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.

Lydia Tan, Residential Local Product Council
Principal, Tan Consulting

Q. How did you first get involved with ULI and your committee?
I have been a member of ULI for years and always found it a great platform to learn about industry trends as well as network with like-minded professionals. At Bob Burke’s invitation, I became involved in the local Multi Family Product Council, and am a member of the national PDIC.

Q. What keeps you engaged with ULI SF and what are you most excited about in the near future?
As the world restarts post-covid, the way real estate is consumed, how public and private open space will merge, and what impact these shifts will have on product and economics is both an exciting and frightening prospect.  Being connected to and learning from each other is critically important right now.

Q. What is your favorite ULI memory or event?
I’ve particularly enjoyed smaller group opportunities to get to know members better. One of my favorite experiences was participating in the YLG Mentor Program. While I was officially a “Mentor”, I learned a lot from the cohort and really enjoyed getting to know each member of the group.

Q. What’s your leadership philosophy/style?
I approach the profession as a constant learning opportunity and look to any team as a wealth of experience I can learn from, and where team members learn from each other.  I firmly believe that mission alignment and a collaborative culture leads to deep trust amongst a team, allowing the everyone to excel.

Q. What do you hope to achieve in the next year?
I’ve launched my own firm, a combination of consulting and development activity.  It’s the first time since my architecture practice years ago that I haven’t been attached to a company, which is both exhilarating and daunting. I am enjoying the diversity of work and am very focused on making real progress on all fronts this coming year.

Q. When travel goes back to normal, where is the first place you want to go to?
This sounds kind of geeky, but I was involved in two amazing projects in Seattle, one completed during the pandemic and one almost complete, and would love to visit them in person.

Q. Outside of work and ULI, what do you enjoy doing?
My husband and I live at Stanford in a 270-student undergrad dormitory, as Resident Fellows, working with student staff to create a welcoming community, and mentor students as they ponder their leadership style and sense of self.  We love working with and learning from the diverse set of smart, young adults we meet every year.