operational assessment using Synchro, SIDRA, and VISUM to analyze traffic conditions and evaluate network options. She has experience with concept to detail designs for signage and pavement markings, adding lanes, and roundabouts as well as bicycle, sidewalk, and trail design. Nadine is also experienced in developing plans that integrate various user groups to create multi-modal networks that work for all users. She is experienced with traffic signal timing, signal coordination plans, railway crossing assessments, and parking.

Kyle Taylor

Since 2007, Kyle has been the Sustainable Development Coordinator for Westhills Land Corp, developers of the 517-acre master-planned Westhills community in Langford, BC. In addition to land-use planning, and environmental permitting, he has experience in corporate and community environmental impact assessments as well as renewable energy and utility infrastructure systems. Kyle holds a B.Sc. in Environmental Science from Royal Roads University and is a LEED Accredited Professional.

Begum Eryilmaz, Oasis Landscape Design

Begum Eryilmaz, founder of Oasis Landscape Design, is a world-renowned landscape designer from Europe who offers a global perspective of garden design with both modern and traditional touches. She believes that dramatic and sculptural landscaping should tell a story and add value to architectural projects. Begum, along with her professional team have completed numerous local and international projects.

Nathan Dunlop, McElhanney

Nathan is a civil engineer who leads the Land Development Division in McElhanney’s Victoria office. His experience ranges from small site servicing projects to large, multi-year, multi-phase developments within the CRD. He has also worked for municipalities as an owner’s engineer.
Established in 1910, McElhanney is the oldest employee-owned engineering and geomatics firm in Canada, providing surveying, engineering, GIS & remote sensing, community planning, landscape architecture, and environmental services. We have 30+ locations across Western Canada that service cities, communities & parks, energy & resources, and transportation sectors.

Ian Sander, McElhanney

Ian is a civil engineer currently leading McElhanney’s Victoria office as Branch Manager. He has over 25 years of civil engineering experience, in both private sector consulting and public service environments. Ian has acted as project manager and the design engineer for many large development projects including Belmont Market, Royal Oak Middle School redevelopment and various phases within Bear Mountain. He was the former Manager of Capital Projects at the CRD where he managed multi-discipline, multi-stakeholder infrastructure projects.

Greg Damant, Cascadia Architects

Gregory Damant is a registered architect, a LEED accredited professional, and Principal of Cascadia Architects. Born in South Africa and raised in Victoria, Greg received his architectural degree and trained with firms in Vancouver and Victoria prior to founding Cascadia Architects with Peter Johannknecht in 2012.

Greg brings a holistic interest in design and construction to the practice of architecture, combining attention to urban-design, environmental sustainability and the craft of material and connection detailing.

Mark Holland, Westplan Consulting Group
Faculty Chair

Gary Pooni – President, Pooni Group

In his role as president, Gary drives the firm’s growth and guides major client projects as strategic lead. With over twenty years of planning-related experience, he has spearheaded some of the country’s most significant projects throughout Metro Vancouver, Vancouver Island, the Sea to Sky corridor, Alberta and Ontario. His expertise includes strategic guidance, policy planning, public consultation and entitlement negotiation. Often recognized as the man behind the Lower Mainland’s most complex projects, Gary was listed as a “change-maker and power player shaping our world” in Vancouver Magazine’s 2022 and 2023 Power 50 List.

Gary sits on the board of the Urban Development Institute Membership Committee, both in Vancouver and the Capital Regional District, and is an annual instructor for the UDI School of Development. He is also passionate about his community and has been part of several charitable boards including the Vancouver Canucks Alumni Foundation, Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation, LiveBIG Society, and PacWest Academy Soccer. Gary also has a family non-profit group that works on several community initiatives annually.

Gary holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Design (Planning) from the University of Calgary and a B.A. in Geography from Simon Fraser University, and is a member of the Canadian Institute of Planners.

Blair Chisholm – COO, Pooni Group

Blaire is the Chief Operating Officer of the Pooni group, an urban planning and communication company. She has over 20 years of experience in Planning, Community Engagement, and Communications for projects that require a deep understanding of community and public policy context. At Pooni, she has guided hundreds of ventures through all phases of the development process in over 25 Canadian municipalities to ensure that community voices are heard and understood. Blaire has been facilitating the conversation around city building since 2007 at Pooni Group. She leads the planning team and manages clients’ largest redevelopment projects.

Blaire is a Director with the NAIOP BC chapter, co-chairing the Government Relations Committee, a board member with the Canadian Institute of Planners Planning Student Trust Fund, and an active committee member for the Bloom Group (a non-profit housing and service provider for the most vulnerable people in need) and the Arts Umbrella (a non-profit centre for arts education).

Prior to joining Pooni Group, Blaire gained ten years of experience with non-governmental environmental organizations, architectural, research and policy consultancies, across Canada. She graduated from McGill University with a Master of Urban Planning and the University of Alberta with a Bachelor in Environmental Science. In her downtime she enjoys skiing the local mountains with her family and friends.

Laura Beveridge – Associate, Pooni Group

As an Associate at Pooni Group, Laura’s role focuses on strategic advice, project management, public and stakeholder engagement, municipal policy expertise, and due diligence & highest and best use analysis. Her areas of expertise include: Project Coordination & Management, Public Engagement & Communications, Stakeholder Engagement, Policy Research & Analysis, Due Diligence, and Graphic Design.

Katie Pystchula – Marketing Manager, Pooni Group

Katie Pystchula is the Marking Coordinator at Pooni Group, one of Vancouver’s most experienced Urban Planning and Communications firms specializing in public engagement. In her role Katie supports the Pooni Group team with a focus on social and digital media adding value to both the clients and the communities the company works with. Katie recently developed Pooni Group’s online open house platform which has resulted in a number of highly successful online events.

In addition to a background in fitness and counselling, Katie has a Social Media and Digital Marketing Certificate through British Columbia Institute of Technology. Her diverse background has shaped her belief in the importance of clear and concise presentation for effective communication.

Katie stays informed about industry trends while helping to strategize and implement new ways to reach a broader audience as part of Pooni Group’s engagement initiatives. As a millennial and a renter who is passionate about the future of Vancouver’s housing market, Katie hopes to remove barriers in the public engagement process through the integration of digital platforms.

Mark Holland, Westplan Consulting Group
Faculty Chair

Real Estate Development (RED) Management Certificate Program 2021-2022

Mark Holland, Faculty Chair

Adam Cooper, Abstract Developments

As the Director of Community Planning and Development, Adam oversees all land entitlement approvals through local government processes and is responsible for working with local residents and community associations to ensure their feedback is considered in Abstract’s development applications.

With a keen interest in urban planning, Adam earned his Master of Arts Degree in Planning at the University of British Columbia and is now an accredited Professional Planner. Following his studies Adam worked as a Transportation Planner with Campus and Community Planning at UBC and also served as a Senior Transportation Planner at BC Transit. Following this experience in the public sector Adam moved to Seymour Pacific Developments and served as a Development Manager for several years before joining Abstract Developments.

Greg Gillespie, Mike Geric Construction

Greg is a highly-skilled project manager with a depth of expertise in land use, acquisitions, municipal affairs and community consultation. He is responsible for end-to-end development management for Mike Geric Construction projects.

Justin Filuk, Starlight Investments

Mark Holland, Faculty Chair

Ankita Khurana, Colliers International

Jaraad Marani, Colliers International

Jaraad has expertise in urban planning, market research, public policy, development work and non-profit capacity building. A master of relationship management, he is able to take on any project challenge with clear and concise process simultaneous to ensuring timelines are met and communication remains open among all project stakeholders. Jaraad is currently working with a number of not for profits, charities and private clients to deliver much needed affordable rental housing throughout various municipalities in British Columbia. The portfolio is in various stages of approvals, construction and completion with targeted delivery of over 850 rental units by 2022.

Mark Holland, Faculty Chair

Brandon Selina, Colliers International

Mike Achtem, Islander Engineering

He is also a certified Project Management Professional as well as a certified Contract Administrator with the Master Municipal Construction Association.

Liam Fast, D.R. Coell & Associates

Nima Rohani, McConnan Bion O’Connor and Peterson

Mark Holland, Faculty Chair

Deana Grinnell, Canada Lands Company

Justin Filuk, Starlight Investments

Jennifer Kay, TownSquare

Principal Planner, Jennifer Kay, MCIP, RPP, has over 20 years of experience leading land use planning and community engagement initiatives, with project experience in brownfield site planning, heritage revitalization initiatives, community planning, comprehensive development rezoning applications and land use planning bylaw development.

Jennifer’s experience leading interdisciplinary consultant teams and community planning programs rests on her project management, communication and community engagement skills. Trained as an
urban geographer, Jennifer completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Victoria, and her graduate studies at UBC’s School of Community and Regional Planning. Jennifer graduated as the head of her class, winning the H. Peter Oberlander Medal and Prize in 2001. Years of project experience since, in both public and private practices, has centred within the Capital Region and focused on delivering incremental additions to the city-building process. Jennifer is a skilled communicator, an astute listener with the ability to help convey complex land use and planning issues through meaningful dialogue and concise distillation.

Winner of the 2019 PIBC Gold Award for Excellence in Planning, City & Urban Areas, the Nigel Valley Neighbourhood Plan will guide redevelopment of a 9-acre site in Saanich, BC into an innovative mixed-use neighbourhood of market and non-market housing and care uses. At the time, the project represented the largest single investment in affordable housing on Vancouver Island ($250 million), and the largest project led by BC Housing from conception to development, with a proposed gain of 275 non-market housing units and introduction of new market units.

Julie Brown, D’Ambrosio Architecture + Urbanism

Julie is currently leading a comprehensive planning and urban design process for a 7 acre block to accommodate a wide mix of uses and public spaces in Victoria’s Rock Bay District.

Michael Mortensen MA, MCIP RPP, Liveable City Planning

Mark Holland, Faculty Chair

Morgan Brewster, CMSI Pacific

Morgan is an active volunteer with South Vancouver Little League and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Crescent Beach Swimming Club.

David Eger, Altus Group

David Eger has been providing professional services since 1989. David’s experiences with appraisals are inclusive of financial institutions, major real estate development companies, pension funds, and for professional firms of lawyers and accountants. He specializes in the preparation of detailed Development Pro Formas using Argus Developer, and the valuation of complex and larger sized income producing real estate assets.

Ruta Praulina, Altus Group

Director, Cost & Project Management

With more than a decade of experience in the Canadian and British Real Estate Markets, Ruta’s comprehensive understanding of the property industry has developed whilst working with all members within the development process from sub trades to financial institutions. A leader of the Due Diligence Monitoring group in Western Canada, Ruta is a goal orientated professional with proven commercial aptitude, communication, presentation, time management and people management skills.

My Phung, Phung Horwood

AJ Delisle, RBC Bank

As Vice President of Real Estate for RBC Royal Bank in British Columbia, AJ Delisle leads a team of 16 real estate experts dedicated to providing financial advice and services to developers, investors and community builders across the province. AJ joined RBC as a Commercial Account Manager in Business Financial Services in 2009. Four years later, he moved to the Real Estate team, progressing from a Financing Specialist to a Senior Commercial Account Manager and then to a Director. In 2020, he was appointed Community Manager of the Victoria Core market, overseeing the operations and business development of three retail branches. He returned to Vancouver to lead the Real Estate team in 2021. AJ earned his MBA from the UBC Sauder School of Business and his BComm from the University of Northern British Columbia. He is a CPA, CMA and CFP. In 2019, AJ received the Leo Award, RBC’s most prestigious honour. AJ is also a passionate community volunteer. He has twice been a cabinet member for RBC’s annual BC Employee Giving Campaign. Additionally, AJ regularity participates in the annual RBC Race for the Kids fundraiser for BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, and has personally raised more than $25,000 since 2020.

Mark Holland, Faculty Chair

Nima Rohani, McConnan Bion O’Connor and Peterson

Thomas McLachlan, Reed Pope

Thomas S. McLachlan is a Principal of Reed Pope Law Corporation and practices in the firm’s Real Estate Law Group focusing primarily on real estate development advice and services including real estate development marketing and sales, strata corporation development and governance, resort offerings, as well as all aspects of land titles practice. Thomas’ practice also includes business and construction law including incorporations, financing, commercial leasing, commercial agreements, buying and selling businesses, review and drafting of construction contracts, and providing advice on builders’ lien claims and compliance under the Builders Lien Act.

Before joining Reed Pope, Thomas articled at a boutique law firm in downtown Vancouver specializing in construction litigation where he represented clients in British Columbia’s Provincial and Supreme Court. Thomas enjoys spending his free time playing music, camping with his family, and running.

Jeremy Burgess, Reed Pope

Builders’ liens in residential and commercial construction (and related collections and litigation efforts)
Negligent construction (contractual disputes, negligent construction disputes, undisclosed defects, and deficiencies)
Disputes related to real property interests and rights (easements, trespass, encroachment concerns)
Contractual disputes (fights over provision of services, interpretation of contracts, demands for performance, termination)
Collapsed and troubled real property purchases (patent and latent defects, claims for specific performance); an
Commercial lease disputes (interpretation, termination, seeking damages or orders for possession).

Mark Holland, Faculty Chair

Dr. Katie Cummer, Cummer Heritage Consulting (CHC)
Dr. Katie Cummer has a wide range of knowledge and expertise in the field of heritage conservation. Principal of Cummer Heritage Consulting (CHC), her expertise includes conservation planning, educational programming and heritage-focused research. She is an active researcher and writer, working throughout the province, conducting assessments of sites to facilitate informed decision-making, including Heritage Values Assessments, Statements of Significance and Heritage Conservation Plans. She has authored and co-authored a number of academic papers, books, book chapters and consultancy studies on topics related to heritage conservation, including adaptive reuse, area conservation planning, the Historic Urban Landscape approach, interpretation, policy studies and recommendations on best practice for official Government use. She is a Professional Member of the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals (CAHP), accredited for the Education, History and Planning specializations. She is also a Professional Member of The Hong Kong Institute of Architectural Conservationists (HKICON). She is the Vice President of the BC Association of Heritage Professionals (BCAHP) and a recent Member of the Heritage Advisory Panel for the City of Victoria.

Julie Budgen, Corvidae Environmental Consulting

Julie Budgen has been working in the environmental field since 1997. Her most memorable job was working on Richard Branson’s private island as the wildlife biologist for lemurs, giant tortoises and more. Julie specializes in project management, planning and regulations, report writing and reviewing for Environmental Impact Assessments, vegetation assessments, restoration and bioengineering. She has managed several hundred projects for municipal projects, mining, oil and gas facilities, roads and bridges, wind farms, linear developments, and private land developments in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. She has worked in marine and freshwater environments for the past 10 years, monitoring, assessing shorelines and riparian areas. Providing protection plans for riparian, foreshore and marine environments. Her favourite of all these areas is native plant reclamation and soil handling techniques to minimize the projects’ impact on the environment. Julie has worked with the clients and regulators (local and provincial) to ensure environmental impacts are minimized and regulations are met in a timely manner to get project approval.

Lindsay Chase, MCP, MCIP, RPP

Lindsay Chase, MCP, MCIP, RPP is a Director of Development Services and Approving Officer on southern Vancouver Island, BC. She is also a PhD Candidate at the University of Victoria and an Adjunct Professor at Vancouver Island University. She brings a deep interest in community building, policy and process management to her planning practice. She has served as President of the Planning Institute of British Columbia and Vice-President of the Canadian Institute of Planners. She currently sits on the Professional Standards Board for the planning profession in Canada. In her spare time she can be found in the library or on the local trails and beaches with Garbo, her cocker spaniel.

Sheriff Hossain, Kleanza Consulting

Based out of Kleanza’s Vancouver office, as an Archaeological Field Director and Project Manager, Sheriff is responsible for managing field crews, liaising with clients and First Nations, as well as reporting and analysis. He’s undertaken fieldwork across BC, as well as the Northwest Territories, and Ontario.

Kleanza is one of the leading archaeological consulting firms in BC. With four offices located in Vancouver, Vancouver Island (Bowser), Terrace, and Prince Rupert, Kleanza specializes in archaeological and heritage services to First Nations, governments and municipalities, industry, private landowners, and developers.

Nadine King, Watt Consulting Group

Nadine’s 20 years of experience spans multiple provinces and clients from private developers to municipal and provincial government, in traffic operations as well as transportation planning and design. Nadine’s projects range from construction traffic control plans to site impact studies for new developments and network / community transportation master plans. As a senior transportation engineer with WATT, Nadine has worked on small to large scale planning operational assessment using Synchro, SIDRA, and VISUM to analyze traffic conditions and evaluate network options. She has experience with concept to detail designs for signage and pavement markings, adding lanes, and roundabouts as well as bicycle, sidewalk, and trail design. Nadine is also experienced in developing plans that integrate various user groups to create multi-modal networks. She is experienced with traffic signal timing, signal coordination plans, railway crossing assessments, and parking.

Shane Moore, Ryzuk Geotechnical

Owen Jiang, Ryzuk Geotechnical

Owen has a Doctorate of Philosophy, in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Victoria. He has been working with Ryzuk Geotechnical since 2021 and has enjoyed bringing his expertise in numerical simulation and programming, laboratory testing, earthquake engineering, foundation engineering, structural dynamics and ocean engineering, to the team.

Nathan Dunlop, McElhanney

Established in 1910, McElhanney is the oldest employee-owned engineering and geomatics firm in Canada, providing surveying, engineering, GIS & remote sensing, community planning, landscape architecture, and environmental services. We have 30+ locations across Western Canada that service cities, communities & parks, energy & resources, and transportation sectors.

Ian Sander, McElhanney

Ian is a civil engineer currently leading McElhanney’s Victoria office as Branch Manager. He has over 25 years of civil engineering experience, in both private sector consulting and public service environments. Ian has acted as project manager and the design engineer for many large development projects including Belmont Market, Royal Oak Middle School redevelopment and various phases within Bear Mountain. He was the former Manager of Capital Projects at the CRD where he managed multi-discipline, multi-stakeholder infrastructure projects.

Mark Holland, Faculty Chair

Gary Pooni, Pooni Group

Gary sits on the board of the Urban Development Institute Membership Committee, both in Vancouver and the Capitol Regional District, and is an annual instructor for the UDI School of Development. He is also passionate about his community, and has been part of several charitable boards including the Vancouver Canucks Alumni Foundation, Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation, LiveBIG Society, and PacWest Academy Soccer. Gary also has a family non-profit group that works on several community initiatives annually.

Blaire Chisholm, Pooni Group

Mark Holland, Faculty Chair

Sarah Henderson, Aryze Developments

With more than 7 years experience leading sales programs throughout the city, Sarah oversees all aspects of the customer experience at Aryze as the Director of Sales & Leasing. With 8 developments launched, Sarah has a firm understanding of the Pre-Sales cycle and the pivotal interdepartmental relationships that bring everything together. Bringing forth a decade of previous experience in Hotel Management, Sarah and her team prioritize relationships, complimented by strong process and strategy to execute some of the most successful sales programs in the city.

Rory Kulmala, Vancouver Island Construction Association

Rory has been working the construction scene throughout Canada for the last 25 years but primarily in the West as a general contractor and owner for both public and private sectors. In addition to his experience, he has accreditation as an Applied Science Technologist and a PMP, including an MBA.

Megan O’Leary, Megan O’Leary Consulting

With a uniquely diversified background in Sales and Marketing in Real Estate Development, Megan has been involved in the planning, execution and completion of sales and marketing programs with over 20 condominium and townhome developments throughout Victoria, Vancouver, and Toronto. After working as an employee for developers for over 15 years, she then started Megan O’Leary Consulting, a development sales consulting company and now also works as a Licensed Realtor at Newport Realty. She achieved her undergraduate degree from the University of Victoria, Digital Marketing Management at BCIT and completed her Real Estate Trading Services License at the Sauder School of Business, UBC.

Brandon Williams – Principal + Marketing Strategist, Wildfire

Brandon Williams has more than a decade of experience leading real estate marketing programs with a strong emphasis on both project pre-sales and leasing campaigns. Specializing in the development of brand and marketing strategies, her knowledge and experience spans the complete project marketing cycle – from market analysis, product consultation, and identity development – to communications, sales strategy, and homeowner engagement.

A goal-oriented professional, Brandon works with a growing list of forward-thinking real estate development clients across the region and has been involved in the strategic development and execution of marketing programs for more than 30 multi and single-family projects, totaling 1,000+ homes. She has led in the establishment of multiple award-winning marketing and advertising campaigns both within and outside of the real estate industry. In 2014, she founded Wildfire, a boutique marketing and branding agency based in Victoria, BC.