Saturday, January 10th

3:00pm - 6:00pm

Sip & Pickle CREFC Pickleball

 For more information or to register, click here.

Sunday, January 11th

11:00am - 5:30pm

Women's Network Golf Outing

For more information and to register for this event, click here.

4:00pm - 8:00pm

Registration

4:00pm - 7:00pm

Welcome Drink

5:00pm - 6:30pm

CREFC Board of Governors Meeting

6:30pm - 7:30pm

CREFC PAC Reception*

*For additional information, please contact James Montfort.

Contributions to CREFC PAC will be used to support candidates in federal election campaigns. These contributions are strictly voluntary and anyone has the right to refuse to contribute without reprisal. Any guidelines that may be suggested are only suggestions. All are free to contribute more or less than the guidelines up to the yearly maximum of $5,000, and no one will be favored or disadvantaged in their membership because of the amount of their contribution or their decision not to contribute. All contributions must be from personal funds and may not be reimbursed or paid by any other person or entity. Contributions from foreign nationals are prohibited. Contributions from federal contractors, and the treasury funds of corporations, labor unions, and national banks are prohibited. Federal law requires political committees to use their best efforts to obtain and report to the Federal Election Commission the name, mailing address, occupation, and name of employer for each individual whose contributions aggregate in excess of $200 in a calendar year. Contributions or gifts to CREFC PAC are not tax deductible.

Monday, January 12th

7:30am - 5:30pm

Registration

7:30am - 9:00am

Networking Breakfast

Sponsored by:

9:00am - 9:15am

Welcome Remarks

Conference Co-Chairs:
Nishant Nadella
Sana Petersen, Managing Director, Blue Owl Capital

CREFC Chair Remarks:
Leland F. Bunch, III, Chair, CREFC Board of Governors and Managing Director, Bank of America

9:15am - 10:15am

Opening Session Keynote Speaker

Tactical Empathy: Negotiation Secrets from an FBI Negotiator

Inspired by his Wall Street Journal bestselling book Never Split the Difference, former lead international FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss shares one of the most powerful tools for successful negotiation: tactical empathy. In this riveting program, he shares how empathizing with the ‘other side’ can lead to true collaboration and a win-win solution in business and in life.

Keynote Speaker:
Chris Voss, Former Lead International Negotiator for the FBI, Bestselling Author, and CEO of The Black Swan Group

10:30am - 11:20am

Issuers Forum

(Closed to Media, Not Available for Replay)

Moderator:
Shaishav Agarwal, Head of US CRE, Barclays

Panelists: 
Joe Check, Managing Director, Blue Owl Capital
Scott Epperson, Managing Director, Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Brigid M. Mattingly, Managing Director, Wells Fargo<
Raul D. Orozco, Managing Director, Citigroup Global Markets

11:30am - 12:25pm

IRP Committee Meeting (closed meeting)

11:35am - 12:25pm

Alternative Lenders and High Yield Investors Forum

(Closed to Media, Not Available for Replay)

Moderator: 
Samantha Rotchford, Managing Director, BDT & MSD Partners

Panelists: 
Sam Friedland, Principal, Head of Real Estate, GoldenTree Asset Management
Rachel Hunter-Goldman, Managing Director, Real Estate Credit, KKR - Kohlberg Kravis Roberts
Jordan Rathlev, Executive Vice President, Development, Related Ross
Samir Tejpaul, Managing Director, Head of Capital Markets, Madison Realty Capital

Additional speakers to be announced. 

12:00pm - 1:30pm

Boxed Lunches

Sponsored by:

12:45pm - 12:55pm

CREFC & Trepp Insurance Company Investment Performance Survey

Moderator: Lonnie Hendry, CRE, Chief Product Officer & Co-Host of the TreppWire Podcast, Trepp, Inc.

12:55pm - 1:45pm

Portfolio Lenders Forum

(Closed to Media, Not Available for Replay)

Moderators: 
Melissa Farrell, Managing Director, Head of U.S. Originations, Real Estate, PGIM
Bridget Scanlon, Executive Director, Morgan Stanley

Panelists: 
Kevin Catlett, Senior Managing Director - Head of Private Debt Origination, Principal Real Estate Investors
Mauricio Duran, Managing Director, Real Estate Syndications, Webster Bank
Robert Grudzinski, Senior Vice President, U.S. Bank, NA
Ryan Stoll, National Director, Seniors Housing and Care, Bellwether Enterprise Real Estate Capital

1:00pm - 2:00pm

CRE CLO Investor Reporting Meeting

2:00pm - 2:50pm

Private Credit Playbook: Evolving Players in the Debt Stack

 
Moderator:
Victoria Shusterman, Partner, Kirkland & Ellis LLP 

Panelists: 
Michael Lavipour, Senior Managing Director Head of Lending, Affinius Capital
Matt Salem, Partner, Head Real Estate Credit, KKR - Kohlberg Kravis Roberts
Saul Sutton, Managing Partner, Catal Capital 
Josh Zegen, Co-Founder, Managing Principal, Madison Realty Capital

Discussion Topics: 

• Family Offices, Insurance, HNW & 401K Capital: How much of an impact have they had in reshaping the capital stack and has their investment horizon changed the ground rules? 
• Where do public and private lenders compete – and where don’t they? What is the competitive landscape, including for large deals?
• Are credit standards under pressure? Debating the impact of abundant capital on underwriting discipline 
• Is debt still getting equity type returns and if so, is it really still debt?

3:00pm - 4:00pm

CREFC/ NCREIF Debt Fund Aggregate Contributor Meeting (Closed Meeting)

3:05pm - 3:55pm

B-Piece Investors Forum

(Closed to Media, Not Available for Replay)

Moderator:
Frank Yin, Director, KKR - Kohlberg Kravis Roberts

Panelists: 
Josh Brand, Head of Acquisitions, Argentic
Zach Freedman, Managing Director, Eightfold Real Estate Capital, L.P.
Peter Lindner, Managing Director - Credit Investments, Rialto Capital 
Jason A. Nick, Managing Director, Starwood Property Trust
Lyndsay Stephenson, Managing Director, CMBS, Prime Finance

4:10pm - 5:00pm

Global Capital Flows: Navigating International Investments in U.S. Real Estate

(Closed to Media, Not Available for Replay)

Moderator: 
D. Michael Van Konynenburg, President, Eastdil Secured

Panelists: 
Julius Goldman, Vice President, Acquisitions, Mitsui Fudosan America, Inc.
Richard Nordell, Head of Real Estate, Real Assets, Mubadala
Soniya Patel, Head of US CRE Origination, Rothesay
Aseem Sood, Managing Director, Investments, Temasek International (USA)

Discussion Topics:

• Evolving Global Capital Landscape: Explore how emerging markets, sovereign wealth funds, and family offices are reshaping international investment patterns, while traditional sources adapt to new geopolitical realities and domestic capital controls.
• Asset Class Evolution & Geographic Shifts: Discover how investor preferences are moving beyond traditional gateway cities toward secondary markets and the Sunbelt, while pivoting to industrial, multifamily, data centers, and emerging property sectors.
• Future of International Capital Flows: Gain insights into how technology, ESG mandates, demographic shifts, and climate considerations will shape the next wave of global investment, and whether U.S. real estate will maintain its "safe haven" status in an evolving global landscape.

4:30pm - 5:30pm

Young Professionals (YP) Roundtable

(Open to Young Professionals Only | Closed to Media | Not Live-Streamed or Recorded)

Moderators: 
Jack M. Cohen, CRI, CMB, Managing Director, Arrowmark Partners

Join fellow young professionals for a lively, interactive discussion on issues specifically affecting YPs in our industry. This candid session encourages open dialogue and peer connection.

To Participate as a Roundtable Speaker:
Complete this form by December 12th.

To Attend as an Audience Member:
No form is required. 

Beer and wine will be served.

5:00pm - 7:00pm

Networking Reception

Sponsored by:

Tuesday, January 13th

7:15am - 8:15am

Beach Boot Camp

You must register separately for this event.

The deadline to register for Beach Boot Camp is January 9th.

Sponsored by:

7:30am - 5:30pm

Registration

7:30am - 9:00am

Networking Breakfast

Sponsored by:

9:00am - 10:15am

Industry Leaders Roundtable

(Off the Record, Not Available for Replay)

Moderator: 
Lea Overby, Managing Director, Head of U.S. CMBS Research, Barclays

Panelists: 
Jean Baker, Managing Director, Head of Western Region Banking, LoanCore Capital, LLC
Nitin Bhasin, Senior Managing Director, Global Head of CMBS, KBRA
Jackie Brady, Managing Director, Blackstone
David M. Brickman, President, D2 Asset Management
Victor Calanog, Global Head of Research and Strategy Real Estate, Manulife
Morris Chen, Portfolio Manager CMBS/CRE, DoubleLine Capital
Annemarie DiCola, Chief Executive Officer, Trepp, Inc.
Darren Gluck, Principal, BellOak Advisors
Angela Norris Johnson, Head of Special Servicing, K-Star Asset Management
Robert Kao, Partner, Sidley Austin LLP
Josh Mason, Managing Director and Portfolio Manager, Ares Management LLC 
Meena Pursnani, Managing Director, MetLife Investment Management
Lissette Rivera-Pauley, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Operations Lead, Real Estate Banking Credit Products, Regions Financial Corp.
Kevin Shannon, Co-Head, U.S. Capital Markets, Newmark
Jan Sternin, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Berkadia
Brennan Woods, Vice President, Goldman, Sachs & Co.

10:30am - 11:20am

Investment-Grade (IG) Bondholders Forum

(Closed to Media, Not Available for Replay)

Moderator: 
Adam J. Smith, Director, DWS

Panelists:
Rajesh Bansal, Co-Founder and President, Quiq Capital
Wendy Pei, Managing Director, Ellington Management
Jane Rivers, Vice President, Credit Analyst, T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc
Harris Trifon, Partner and Portfolio Manager, Lord, Abbett & Co.

Additional speakers to be announced. 

11:45am - 1:45pm

Luncheon Session

Remarks from CREFC’s President and CEO:
Lisa Pendergast, President and CEO, CRE Finance Council

CREFC Legislative & Regulatory Update:
Moderated by: Scott Sinder, CREFC General Counsel, Partner & Chair, Government Relations and Public Policy Group, Steptoe LLP
Sairah Burki, Managing Director, Head of Regulatory Affairs, CRE Finance Council
David McCarthy, Managing Director, Chief Lobbyist, Head of Legislative Affairs, CRE Finance Council

Predictions 2026:
Keynote Speaker: Scott Galloway, Entrepreneur and Professor of Marketing, NYU Stern School of Business
  
Prof Galloway shares his annual predictions, examining consumer, tech, and business trends that will have the biggest impact in 2026. Using data-informed insights, he will share his vision for the trends and opportunities that will define the year ahead and reflect on his previous year’s predictions. 

2:00pm - 2:50pm

Servicers Forum

(Closed to Media, Not Available for Replay)

Moderators:
Alex Killick, Senior Managing Director, CWCapital
Dana Jo Martino, Senior Vice President, Managing Director, Berkadia Commercial Mortgage LLC

Panelists: 
Amanda Dugat, Managing Director, CRE Servicing & Asset Management, SitusAMC
Adam Fox, Senior Director, Structured Finance Commercial Servicers & CMBS, Fitch Ratings
Brett Mann, Director of Loan Asset Management, LNR Partners LLC

3:05pm - 3:55pm

GSE/Multifamily Lenders Forum

(Closed to Media, Not Available for Replay)

Moderator: 
David Haynes, Head of Agency Trading, CBRE Multifamily Capital, Inc.

Panelists: 
Lee Green, Managing Director, Wells Fargo
Jason Griest, Vice President, Multifamily Capital Markets Securitization, Freddie Mac
Alan L. Todd, CFA, Managing Director, CMBS Strategist, Global Research, Bank of America

Additional speakers to be announced. 

4:05pm - 4:55pm

Portfolio Rebalancing Strategies: Loan Sales, Modifications, and Enforcement

(Not Available for Replay)

Moderator:
Sean Ryan, Senior Managing Director, Jones Lang LaSalle

Panelists: 
Spencer Garfield, Global Co-Head of Commercial Real Estate Credit, Fortress Investment Group LLC
Angela Gonzales, Managing Director – Special Servicing, Trimont
Rickard Rolfsson, Director, CMBS/CRE Loan Trading, Bank of America
Gwen Roush, Associate Managing Director, North American CMBS Ratings, Surveillance, Morningstar DBRS

Discussion Topics: 

• Portfolio Rebalancing in a Shifting CRE Landscape: Explore how leading institutions are strategically rebalancing their commercial real estate portfolios through loan sales, modifications, and enforcement actions. Gain insights into the motivations behind these moves and the impact on market liquidity.
• Navigating Distress and Workouts: Trends, Tactics, and Outcomes: Hear from special servicing and trading experts on the latest trends in distressed asset management decisions, including the evolving role of controlling class investors and other stakeholders in the debt stack
• Market Pricing and Portfolio Sales: What’s Driving Transaction Values? Analyze current pricing dynamics for loan portfolios, including the influence of synthetic risk transfers, mezzanine loan sales, and the motivations behind bank loan portfolio sales – are we seeing meaningful exposure reduction or tactical trimming?
• Outlook for CRE Loan Delinquencies, Charge-Offs, and Future Risks: Discuss the latest data on CRE charge-offs and delinquencies, the impact of recent market cycles, and expectations for distress among CLO issuers and debt funds. Panelists will share their views on whether the worst is behind us or if further turbulence lies ahead.
• Is Extend and Pretend proving out or is the Wall of Maturities going to crash in 2026, resulting in more enforcement actions?   
  

5:00pm - 7:00pm

Networking Reception

Sponsored by:

Wednesday, January 14th

8:00am - 11:00am

Registration

8:00am - 10:00am

Networking Breakfast

Sponsored by:

9:00am - 9:50am

From Vacancy to Value: Repositioning, Financing and Opportunities in Distressed Office

Moderator: 
Darrell Wheeler, Head of CMBS Research, Senior Vice President, Moody's 

Panelists: 
Paul Dougherty, President and Founder, PRP
Jeff Fronek, Managing Partner, President, Tourmaline Capital Partners
MaryAnne Gilmartin, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, MAG Partners
Steven Golubchik, Executive Vice Chairman and President, Western Region Capital Markets, Newmark 

Discussion Topics:

• Navigating the new office reality: How various markets are adapting after five years of hybrid work
• Unlocking hidden value: Strategic repositioning and adaptive reuse in today's market
• Securing capital in challenging times: Innovative financing solutions for distressed office assets
• Strategic investment positioning: Reading market signals and capital flow trends

10:00am - 10:50am

Beyond Traditional Multifamily: Exploring Alternative and Affordable Housing

(Closed to Media, Not Available for Replay)

Moderator: 
Alexander Beaumariage, Co-Head of Affordable Housing, Commercial Mortgage Group, KeyBank Real Estate Capital

Panelists: 
David M. Brickman, President, D2 Asset Management 
Stephen Bus, Managing Partner, Up Campus Student Living
Rachel Diller, Senior Managing Director, Co-Head of Multifamily CIO, Workforce & Affordable Housing Funds, Bridge Investment Group
Bill Glascott, Managing Director, Head of Alternative Housing Transactions, Clarion Partners
Nicholas Menzies, Senior Managing Director, Head of Consumer and Residential Real Estate for BXCI, Blackstone 

Discussion Topics: 

• Financing & Market Dynamics
  • What are the main barriers to attractive financing for manufactured home communities, and how could a more liquid secondary market for chattel mortgages or greater GSE involvement help address these?
  • How does slow absorption and inferior location impact the viability of alternative housing projects, and what strategies can mitigate these risks?
• Regulatory & Political Challenges
  • How do NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) attitudes and local approval processes affect the development of affordable alternative housing?
  • What role do unique rent controls in manufactured housing play in shaping capital flows and investor interest?
  • How might potential regulation of private equity in single-family rentals (SFR) influence the future of affordable housing investment?
• Models & Partnerships
  • What are the pros and cons of build-to-rent (BTR) models using factory-built housing, and how do they compare to traditional apartment or single-family subdivisions?
  • Can partnerships between corporations and developers (e.g., master leases for workforce housing) be a scalable solution for affordability?
• Economics of Affordability
  • Why is unsubsidized affordable housing so difficult to “pencil out,” even when land costs are minimal?
  • What input costs most significantly impact the feasibility of affordable housing projects, and how can they be managed?
• Market Segmentation & Demographics
  • How do shifting demographics, such as the declining number of students turning 18, affect the outlook for student housing and alternative models?
  • What markets are likely to gain share in student housing, and how does the “Power 4” sports school phenomenon influence investment decisions?
• Policy & Incentives
  • What impact has the extension and expansion of the Opportunity Zone program had on housing, and is it being used effectively for affordable housing or diverted to other uses?

11:00am - 11:50am

Powering Digital Infrastructure: Growing Demand for Data Center Capital

(Closed to Media, Not Available for Replay)

Moderator: 
Chris Albano, Managing Director, Citigroup Global Markets

Panelists: 
Carrington Brown, Senior Managing Director, Development, Affinius Capital
Liza Crawford, Managing Director, Co-Head of Global Securitized, Trust Company of the West 
Peter McEneaney, Executive Vice President & Head of Development, Thor Equities
Madonna Park, Chief Financial Officer, Switch 
Eric Rothfeld, Managing Director, NA CMBS, Fitch Ratings

Discussion Topics: 

• Power grid as prime real estate: Redefining data center location strategy: How proximity to reliable power infrastructure has become the new "location, location, location" for data center development and investment decisions
• Tenant concentration risk in the AI boom: Managing hyperscaler dependency: With major tech giants driving unprecedented data center demand, how are investors and rating agencies evaluating concentration risk in an increasingly consolidated market?
• Future-proofing against technological obsolescence: Understanding server lifecycles and investment strategies to protect capital from rapid technological evolution and changing computational demands
• Data centers as core infrastructure: Aligning investment returns with economic reality: Should data center investments – now essential to daily life and business operations—command core infrastructure-level returns, or maintain their current risk-return profile?
• Bridging CRE and infrastructure finance: The rise of blended capital solutions: How project finance and commercial real estate financing are converging, bringing together CMBS and ABS investors in new hybrid investment structures