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ULI 2021 Hines Student Competition Finalists Announced!
Four teams have been selected as the finalists for the 19th annual ULI / Gerald D. Hines Student Urban Design Competition!
Get to know some of the ULI San Francisco members who work hard behind the scenes to develop the events and initiatives our District Council is known for. These industry leaders come from a variety of real estate land use sectors and lend their expertise and time to drive the work of our committees. We’ve asked these committee co-chairs to answer questions around their involvement with ULI San Francisco.
Libby Seifel
Co-Chair, Housing the Bay Committee
Q. How did you first get involved with ULI and your committee?
A wonderful architect invited me to attend his ULI Product Council meeting more than 3 decades ago and have been a member ever since. Co-chairing the Housing the Bay Steering Committee with Eric Tao is constantly inspiring as he stretches our thinking about how we can collaboratively address our housing challenges.
Q. What is your favorite ULI memory or event?
Hearing the keynote address by futurist Jennifer James at one of the first ULI national meetings that I attended. She spoke about why women and nerds were ideally suited leaders for our rapidly evolving, technologically-focused world. This was the first time I’d ever heard being both could be an asset!
Q. What’s your leadership philosophy/style?
Strive to follow the leadership tradition of Margaret Mead and Eleanor Roosevelt.
Q. Who has been an instrumental person in your career?
City historian/visionary, Lewis Mumford, who mentored me in college and transformed my thinking about cities and their future. In his witty way, he shared the secret to making infill development successful: Restore human legs as a means of travel. Pedestrians rely on food for fuel and need no special parking facilities.
Q. When travel goes back to normal, where is the first place you want to go to?
Back East to visit my Dad, family and friends. While we had an amazing, cross country adventure last year in our 20-year young, workhorse of an RV, we’re looking forward to traveling by plane with no RV repairs and fewer days of 100+ degree weather on our next trip!
Q. Outside of work and ULI, what do you enjoy doing?
Walking all over San Francisco, from the Pacific Ocean to the Bay, up Twin Peaks and through all our wonderful neighborhoods. The beautiful vistas, dramatic skies, eclectic buildings, and colorful people across this City continually refresh my spirit, as do the orchids, wildflowers and buzzing bees in our garden.
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