Recognized as a leading business innovator, civic leader and philanthropist, Rick J. Caruso is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Caruso®, one of the largest and most admired privately held real estate companies in the United States. Caruso started his career as a real-estate lawyer in the corporate finance department of one of the nation’s largest law firms. Thereafter, he transitioned from law to pursue his lifelong passion for development, establishing Caruso Affiliated Holdings in 1987.

Rick Caruso, Caruso, Founder

Former U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas, entrepreneur, author and film producer, Nicole Avant was the youngest person and first African-American woman to hold the office where she served until 2011. She is known for producing the acclaimed documentary The Black Godfather, which chronicles the life of her father, music executive Clarence Avant. A passionate advocate for education and social justice, she has been involved in various philanthropic efforts.

Hon. Nicole Avant, Former U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas

Preston leads the Environmental Practice Group at Cox Castle. Preston assists property owners, developers, pension funds, lenders, and municipalities to craft environmental risk management strategies in the context of real estate acquisition, financing, and development. He focuses on identifying legal risks associated with contaminated properties, and in finding solutions to address those risks.   Preston is a member of the Land Revitalization and Redevelopment Collaborative with DTSC and the Urban Land Institute, and has written numerous articles on environmental issues.  He is the Team Leader for the Hazardous Materials Team of the ULI/UCLA/USC Los Angeles Fire Recovery project.

Preston Brooks, Cox Castle, Partner

Global Co-Chair of Gensler where he has spent his entire 43-year career shaping the built environment. Under his leadership, Gensler has grown into an industry powerhouse with 6,000 professionals across 57 offices, delivering award-winning projects like Shanghai Tower and BMO Stadium. A thought leader and advocate for design’s transformative power, he has been recognized for his impact on the future of work, business, and urban development.

Andy Cohen, Gensler, CEO

A landscape architect by training, Jack Dangermond founded Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) in 1969 with a vision that computer mapping and analysis could help us design a better future. As the president of ESRI and a pioneering leader in geographic information system (GIS) technology, he has advanced and driven innovation across industries, earning global recognition, 14 honorary degrees, and authoring The Power of Where to promote geographic solutions for environmental and societal challenges.

Jack Dangermond, Esri, President 

Gregory Econn is a recognized leader in real estate and construction insurance specializing in providing highly innovative products and services to property owners, developers and contractors. While at Venbrook, he and his team have created a program designed for the real estate industry known as Real Estate America Property and Liability Association. He has lectured to numerous groups and is often sought after as a resource for articles dealing with his core specialty.

Greg Econn, Venbrook Insurance Services, President

Noah Emanuel is a public policy strategist with experience across federal, state, and local government. He served as a political appointee in the Biden administration as a senior advisor at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Previously, he was a legislative advisor to former Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, focusing on health, education, and labor. Noah also brings campaign experience and a strong grasp of legislative strategy, stakeholder engagement, and cross-sector collaboration. He holds a degree from the University of Pennsylvania with additional training through the Penn Wharton Public Policy Program.

Noah Emanuel, Steadfast LA, Coordinator

Kobie Fuller joined Upfront in June 2016 after having previously been at Accel Partners. Prior to Accel, he was the Chief Marketing Officer at REVOLVE, one of the largest global fashion e­commerce players based in Los Angeles. Earlier in his career he was an investor at Insight Venture Partners and a founder of OpenView Venture Partners.

Kobie Fuller, Upfront Ventures, General Partner

Nick Geller is the Managing Director of Steadfast LA. Prior to Steadfast, Nick worked as a senior executive in both legal and operational capacities at the two leading live entertainment companies in the world, Live Nation and AEG. During this time, Nick led deal teams on various types of transactions, including public/private partnerships for the development of venues, private equity investments in live entertainment and IP companies, and all types of corporate sponsorship transactions. Nick holds a BS, cum laude, from Vanderbilt University and a J.D. from Boston College Law School. Nick lives in Los Angeles with his wife and three daughters.  

Nick Geller, Steadfast LA, Managing Director

West Region Head at J.P. Morgan Private Bank, leading over 630 professionals across 15 offices and overseeing nearly $170 billion in client assets. With nearly four decades in finance, including serving as CEO of J.P. Morgan Private Bank in the U.K., he has driven remarkable growth, expanding the California market by 140% in five years. Beyond banking, he is deeply committed to philanthropy, serving as vice president of Children in Crisis, ambassador of The Blue Marine Foundation, and a trustee of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

Olivier de Givenchy, JPMorgan Private Bank, West Region Head

Head of Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios, leading the company's global streaming and studio operations since 2020. Previously, he served as Chairman of Sony Pictures Television, CEO of Hulu, and President of Fox Networks Group, with a career spanning major media and entertainment companies.

Mike Hopkins, Amazon, Head of Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios

President for Advisory Services at CBRE, overseeing strategic direction and performance across Greater Los Angeles, Orange County, and the Inland Empire. With over 30 years at CBRE, Lew Horne is a champion of workplace transformation and a respected community leader, actively addressing business and social challenges, including homelessness. He is passionate about collaboration and actively promotes the integration of multiple disciplines to ensure well-conceived, strategic solutions for complex client assignments.

Lew Horne, CBRE, President for Advisory Services

Mr. Keller is a managing director and assistant portfolio manager for Oaktree’s Real Estate Opportunities strategy, where he is involved in capital raising, management and investing. He also serves as Head of Residential for the broader real estate organization. Prior to joining Oaktree in 2007, Mr. Keller held various roles at DLJ Real Estate Capital Partners, Salomon Brothers, CIBC Oppenheimer and D-Street Investments.

Jason Keller, Oaktree Capital Management, Managing Director

Joe Lonsdale is an entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist known for co-founding Palantir Technologies, a leading data analytics firm. He is also the founding partner of 8VC, a venture capital firm that invests in technology-driven companies. Beyond his business ventures, Lonsdale is involved in policy and philanthropic initiatives, focusing on education reform and national security. His career spans various industries, including artificial intelligence, healthcare, and finance.

Joe Lonsdale, 8VC, Managing Partner; Palantir, Co-Founder

Prior to the formation of Samara, Mr. McNamara served as Head of the Samara division of Airbnb. From 2019 to 2022, Mr. McNamara was Venture Partner with Eclipse Ventures and from 2006 to 2018, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of Flex Ltd. (product development and manufacturing firm). From 1994 until his appointment as Chief Executive Officer in 2006, Mr. McNamara served in other executive roles at Flex, including Chief Operating Officer.

Mike McNamara, Samara, CEO

Founder and CEO of Upland Workshop, leveraging over two decades of experience advising top leaders across politics, media, sports, technology, and finance. He has worked with LeBron James and Maverick Carter since 2011, led global communications at TPG, and helped launch major media ventures, including The SpringHill Company, Puck, Airmail, and TOGETHXR.

Adam Mendelsohn, Upland Workshop, Founder and CEO 

George Mihlsten has substantial experience in real estate, regulatory, and legislative issues at the local, state, and federal level. His work often includes real estate projects and transactions, including securing regulatory approvals for large scale development projects. In addition, George has broad experience in complex regulatory and legislative issues. He has served on a number of task forces dealing with issues such as housing policies, transportation policies, permit streamlining, and environmental review processes.

George J. Mihlsten, Latham & Watkins, Of Counsel

Gregg Renfrew is a visionary entrepreneur known for disrupting industries and empowering women through business. She began her career by co-founding The Wedding List, later acquired by Martha Stewart Living, and went on to advise top retail brands like Bergdorf Goodman before serving as CEO of Best & Co. In 2013, she launched Beautycounter, pioneering the clean beauty movement with safer products, ingredient transparency, and a mission-driven model that led to a $1 billion valuation and acquisition by The Carlyle Group in 2021. A passionate advocate for public health and policy reform, Gregg is now building her next beauty venture, set to launch in 2025. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three children.

Gregg Renfrew, Beautycounter, Founder & CEO

Senior partner in McKinsey’s Southern California office and the global leader of the firm’s Transformation Practice. With 26 years at McKinsey, Harry Robinson has worked across six continents, primarily advising multinational mining institutions and major players in the global energy and materials sector. Beyond consulting, he is deeply committed to education and philanthropy, having served as Vice Chair of the USC Shoah Foundation.

Harry Robinson, McKinsey, Senior Partner

Russell had a long career at Disney spanning more than four decades, culminating in his role as chief design and product-delivery executive. He retired in February 2024, but continues to serve as a senior advisor to Disney leadership and other entertainment and technology companies. From his early days at WED Enterprises, Disney’s experimental arm, to his leadership roles in creating half of Disney’s global theme parks, Russell’s work has touched millions.

Craig Russell, Walt Disney Imagineering, Former Executive

At Netflix, Ted Sarandos has been responsible for all content operations since 2000. He led the company's transition into original content production that began in 2013. Ted was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2013 and received the Producers Guild of America Milestone Award in 2019. He is a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute, Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, a trustee of the American Film Institute, and on the boards of Exploring the Arts and Spotify

Ted Sarandos , Netflix, CEO

Chair, President, and CEO of Parsons, leading the company’s strategy, growth, and global operations. With prior executive roles at Honeywell and Lockheed Martin, she also serves on multiple industry boards, including Parsons, Edison International, and the Intelligence and National Security Alliance. She has been successful across a portfolio of businesses, that include systems integration, hardware and software products and services supporting the Department of Defense, intelligence, federal civilian, international and state and local customer communities.

Carey Smith, Parsons Corporation, Chair, President, & CEO

President and Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Imagineering, leading the global team behind Disney’s theme parks, attractions, resorts, and immersive experiences. With a career spanning Imagineering, Dreamscape Immersive, and Airbnb, he brings deep expertise in storytelling, innovation, and experiential design, shaping groundbreaking entertainment across multiple industries.

Bruce Vaughn, Walt Disney Imagineering, President & CEO

With over 30 years of industry experience, Corinne Verdery has led transformative projects, including the Forbes triple five-star Rosewood Miramar Beach and Palisades Village. Previously, she oversaw NBCUniversal’s multibillion-dollar Evolution Plan and played a key role in the development of The Beverly Hilton and Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills

Corinne Verdery, Caruso, CEO

Jared M. Wolff is the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Banc of California, Inc. (NYSE: BANC). He also serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of its wholly owned banking subsidiary, Banc of California. Banc of California is the third-largest bank headquartered in California, with over $33 billion in assets and nearly 2,000 team members in offices across 10 states. Mr. Wolff is a veteran California banking executive with deep expertise in finance, law and risk management. He joined Banc of California in March 2019 from City National Bank, a Los Angeles-based regional bank and wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada, where he was Executive Vice President and General Counsel, and served on the bank’s executive committee. Prior to City National, Mr. Wolff was President and a member of the Board of Directors of Pacific Western Bank, a leading California-based commercial bank and wholly owned subsidiary of PacWest Bancorp. Mr. Wolff joined PacWest from the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. Mr. Wolff is a member of several professional and nonprofit organizations. He is a member the WSJ CEO Council, the CEO Council of Los Angeles, the Economic Club of New York, the Board of Directors of the Mid-Size Bank Coalition of America, the FTV Capital Strategic Advisory Board and the Young Presidents’ Organization. Mr. Wolff is also a member of Steadfast LA’s coalition of civic and business leaders dedicated to accelerating the rebuilding of Los Angeles after the devastating January 2025 wildfires. Mr. Wolff received his bachelor’s degree from Duke University, his master’s degree in French language and literature from Middlebury College, and his law degree from the University of Michigan.

Jared Wolff, Banc of California, Chairman, CEO and President