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In-person
  • Design + Construction
  • National

Higher Education Forum

October 8, 2025 CUNY Graduate Center, 365 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016 – Proshansky Auditorium
Register

Speakers

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Mary Lou Aleskie

Howard Gilman ’44 Executive Director, Chair, Advisory Council for Arts Advancement & Integration

Dartmouth

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Jensen  Ambachen

 General Counsel

City University Construction Fund

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Marcus Caamaño

Director of Design and Construction, Division of Facilities & Campus Operations

Stevens Institute of Technology

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Claudia Cusumano

Principal

KPF

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Claudia Cusumano

Principal, KPF

Claudia Cusumano is a Principal at KPF, distinguished for her expertise in academic
facility design and campus development. With over 25 years of experience, Claudia has
led the planning, management, and delivery of transformative projects for leading
institutions, including The University of Michigan’s Center for Innovation in Detroit. Her approach combines strategic vision with a deep understanding of campus needs, resulting in environments that foster learning, research, and community engagement.

Claudia excels at guiding multidisciplinary teams through complex project phases,
collaborating closely with clients to realize innovative academic spaces that support
institutional growth. Her portfolio spans from cultural institutions to large-scale university
developments, consistently delivering projects that balance operational excellence with design innovation. Claudia is also a dedicated mentor, leading KPF’s global mentorship program and supporting professional development across the firm. Her leadership
continues to shape the future of higher education environments.

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Craig Dykers 

Founding Partner

Snøhetta

Charles Esteves Higher Education Forum

Charles Esteves

 Director | Preconstruction

Consigli

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Christine Galib

Director of Advancing Photonics Technologies

Princeton

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Lenny Kaplan

Vice President

NJIT

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james kellerhouse

Assistant Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Executive Director of Operation

Vanderbilt University

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Maey Khaled

Senior Director, Campus Planning and Technical Services

NYU

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Cecilia Kushner

Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer

NYCEDC

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Cecilia Kushner

Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, NYCEDC

Cecilia Kushner is the Chief Strategy Officer, a role in which she leads multidisciplinary teams to deliver projects and programs focused on developing emerging sectors equitably and building neighborhoods of economic success. Prior to her current role, Cecilia spent over a decade working for the City on a range of infrastructure, transit operations, land use, and community development programs and policies, most recently as the Executive Vice President for Planning and NYC Ferry at NYCEDC, and earlier at the Department of City Planning in the Brooklyn, Resiliency, and Executive Offices.

Prior to immigrating to New York City in 2005 from France, Cecilia lived in London for two years, working on economic analysis for historic preservation. Cecilia received her bachelor’s degree from La Sorbonne
and holds a master’s degree in historic preservation from the Bartlett School of Planning at University
College London, and a master’s degree in city planning from Hunter College, where she has taught planning as an adjunct. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children.

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Mary

 Mary Mahany

Senior Project Executive

Shawmut Design and Construction

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RJ Panda 

Vice President 

 Cumming Group 

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RJ Panda

Vice President, Cumming Group

RJ Panda is Vice President at Cumming Group and the firm’s Higher Education Sector Lead. He’s built his career helping colleges, universities, K-12 educational clients and cultural institutions navigate complex capital programs within tight urban campuses. At Cumming, RJ guides clients from early planning through project delivery. Bringing a national perspective to local projects, he facilitates collaboration across institutions, leverages benchmarking insights to inform decisions, and develops strategies that enhance efficiency and support long-term campus planning.

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Andrew Repoli

Director: Global Facilities and Construction Management

New York University

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IVY Schultz

Director Of Entrepreneurship

Columbia University

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Joe Solway

Principal

Arup

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Joe Solway

Principal, Arup

Americas East Arts, Culture, Entertainment, Sports & Leisure Business
Leader and a Principal based in the New York office. He has extensive global experience in the
design of cultural projects, from intimate recital halls to large immersive entertainment venues, spaces for rehearsal, collaboration, and experimentation. Throughout his career, he has worked with clients and led teams to conceive, develop and build unique spaces that foster creativity. An
active educator and musician, Joe combines his passion for acoustics, education, and performance to engage and collaborate with clients, artists, and educators.

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EMCEE

Natalie Sachmechi 

Associate, Nonprofit, Education & Government Practice

JLL

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MODERATOR

Megan R. Abraham 

CEO

The Goldie Initiative 

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Megan R. Abraham

CEO, The Goldie Initiative

An entrepreneurial non-profit builder and executive based in Chicago, Megan has
made a career as a leader in nonprofits and associations to expand and scale. Megan was previously Executive Director at The Goldie Initiative from 2016- 2020 and she most recently served as the Chief Advancement Officer of JCC Chicago. Her experience includes roles at the National Association of Realtors,
the International Real Property Foundation, the International Consortium of Real Estate. Associations, and other organizations.

In her role as CEO of The Goldie Initiative, Megan is responsible for the overall strategy, resource development and management of the mission-driven organization. She serves as a role model for the next generation of commercial real estate leaders and leads efforts to expand opportunities for mentorship, provide unique and impactful career development activities, and award generous scholarships at esteemed graduate school programs nationwide. Megan is currently overseeing a major programmatic expansion of The Goldie Initiative – a Chicago-based nonprofit – into the Northeast USA.

Megan earned a Master of Science degree in Public Services Management from DePaul University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She also serves on faculty at
Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership.

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MODERATOR

Jimmy Kuhn

 President and Head of University Practice Group

 Newmark

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MODERATOR

Stuart Rosen

Partner 

Tannenbaum Helpern

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MODERATOR

Sean Scuderi

 Partner and Vice Chair

Tarter Krinsky & Drogin LLP

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Tasha Stancill

Senior Account Director

Neoscape

What You Need To Know

As the academic and economic landscapes of the New York tristate region continue to evolve, higher education institutions are stepping up to meet the moment—rethinking how campuses function, feel, and shape the student experience. The Commercial Observer Higher Education Design & Construction Forum brings together leaders from colleges, universities, architecture firms, and development teams to explore how the built environment is transforming the future of learning.

This timely forum will spotlight the most pressing trends and forward-thinking projects in higher ed design and construction—from building innovation hubs that align with industry and workforce demands, to expanding campuses through adaptive reuse in one of the country’s densest urban environments. Discussions will highlight how institutions are investing in student wellness, sustainable infrastructure, and inclusive placemaking—turning physical spaces into catalysts for connection, opportunity, and impact.

Whether you’re an institutional planner, design professional, builder, or higher ed leader, this forum will offer critical perspectives and partnerships for building campuses that meet the needs of today—and tomorrow.

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Agenda

Beyond the Game: How Athletic Facility Design Shapes Campus Life & Student Success
Catalysts for Change: Designing Innovation Hubs That Bridge Higher Ed & Industry
Urban Evolution: Adaptive Reuse and Campus Expansion in NYC’s Tightest Spaces
Wired for Impact: Building All-Electric, Sustainable Campuses for the Next Generation
More Than a Campus: Designing Spaces that Shape Student Life and Belonging
Building Skills, Building Futures: Designing Workforce Training Centers for NYC’s Evolving Economy
View AGENDA

Higher Education Forum

Wednesday, October 8, 2025 @ 8AM – 12PM ET
CUNY Graduate Center New York, NY 10016 Proshansky auditorium
Register Now

Who Should Attend

  • Owners/ Developers
  • Architects/ Engineers
  • Contractors
  • Facilities Manager
  • Urban Planners

Sponsors

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ARUP

Arup is a global built environment consultancy providing advisory and technical expertise for our clients across more than 150 disciplines. We create safe, resilient, and regenerative places.

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Consigli

Consigli

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CUMMING GROUP

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ELECTRA USA

ELECTRA

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JLL

JLL

kpf Higher Education Forum
KPF

KPF

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NEOSCAPE

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Newmark

Newmark

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NYCEDC

NYCEDC

Shawmut Design and Construction Higher Education Forum
shawmut

Shawmut Design and Construction

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Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP

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Tarter Krinsky & Drogin LLP

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The goldie initiative