Lisa Thom

When I first joined the WLI Connects program, I was given an opportunity to connect with a great group of women at various stages of their careers across the property industry. The conversations we had were frank and encouraging, despite the difficulties we face as an industry right now.

Over our first year, these women helped me navigate a difficult project, changing jobs and getting into Business School. We’ve become more than just colleagues and developed great friendships. We even decided to stay together as a group for our second year of the WLI Connects program and I’m excited to see how our connections grow.

Roxana Macovei

Participating in the ULI SF + SF MOHCD Bay Area Developers of Color Fellowship has been an incredible journey that has expanded my understanding of the challenges and nuances of affordable housing. This program could not have come at a better time, especially when the Bay Area is facing significant affordable housing issues. The insights from the speakers have been invaluable. Realizing all the challenges of building affordable housing has made me delve deeper into the system and has motivated me to research policies affecting housing and explore creative solutions that go beyond traditional government funding. I am deeply grateful for the knowledge, opportunities, and connections that ULI has offered.

I have learned so much from the ULI community, not just from this program, but also from other initiatives such as the Women’s Leadership Initiative and throughout my decade-plus of being a ULI SF member. ULI has been a tremendous source of knowledge, learning, networking, and bringing people together. This program has been particularly impactful in introducing me to key players in the industry and expanding my knowledge of the challenges and opportunities in the affordable housing sector. The exposure to various speakers and their perspectives has been tremendously valuable. Additionally, hearing stories from my cohort members about their projects, challenges, and triumphs, as well as sharing information, bouncing ideas off each other, and learning from their experiences, has been incredibly valuable and inspirational.

What I value the most from participating in this program is the sense of community and the deep connections I have made. The friendships with my fellow cohort members have provided me with support, encouragement, and a wealth of information. Learning from diverse speakers and connecting with them has been tremendously valuable. This experience, especially the mock project and discussions, has inspired me to explore innovative approaches to building affordable housing. I feel incredibly fortunate to have had this unique opportunity and I am immensely grateful to ULI, particularly to Joy Woo and Pooja Sharma for all their hard work, and MOHCD for organizing this program; it has been an extraordinarily rewarding and helpful experience!

Teresa Ruiz

I have been an active member of ULI SF for over 15 years. My involvement spans various committees including the Programs Committee, Urban Plan, LPC, and WLI Connects. Currently, I am in my 3rd round of participation with WLI Connects. I value the friends I have made through WLI Connects.

Participating in WLI Connects has been rewarding. Our group meetings are informal and fun. I was particularly surprised by how similar our career challenges are and our shared desire to find roles that align with our core values. Beyond industry insights, we discussed strategies for advancing our careers from a women’s perspective. What I find most valuable are the practical life lessons that can’t be gleaned from books or seminars but that are crucial in navigating a career in real estate.

We shared our “war” stories and learned from each other’s mistakes. That’s the spirit of WLI Connects.