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In-Person
  • National

Public Projects & Infrastructure Forum

May 27, 2026 at 8:00 AM – 12:30 PM ET CUNY Graduate Center Proshansky Auditorium 365 5th Ave New York, NY 10016, NY
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2025 AGENDA
ALL EVENTS

Speakers

Michael Garner Public Projects & Infrastructure Forum

KEYNOTE

michael j. garner

Chief Business Diversity Officer

City of New York

Arden Sokolow Public Projects & Infrastructure Forum

KEYNOTE

arden sokolow

Executive Vice President of Real Estate & Planning

Empire State Development

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Arden Sokolow

Executive Vice President of Real Estate & Planning, Empire State Development

Arden Sokolow is currently the Executive Vice President of Real Estate and Planning for Empire State Development where she leads a team bringing exciting economic development and housing projects to fruition throughout New York State. Previously she was the Executive Vice President of Affordable Housing for Douglaston Development a leading developer of low, moderate and mixed income housing. While at Douglaston, Arden lead Douglaston’s civic engagement programs developing strategic partnerships with nonprofits, minority and women owner businesses and other organizations. She also worked on a variety of projects that included developing housing with a variety of uses such seniors and supportive populations and buildings including community, cultural and open spaces. Arden was also previously the Chief of Staff at the NYC Housing Authority, Regional Director for Multifamily Housing at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Managing Director of Housing at the NYS Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery, and held a variety of leadership positions at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Arden holds a B.A. from Columbia university and Masters of Urban Planning from Hunter College.

Ahmed Tigani Public Projects & Infrastructure Forum

KEYNOTE

ahmed tigani

Department of Buildings Commissioner

New York Department of Buildings

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Ahmed Tigani

Department of Buildings Commissioner, New York Department of Buildings

Ahmed Tigani is the 27th Commissioner of the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB). As Commissioner, Ahmed works across the agency’s divisions to advance the agency’s mission and objectives, foster collaboration, ensure operational and programmatic alignment, and strengthen partnerships with external stakeholders in order to ensure DOB is a thoughtful steward driving building safety, efficiency, and innovation in one of the world’s most dynamic urban landscapes.

Prior to his appointment as DOB Commissioner, Ahmed served in several senior leadership roles at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). Most recently he led HPD as Acting Commissioner. Prior to that, he served as First Deputy Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner for the Office of Neighborhood Strategies, and Chief Diversity Officer. During his tenure in leadership at HPD, the agency achieved significant outcomes, including placing more than 13,000 formerly homeless households into permanent affordable housing; approving over 31,000 housing lottery applicants; issuing more than 6,600 Housing Choice Vouchers; completing or attempting over 2.4 million housing maintenance code inspections; and financing or preserving more than 44,000 housing units, 5,000 of which were Mitchell-Lama units in FY25 alone. Since 2021, the agency also completed over 70 ULURP or discretionary actions that have facilitated, or will facilitate, the construction of nearly 5,800 new housing units.

Earlier in his career, Ahmed served at DOB as Chief of Staff to the Commissioner, where he was responsible for streamlining operations, accelerating project review, increasing transparency, and developing new tools to enhance construction and tenant safety. In this role, he also helped the agency navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic response.

Ahmed previously served as Senior Advisor for Housing, Economic Development, and Labor in the Mayor’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs during the de Blasio Administration, working closely with the Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development on neighborhood rezonings, legislative priorities, and major development projects. Before that, he worked on community development, housing policy and land use issues in the Office of the Manhattan Borough President and in the City Council.

Lisa Bova Hiatt Public Projects & Infrastructure Forum

Lisa bova-hiatt

CEO

New York City Housing Authority

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Lisa Bova-Hiatt

CEO, New York Housing Authority

Lisa Bova-Hiatt was appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) in July 2023 after serving as Interim CEO since September 2022.

Bova-Hiatt has 30 years of experience in the public sector. She joined NYCHA in February 2020 as general counsel, where she led the Authority’s Law Department and was involved with all NYCHA executive matters, including compliance with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development agreement, NYCHA’s transformation and implementation plans, and operations and administration.

She was previously general counsel of the City University Construction Fund and executive university counsel of the City University of New York (CUNY). Prior to CUNY, Lisa served as executive director of the New York Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery, where she played an integral role in helping the agency carry out the reconstruction of over 12,000 homes and hundreds of infrastructure projects.

Lisa previously spent 19 years in various roles at the New York City Law Department, including as the deputy chief of the Tax and Bankruptcy Litigation Division, where she specialized in real estate acquisition and development, and chief advisor to administration officials.

She is a graduate of Villanova University and Brooklyn Law School.

Noah Hale Public Projects & Infrastructure Forum

noah hale

Managing Director and Head of Development

Fairstead

Wilson Kimball Public Projects & Infrastructure Forum

wilson kimball

President & CEO

The Municipal Housing Authority for the City of Yonkers

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Wilson Kimball

Executive Vice President of Real Estate & Planning, Empire State Development

Wilson is President & CEO of The Municipal Housing Authority for the City of Yonkers (“MHACY”) and President of The Mulford Corporation, MHACY’s not-for-profit co-
developer. MHACY owns and manages over 1700 affordable housing units in Yonkers and administers nearly 5000 Section 8 vouchers. Wilson has served in public service
for over 25 years focusing on issues of real estate and economic development. She
currently serves as chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals for the City of Yonkers and
as Executive Director of NYSPHADA (NYS Public Housing Authority Directors Association). Wilson is also on the Board of the Business Council of Westchester.

Matthew Rooney Public Projects & Infrastructure Forum

matthew rooney

Principal & CEO

MDG Design & Construction

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Matthew Rooney

Principal & CEO, MDG Design & Construction

Matthew Rooney is Principal and Chief Executive Officer for MDG Design & Construction, a leading affordable housing-only contracting and development firm. Originally inspired by the stories of displaced New Yorkers, Matthew has dedicated his career to preserving and creating high-quality apartments that people are proud to call home. He is committed to economic diversity and housing equity across New York and beyond.

Matthew has overseen the closing of 11,100+ units—also with 3,700+ units currently in pre-development—and more than $4.3 billion in construction and development costs. His strategic vision and hands-on approach have helped to expand MDG’s footprint from New York City to the Capital Region, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and beyond, nearly doubling the company’s impact over the past decade.

From construction to development both in the office and in the field, Matthew is involved in every aspect of MDG’s work. He has helped to drive resident involvement at all stages of development, specifically through the creation of design studios at multiple Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) sites across the city, where residents can actively engage in the design process by previewing designs and renderings of various finishes, materials, and fixtures for their apartments and building common spaces. The close relationships Matthew has cultivated with residents, lenders, government agencies, consultants, and community stakeholders allow MDG to ensure timely closing and successful development projects.

Matthew received his B.S. in Finance and Marketing from the Stern School of Business at New York University with a concentration in Real Estate Finance.

Laura Smith Public Projects & Infrastructure Forum

laura smith

Deputy Executive Director for Strategic Planning

NYC Department of City Planning

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Laura Smith

Deputy Executive Director for Strategic Planning, NYC Department of City Planning

Laura Smith is the Deputy Executive Director for Strategic Planning at the Department of City Planning (DCP), overseeing central divisions at the agency responsible for housing, transportation, urban design, resiliency and economic development planning. Laura began her DCP career in 2007 and over her time at the agency has seen numerous projects through to completion and now benefitting New Yorkers including, most recently, the City of Yes for Economic Opportunity and Housing Opportunity initiatives. She is excited to continue to build a more affordable, prosperous, and sustainable New York City.

Sheila Pozon Public Projects & Infrastructure Forum

MODERATOR

sheila pozon

Partner

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer

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Sheila Pozon

Partner, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer

Sheila M. Pozon represents private developers and property owners, cultural, educational, health care and nonprofit institutions, lenders and investors in the planning, acquisition, development, and financing of major projects throughout New York City. Sheila advises clients on municipal law issues, the development potential of sites, and the land use and environmental review processes. She has appeared before and secured approvals from key New York City agencies, including the New York City Board of Standards and Appeals, the New York City Department of Buildings, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, the New York City Department of Finance, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the Landmarks Preservation Commission and the City Planning Commission, in a variety of land use actions including zoning changes, special permits, complex tax lot mergers and apportionments, landmark proceedings, authorizations, certifications and variances. Sheila has extensive experience representing both developers and sellers in zoning lot mergers for the purchase and sale of development rights. Her work includes drafting and negotiating complex transactional documents, including purchase and sale agreements, zoning lot development and easement agreements, and license and access agreements. Among her most notable recent work, Sheila represented Extell Development Co., one of the most active developers in New York City, in its acquisition of development rights from multiple owners for its development sites throughout Manhattan, including the International Gem Tower, One57 and 215 West 57th St. (also known as the Nordstrom Tower, which is the tallest residential building in the western hemisphere).

What You Need To Know

The Public Projects Design & Construction Forum brings together leaders, practitioners, and innovators shaping the future of infrastructure and urban development across New York and the broader Northeast region. As New York City undergoes a major transformation of its transportation networks, panels will explore the cutting-edge strategies behind rebuilding bridges, expressways, and pedestrian corridors through design-build, climate-conscious engineering, and community engagement. Attendees will gain insider perspectives on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s massive subway modernization push — from Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) rollouts and accessibility upgrades to digitization efforts that position the system for future ridership.

The forum also highlights generational investments like the Gateway Program, where speakers will unpack the engineering, coordination, and resilience challenges of expanding rail capacity under the Hudson River and revitalizing Penn Station’s role as a regional mobility hub. Critical highway discussions will examine competing visions, weighing rehabilitation, redesign, and equitable design strategies amid high political and engineering stakes. Beyond transportation, sessions will tackle New York’s exploding energy demand and the infrastructure required to support electrified buildings, data centers, and decarbonization goals; explore the evolving landscape of workforce and affordable housing development with new policy, financing, and partnership models; and spotlight major capital investments in NYC parks that enhance climate resilience, community access, and economic opportunity. Together, these discussions offer a comprehensive look at how strategic design, innovative construction practices, and cross-sector collaboration are reshaping mobility, livability, and growth across the region.

Website Collage 34a77d Public Projects & Infrastructure Forum

Public Projects & Infrastructure Forum

May 27, 2026 at 8:00 AM – 12:30 PM ET
CUNY Graduate Center Proshansky Auditorium 365 5th Ave New York, NY 10016, NY
Early Bird – $199
Register Now

Who Should Attend

  • MWBE
  • Owners/ Developers
  • Architects/ Engineers
  • Contractors
  • Facilities Manager
  • Transportation and Agency Representatives
  • Urban Planners
  • Technology Firms
  • Professional Service Firms
  • Public Officials

Sponsors

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fairstead

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hsf kramer

JLL logo positive RGB 1 2 Public Projects & Infrastructure Forum

jll

MDG logo Public Projects & Infrastructure Forum

mdg design & Construction

NY Building Congress Public Projects & Infrastructure Forum

new york building congress