We are excited to celebrate the accomplishments and amplify the ongoing efforts by women and allies. In recognition of Women’s History Month, ULI SF is highlighting the involvement and experiences of Savlan Hauser, Nikki Lowy, and Geeti Silwal, three key leaders in our community who have advanced gender equity and parity.

Women’s History Month is a time to both reaffirm and uphold the historical importance, achievements, and influence of women on the built environment. ULI is committed to pursuing unrelenting efforts to create diverse, equitable, inclusive communities. We commit to leading the charge and inspiring widespread change and thank these leaders for their contributions.

Savlan brings a background in architecture and urban design in the Bay Area and Mexico City to her role as Executive Director of the Jack London PBID—encompassing 1400 parcels, 83 city blocks, 5,000 residents and counting. Savlan is also Chair of the Oakland BID Alliance, spanning diverse commercial districts across Oakland. Savlan has also served as Berkeley City Council appointed member of the Zoning Adjustments Board and Planning Commissioner. Savlan is a UC Berkeley graduate, a LEED AP, and a past ULI Chamberlin Public Sector Leader Fellow. By the age of 6, Savlan was in love with vibrant, urban environments as a busker, playing her fiddle on the streets of great West Coast Cities while on family vacations.

Tell us about the importance of women’s leadership in the real estate industry?

Women need to be making decisions about the physical environment, so we need to be in leadership positions in real estate. The most compelling, comfortable, and joyful places are inclusive, and are designed, developed, and enlivened by a diversity of people and influences.

How has ULI influenced your career?

ULI SF has enabled me to connect meaningfully with people around collaborative efforts and be inspired by the “why” guiding great work in the built environment.

Tell us about your career journey.

ULI San Francisco quite literally provided the foundation for my career! I spent five years on staff at ULI San Francisco fresh out of college. The relationships I built during that time as well as the formal and informal real estate education I received were truly priceless. I left ULI to pursue my MBA at UC Berkeley Haas School of Business. From there, I worked for some incredible mission-driven, real estate start-ups including Project Frog and Landed, which are both continuing to have amazing impact. Building meaningful partnerships and relationships has always been at the center of my work and I’ve been fortunate to do this in my current role leading community development on behalf of Google’s real estate development projects in Mountain View.

How has ULI influenced your career?

ULI has played an invaluable role throughout my entire career. My involvement with ULI has shaped every career decision I’ve made, taught me so much about responsible land use policy and design, and provided me with lifelong friendships. And since it is Women’s History Month, I’d especially like to recognize all the incredible ULI women who have inspired me with their leadership over the years.

I’ve been on the receiving end of so much advice and mentorship from ULI members across the board, so I’m committed to paying it forward as much as I can, both through staying active in District Council leadership and by supporting and elevating people entering the industry today. I’m proud of the work ULI San Francisco is doing – as brought to life by the DEI and WLI committees as well as key initiatives like Housing the Bay – to bring more voices and perspectives to the table and expand the conversations we’re having around what equity and inclusivity means to our industry.

Tell us about your career journey.

I have been extremely fortunate to have the two most amazing women leaders take me under their wings, empower me, and shape my career. I owe my success to Cathy Simon and Karen Alschuler. They together have shown me the nuanced sense of empathy that women leaders bring to leadership positions that makes all the difference. The world needs more of both – empathy and women leaders!

As a member of the ULI SF DEI Committee and ULI Public Development and Infrastructure Product Council, ULI has given me a platform to share my perspective and influence the real estate industry with my strong values on equity and the need for regenerative design.

What advice can you give young women entering this industry?

To all young women real estate professionals – Believe that your voice and thoughts need to be heard to make the world a more humane place. Lead with integrity and conviction.

Thank you, Savlan, Nikki, and Geeti, for taking the time to share your experience and advice with us. We are proud to be celebrating your commitment and accomplishments today and year-round!