2027 Committe Members
Craig Herkimer is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and business strategist with more than 25 years of experience building and scaling companies across technology, events, real estate, retail, and consumer services. He is the founder and managing member of multiple ventures, including KevaWorks, Evolutis.io, Brightroot Collective, Wolfsail Events, Thrillville, and Pizza Automatica.
Craig has developed and operated thousands of events nationwide, built seven-figure e-commerce businesses, invested in real estate projects throughout the Midwest and Southeast, and owned specialty hockey retail and training businesses in major markets. He is known for identifying emerging opportunities, forging strategic partnerships, and transforming innovative ideas into successful businesses and memorable experiences.
Adam Landa serves as a key member of the team at Gator Investments, where he is responsible for acquisitions, leasing, temporary leasing and ancillary income initiatives, and property dispositions across the firm's national retail real estate portfolio. Adam has developed extensive expertise in shopping center ownership, operations, leasing, and investment strategy. His experience spans more than 25 states and over 225 properties throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, providing him with a comprehensive understanding of diverse retail markets, tenant relationships, and investment performance.
Barbara Hale, Director of Specialty Leasing & Advertising, at CBL Properties, where she leads the training and onboarding of Local Leasing and Advertising Managers across the portfolio. With a passion for empowering teams and elevating specialty leasing programs, she focuses on sharing best practices and navigating an ever evolving retail landscape. Known for her enthusiasm for B2B social media, Barbara is driven to connect with entrepreneurs, build industry relationships, and showcase how local leasing and advertising opportunities help businesses grow within CBL malls
Brandy Olaniyan is the Specialty Leasing and Marketing Director for RockStep Capital, where she oversees Specialty Leasing and Marketing initiatives across the company’s mall portfolio. With more than 10 years of retail real estate experience focused exclusively on specialty leasing, her background includes inline, pop-up, common area, and event leasing with Brookfield Properties/GGP.
Brandy is also a Licensed Residential Realtor with Keller Williams DPR in Texas. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Fisk University and is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
Outside of work, Brandy enjoys salsa dancing, has taught dance fitness and bootcamp classes for 13 years, and shares a passion for real estate and community development with her husband, Greg. They are proud parents of two grown children and a 7lb Yorkie.
Bryan Calkin is a senior retail real estate executive with 15+ years of national specialty leasing leadership and a distinguished record of driving revenue growth, elevating asset performance, and building high-performing teams across major U.S. portfolios.
Bryan has led leasing strategy for more than 100+ assets in 30+ states, directing teams of over 40 professionals and delivering multimillion-dollar revenue outcomes. His career includes key leadership roles at Pyramid Management Group and Spinoso Real Estate Group, where Bryan consistently improved occupancy, optimized tenant mix, and expanded specialty income programs across large scale retail environments.
As Senior Vice President of Specialty Leasing at Summit Properties USA, Bryan leads national strategy, portfolio innovation, and enterprise level revenue initiatives, guiding the organization’s specialty leasing platform with a focus on operational excellence and sustained financial growth.
Clare Rose serves as Vice President of Business Development at PREIT, where she leads revenue goals for sponsorships, common area revenue, and inline short-term revenue. In this role, Clare oversees strategic initiatives that drive growth and enhance property performance across PREIT’s portfolio. Clare has been with PREIT for over 14 years, beginning her career as the Specialty Leasing Representative for Dartmouth Mall in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. In 2016, she relocated to Philadelphia to assume the role of Regional Director, and her proven leadership and results earned her a promotion to Vice President, heading the Business Development department.
Prior to joining PREIT, Clare spent over seven years with Westfield at Westfield Valley Fair in California, where she honed her expertise in retail operations, specialty leasing, and visual merchandising. Her passion for retail and design, combined with her strong business acumen, enables her to craft innovative strategies that deliver measurable success.
Jae-Jae Segal is a Real Estate Manager with over a decade of experience in retail leasing, site selection, and multi-unit development across North America. Currently at Pop Mart, she oversees a high-volume portfolio of real estate projects, managing everything from traditional stores and experiential pop-ups to automated retail units.
Jesse Michael is a seasoned technology executive with over 17 years of experience building and scaling high-growth companies from seed stage through Series C. Before co-founding Bridgeline, Jesse spent four years at JLL, where he co-founded the JLL Digital Solutions Advisory business, bridging the gap between traditional real estate and cutting-edge technology.
Prior to JLL, Jesse served as Managing Director at Adeptmind, where he oversaw all operations, engineering, and revenue lines. During his tenure, he successfully led the company to a $6.2M USD Series A and cultivated a global network of over 200 retail landlords and PropTech investors. His leadership career also includes executive roles as Managing Director for Stocard (a Klarna Group Company) and Sr. Sales Director at Flipp, where he secured partnerships with Fortune 500 retailers and supported landmark funding rounds of $15M (Series B) and $61M (Series C).
Jessica Eckhart possesses over 20 years of experience in the Specialty Leasing industry, began her distinguished career as a Specialty Leasing Manager at a local mall in Harrisburg, PA, and has since ascended through various roles, demonstrating comprehensive expertise in the field. For the past eleven years, Jess has held leadership positions, most recently serving as a Senior Director at CBRE, where she has significantly contributed to shaping the landscape of Specialty Leasing. She is known for delivering exceptional financial performance, process innovation and strategic leadership within the real estate industry. She is deeply committed to team growth, and her collaborative approach fosters innovation, accountability, and measurable results. Jess is pleased to offer insights derived from her extensive journey within this dynamic sector.
Kelly Price, CMD, is Director of Business Development at CIRE Equity. With 25+ years in commercial real estate, she drives revenue across the firm’s portfolio through creative leasing, enhanced tenant visibility, and high-impact asset strategies.
Lisa Harper is Vice President – Specialty Leasing & Advertising at CBL Properties. CBL owns and manages a national portfolio of market-dominant properties including enclosed malls, outlet center and lifestyle retail which are in dynamic and growing communities. Lisa’s management of CBL’s specialty leasing and advertising program allows her to ensure high standards and flexible terms to provide fertile ground for all entrepreneurs, new and old, at CBL’s many properties. With over 30 years in the shopping center industry in management and leasing, Lisa joined CBL in 2002 as a specialty leasing manager and has enjoyed her growth with the company. When asked what she loves about her role: “I am inspired and moved by the successes realized by others, whether a co-worker or new business partner. I embrace the opportunity to help others realize their dream”.
I’m Lori McGhee Curtis, a professional with many years of experience (28) in Specialty/Temporary Leasing. I value growth, creativity, and meaningful connections, and I’m always eager to learn and take on new opportunities. Outside of work, I enjoy a variety of interests that help me stay balanced and engaged in my community.
Much of my work life was with Taubman. I spent 28 years growing up within the company. During those years, I had the opportunity to work/meet some amazing people – Deborah Georgetti, Deborah Kravitz and Anita (Saleh) Davis. I am now working for myself at The Collective Lab!
I am married to Phillip, and we have five (5) children (blended marriage), three (3) g’babies that I adore and two (2) Saint Bernards that continuously challenge me! I am originally from Virginia but have now been a Michigander for twenty (20) years.
Maggie Pawalek has more than 25 years of experience in real estate, retail, shopping centers, and mixed-use properties, and brings a relationship-first approach to her role as National Local Leasing Accounts Manager for Pacific Retail Capital Partners.
She partners with both national brands and local entrepreneurs, acting as a trusted resource to help find the right locations and build long-term success across a range of markets. Maggie is known for being easy to work with, highly responsive, and a strong, fair negotiator who values transparency in every deal.
Her experience, integrity, and genuine care for her partners have led to lasting relationships—and a network of clients who enjoy working with her and continue to come back time and again.
Monica Hawkins serves as Specialty Leasing Manager for Hendon Properties, where she is dedicated to fostering opportunities for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and emerging brands within the retail environment. She began her commercial real estate career in marketing with Simon Properties and Thor Equities and later joined Hendon Properties, where she held leadership roles in both marketing and specialty leasing. A resident of Decatur, Georgia, Monic is the proud mother of Javon and is passionate about supporting business growth and community engagement
Patricia (Tricia) Zafferese is Vice President of Specialty Leasing at Urban Edge Properties, a REIT specializing in shopping centers along the D.C. to Boston corridor. With over 30 years of industry experience - including two decades at Urban Edge - she leads the specialty leasing program, driving ancillary income and supporting the company’s financial and community investment goals.
Ms. Zafferese holds a Specialty Leasing designation and is a licensed Real Estate Salesperson in New York.
Rob Ruzza is currently VP, Specialty Leasing/ Alternative Revenue for the CBRE Mall & Large Format Retail platform and has been in the commercial real estate industry since 2003. He has worked at the local, regional, and corporate levels at both SIMON and Westfield, performing in the roles of Senior Leasing Director, Regional Director, Leasing Director, and Specialty Leasing Manager. Before joining CBRE he was a commercial broker for the NY Metro and had the opportunity to work on several mixed-use projects and local tenant transactions. Rob has worked on numerous retail assets on all phases of development; expanding GLA, repurposing GLA, and new ground up construction. He also worked on due diligence teams for new large-scale projects, and the acquisition and disposition of large retail assets. At CBRE he is blessed to work with an experienced, dedicated, and passionate team of professionals growing an emerging business line for large retail assets. Rob resides in Paramus, NJ with his wife and two boys.
Samantha Nelson is a senior commercial real estate executive with more than 15 years of experience driving revenue growth, national account strategy, and specialty leasing innovation across some of the retail industry’s largest portfolios.
She currently serves as Vice President of Specialty Leasing at Kohan Retail Investment Group, where she founded the company’s Specialty Leasing Department and led transformative initiatives that streamlined deal processes, strengthened national partnerships, and unlocked new revenue streams.
Prior to Kohan, Samantha spent nearly a decade with Brookfield Properties and General Growth Properties, overseeing regional and national teams responsible for more than $50 million in annual revenue. Known for her strategic mindset, collaborative leadership, and ability to build high-performing teams, Samantha has negotiated deals with many of the nation’s top brands and has been a trusted driver of retail leasing innovation.
Terri Trusty has more than 27 years of experience in customer service leadership within the vending industry, Terri currently serves as a Business Support Specialist at KevaWorks, LLC. Prior to joining KevaWorks, she spent 18 years as Director of Customer Service at CTM Group Inc., where she built a strong reputation for operational support, client relations, and team leadership. Terri is known for her dedication to customer satisfaction, problem-solving, and creating efficient support processes that help teams succeed.
Tim Donovan is a seasoned sales and operations executive with 30+ years in specialty leasing, retail entertainment programs, and national account management. Tim currently serves as Director of Sales and Operations at KevaWorks, LLC. He oversees national sales strategy, operational performance, and the execution of experiential and retail-based programs across a diverse property portfolio. Previously, Tim spent 18 years with CTM Group Inc, rising to Vice President of Sales and Customer Service. His leadership was instrumental in guiding nationwide sales, strengthening customer service operations, and stabilizing the organization through the challenges of the COVID-19 shutdown. Tim is a recipient of the 2017 ICSC Hall of Fame Outstanding Specialty Retailer Award, recognizing his long-standing impact on specialty retail innovation and operational excellence.
