Get to know some of the ULI San Francisco members who work hard behind the scenes to develop the events and initiatives for which our District Council is known. 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.

Nikki Lowy, Chair of Mission Advancement
Director of Community & City Relations & Programming | Northeastern University Oakland

Q. How did you first get involved with ULI and your committee?
I worked for ULI San Francisco for five years. It was the best possible education and introduction to the real estate industry. Since I “graduated” from staff person to member, I’ve had the privilege of serving in a variety of roles, including my current role as Chair of Mission Advancement.

Q. What’s a memorable connection you’ve made through ULI?
Too many to count! If I had to choose one, it would be the co-founder of Landed, Alex Lofton. Former YLG co-chair Miles Garber invited Alex as a guest speaker to our YLG Steering Committee. I was so inspired by Alex’s work and within a few months I joined the team as employee number six.

Q. What keeps you engaged with ULI SF and what are you most excited about in the near future?
On a personal level, ULI has been such a critical touchstone for me throughout my career, especially during periods of transition and/or economic uncertainty. More broadly, ULI has launched a number of incredible initiatives this past year including the ULI Gala, the Developers of Color Cohort, and the Downtown SF Advisory Services Panel and I’m excited to support the continued impact of these efforts.

Q. What do you hope to accomplish in the next year?
ULI SF has pioneered many incredible initiatives in recent years from Housing the Bay to our DEI initiatives to UrbanPlan for Communities to the recent Downtown SF Advisory Services Panel. As CMA, I hope to support the continued impact and evolution of these initiatives, while ensuring we align with ULI’s global mission priorities.

Q. What’s your leadership philosophy/style?
I thrive on being a connector. I love connecting people and ideas in order to spur action and impact. I also believe context matters – I want to know what’s going on in people’s lives and what motivates them personally that’s going to enable them to do their best work.

Q. Q: Who has been an instrumental person in your career?
My former boss and former ULI SF Executive Director Kate White modeled the kind of authentic and status-quo-challenging leadership I aspire to emulate. I’m so lucky I got to work for her early on in my career and I know she’s a friend, mentor, and inspiration to many in our organization.

Q. Outside of work and ULI, what do you enjoy doing?
Nothing makes me happier than taking my dog for a run in Redwood Regional Park in Oakland!