We’re thrilled to announce the winners of our Fall 2025 UrbanPlan volunteer incentive raffle! This program recognizes the dedicated volunteers who generously share their time and expertise with Bay Area high school students, helping them understand how development decisions shape our communities.

Congratulations to our latest winners:

• Thomas Jajeh
• Jen Hembree (repeat winner!)
• Marta Ripoll
• Kathleen Kavanaugh (repeat winner!)
• Lynn Chock (repeat winner!)

Each winner can select from prizes including ULI membership, ULI event stipends, ULI Learning stipends, travel to upcoming Spring or Fall meetings, or two tickets to our Housing the Bay Summit on April 15.

Why Our Volunteers Give Back

We asked some of our winners to share what motivates them to volunteer with UrbanPlan. Their responses capture the heart of why this program matters:

Marta Ripoll shares: “I volunteer with UrbanPlan because I want students to understand how real estate development shapes their communities. When students learn this early, they’re empowered to be more engaged citizens, make informed decisions about the places they live, and explore careers in urban planning, real estate, policy, and urban design. It’s incredibly rewarding to help spark that awareness and curiosity.”

Thomas Jajeh explains: “I volunteer for UrbanPlan because it is a meaningful way to give back by helping students understand how real world development decisions get made and how they shape communities. After years working in commercial real estate, especially on entitlements, mixed use projects, and public private coordination, I know how complex those tradeoffs really are, and I enjoy translating that experience into something students can grasp and apply. My education trained me to look at both the financial and human sides of development, and UrbanPlan lets me pass that lens on to the next generation. It is rewarding to watch students wrestle with competing priorities, build confidence in their ideas, and see that good planning can balance financial, political, and social goals for the long term.”

Join Our Volunteer Team

Inspired by our winners? We’d love to have you join the UrbanPlan volunteer community! Our next volunteer training is scheduled for February 6th in Berkeley. This training will prepare you to work with high school students in the Spring 2026 semester.

Spring semester volunteer opportunities will be announced in early February, so stay tuned for ways to get involved. Whether you’re a seasoned real estate professional or new to the field, your expertise can make a lasting impact on the next generation of urban thinkers and community leaders.

Thank you to all our Fall 2025 volunteers for making UrbanPlan possible, and congratulations again to our incentive winners!