Monday, June 8, 2026

Registration and Exhibit Hall
8:00am - 5:00pm
5th Floor

Sponsored by:

Breakfast
8:00am - 10:00am

Sponsored by:

Welcome Remarks
9:00am - 9:10am

Conference Co-Chairs:
Amber Sefert, Senior Managing Director, Credit & Asset Management, Trimont
Kelly Wrenn, Partner, Ballard Spahr LLP
CREFC President and CEO Appointee to the Committee: Jay A. Neveloff, Partner, Chair of Real Estate, US, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP

Rock ‘n' Roll & Real Estate: Lessons Learned from Both
Featuring Spencer Levy and Julie Ingersoll
9:15am - 10:15am

Keynote Speakers:
Spencer Levy, Global Client Strategist & Senior Economic Advisor, CBRE
Julie Ingersoll, Chief Investment Officer, Americas Direct, CBRE Investment Management

Join industry veterans Spencer Levy, Global Client Strategist and Senior Economic Advisor for CBRE, and Julie Ingersoll, Chief Investment Officer, Americas Direct, for CBRE Investment Management, as they kick off our conference with an essential market update and economic overview. This keynote presentation will provide critical insights into current transaction volumes, cap rate trends, and emerging investment opportunities navigating today's challenging financing environment. Don't miss this expert analysis of where the commercial real estate market stands and where the best opportunities lie ahead.

Servicers Forum (Closed to Media, Not Available for Replay)
10:30am - 11:15am

Moderators: 
Amanda Dugat, Senior Managing Director, CRE Servicing and Asset Management, SitusAMC
Brett Mann, Director of Loan Asset Management, LNR Partners LLC 

Panelists: 
William A. Clarkson, Managing Partner, Special Servicing and Workout Services, Torchlight Investors
Adam Fox, Senior Director, Structured Finance Commercial Servicers & CMBS, Fitch Ratings
Alex Killick, Senior Managing Director, CWCapital
Dana Jo Martino, Senior Vice President, Managing Director, Berkadia Commercial Mortgage LLC 

CREFC/ NCREIF Debt Fund Aggregate Contributor Meeting (Closed Meeting)
10:30am - 11:30am

This meeting is for current Debt Fund Contributors or those who intend to become contributors to the Aggregate. Any questions, please contact, Nicole Pepe.

GSE/Multifamily Lenders Forum (Closed to Media, Not Available for Replay)
11:30am - 12:15pm

Moderator:
Lee Green, Managing Director, Wells Fargo

Panelists:
Yahli Becker, Senior Managing Director, Head of Agency CMBS, Cantor Fitzgerald & Co.
Jeff Berenbaum, Head of CMBS Research, Citigroup Global Markets
Jason Griest, Vice President, Multifamily Capital Markets Securitization, Freddie Mac
David Haynes, Head of Agency Trading, CBRE Capital Markets, Inc.
Matthew Jones, CFA, Chief Investment Officer – Credit Investments, Harbor Group International, LLC

Boxed Lunches
12:00pm - 1:00pm

Borrower Perspectives: CRE Market Realities and Opportunities (Closed to Media)
12:30pm - 1:15pm

Moderator:
Roy March, Executive Chairman, Eastdil Secured

Panelists:
Jeff T. Blau, Chief Executive Officer, Related Companies, LP
Richard A.C. Coles, Founder and Managing Partner, Vanbarton Group
Michael Franco, President and Chief Financial Officer, Vornado Realty Trust 
Cathy Marcus, Co-Head & Global COO, Real Estate, PGIM

Discussion Topics:

• Adapting Investment Strategies in Today's Rate Environment: How has your investment thesis evolved in response to elevated interest rates?
• The AI Revolution's Real Estate Impact: What's your perspective on artificial intelligence's influence on office demand and broader asset class implications?
• The Return of Core Capital: When do you anticipate institutional capital re-entering the market?
  
  • Could 401(k) allocations be the market catalyst we're waiting for?
• Market Dynamics: Temporary Shift or Permanent Evolution? Are we experiencing a K-shaped recovery or witnessing a fundamental market restructuring?
• Capital Allocation Trends and Asset Valuations: How are shrinking real estate allocations and the pivot toward infrastructure investments affecting property values?
• Global Capital Flows and Market Recovery: What role will international investment play in the recovery, and where are the emerging capital sources? ○ Is Middle Eastern capital increasingly targeting U.S. markets amid regional uncertainties?
• Political Risk and Market Outlook: How do political considerations influence your investment perspective on New York City and broader U.S. markets?

Sponsored by:

12:30pm - 1:30pm

If you are a CREFC Member, click here to register. If you are a non-member, please email Rohit Narayanan. 

CREFC & Trepp Insurance Company Investment Performance Survey
1:30pm - 1:40pm

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

Portfolio Lenders Forum (Closed to Media, Not Available for Replay)
1:40pm - 2:25pm

Moderator:
Mauricio Duran, Managing Director, Real Estate Syndications, Webster Bank

Panelists: 
Bryan Donohoe, Partner, Head of Real Estate Credit, Ares Management LLC
Melissa Farrell, Managing Director, Head of U.S. Originations, Real Estate, PGIM
Robert Grudzinski, Senior Vice President, U.S. Bank, NA
Lisa Paterson Simonetti, Managing Director, Apollo Global Management
Gregory Wolkom, Head of REIT Finance Group & Real Estate Syndicated Finance, Wells Fargo

Career Conversations and Speed Networking - Open to Young Professionals (Closed to Media, Will not be live-streamed or available for replay)
2:00pm - 3:15pm
7th Floor, Astor Ballroom

Mix and mingle with leaders in the industry during our Speed Networking session.

Mentors include:
Sulie Arias, Partner, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
Michael Barbieri, Chief Investment Officer, Head of Capital Markets, A10 Capital
Rebecca Bayard,  Managing Director, Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Justin Cappuccino, Managing Director, Societe Generale
Brian Carey, Executive Director, J.P. Morgan
Ryan Frank, Managing Director Head of Securitization, Zions Bancorporation, N.A.
Natalie Grainger, Managing Director, Nomura Holdings
Gaby Hodara, Head of Investor Relations, KBRA
Anne Jablonski, Executive Managing Director, Head of Commercial Real Estate, SitusAMC
Spencer Kagan, Managing Director, Barclays
Cynthia Schwartz, Senior Director, Structured Products, Freddie Mac
Erin Welling, Head of U.S. CRE Debt Asset Management, PIMCO

Investment-Grade (IG) Bondholders Forum (Closed to Media, Not Available for Replay)
2:40pm - 3:25pm

Moderator: 
Wendy Pei, Managing Director, Ellington Management

Panelists:
John Hyland, Director, MetLife Investment Management
Michael Mesard, Managing Director, BlackRock
Li Pang, Managing Director & Portfolio Manager, J.P. Morgan
Adam J. Smith, Director, DWS

Education Committee Meeting (Closed Meeting, Invite Only)
3:30pm - 4:15pm

Government Impact on the Business of CRE & Its Asset Classes
3:40pm - 4:25pm

Moderator:
Jan Sternin, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Berkadia Commercial Mortgage LLC

Panelists:
Sairah Burki, Managing Director, Head of Regulatory Affairs, CRE Finance Council
Scott Dixon, Senior Vice President & Senior Credit Risk Officer, Truist
Dan Garodnick, Former Chair of the New York City Planning Commission and Director of the Department of City Planning
Rachel Loeb, Founder & Managing Partner, Muse Partners
David McCarthy, Managing Director, Chief Lobbyist, Head of Legislative Affairs, CRE Finance Council

Discussion Topics:

• Policy related uncertainty impacting commercial real estate execution
• Federal deregulatory focus: Myth or reality
  • Impact of Basel capital proposal on lending
  • SEC efforts to rationalize disclosure and reporting requirements in fixed income space
• Bank and lender perspectives related to capital, liquidity, supervision and troubled debt resolution
• The Federal legislative agenda
  • Housing Legislation
  • SFR and BTR Bans 
  • TRIA Reauthorization
• GSE reform: Not likely
• Election outlook: Scenario and impacts
• The impact of NYC, state and local government on all things housing

Sponsored by:

Reception
4:30pm - 6:00pm
8th Floor, Broadway Lounge

Sponsored by:

PAC Reception
5:00pm - 6:00pm

Join other CREFC leaders for an exclusive Election Outlook featuring Dave Wasserman of the Cook Political Report at the CREFC PAC reception at during the Annual Conference in NYC!

Our special guest will be Dave Wasserman of the Cook Political Report. He’ll kick off the program with his perspective on the upcoming midterm elections and offer a valuable preview of what to expect this fall.

Dave is recognized as one of the nation's top election forecasters, he leads the development of key data visualizations across the Cook Report's platforms. He has served as an analyst for the NBC News Election Night Decision Desk since 2008 and has also appeared on Fox News, CNN, and NPR.

Questions? Or to Register, Please contact James Montfort, Manager, Government Relations, at Jmontfort@crefc.org or 202-909-8748

Knicks Watch Party 
8:00pm 
5th Floor, Ballroom

As if CREFC's Annual Conference wasn't enough reason to be in New York this week, the city will also be hosting another marquee event: the NBA Finals.
  
On Monday evening, join your fellow conference attendees for an NBA Finals Game 3 Watch Party. 

We're excited to let you know that if you're registered to attend our June Annual Conference, you'll also get access to the Knick's Watch Party an at no additional cost. No need for a separate registration—you're already in! For CREFC Members not attending our conference, register here for a complimentary pass to the watch party.

The program is in the process of being coordinated and is subject to change. To review CREFC’s Speaker and Panel Participation Policy, click here.