Ely Speakers Bureau
Welcome to the Lambda Alpha International Ely-Chicago Chapter Speakers Bureau. Our chapter members offer themselves as a resource for you across a wide variety of land economics industries. Members of LAI Ely-Chicago have a minimum of 10 years of professional experience in their land economics field. They have been selected by their peers as worthy of recognition for their commitment to excellence. Click on a category below to find your next speaker, panelist or moderator from our membership.
If you are an LAI Ely-Chicago Chapter Member, click here to apply for the Speakers Bureau.
Currently a Principal Planner in HNTB’s Chicago office, Diane has professional experience in urban planning, urban design, and architecture, including consulting for municipal and public agency clients, non-profit real estate development, and architectural design focused on transit and public facilities. Diane’s experience covers the spectrum from strategic and policy planning to detailed design solutions with an emphasis on consensus-based and contextually sensitive infrastructure and land use planning for developed areas. Her work with various constituencies and communities has fostered an ability to view planning issues from multiple perspectives, work across disciplines to increase common understanding, and develop visionary yet implementable planning solutions.
Kevin Kramer is the Director of Economic Development for the Village of Hoffman Estates, Illinois in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. He’s worked in this position since 2013 after working as a planner and economic developer for Barrington, IL. He graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Urban and Regional Planning.
He serves on several committees including the International Council of Shopping Center’s Illinois State Committee and the Next Generation Leadership Network, the International Economic Development Council’s Young Professionals Advisory Committee, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s Economic Development Committee and the Young Professionals group for the Illinois Economic Development Association. Kevin has earned his Certified Economic Developer status.
While he loves all things economic development he also loves DIY projects, woodworking ventures, hiking in the mountains (not in Illinois of course), and reading an heroic story while enjoying a craft beer, fine whiskey or sparkling water. Kevin lives in the Chicago suburbs with his wife and four children.
Fran is a trusted economic development advisor with a deep understanding of real estate market analysis and development strategy, financial feasibility analysis, public-private partnership finance and value capture for transportation. Her ability to analyze various market scenarios and recommend strategic redevelopment options that work for both the public and private sectors has been key to informing numerous policy and development decisions. Fran is skilled in evaluating the financial feasibility of development projects and has underwritten or structured over $1.7 billion in public assistance for a broad range of projects. Fran has a broad and in-depth understanding of housing, from national and regional housing market dynamics down to project-level feasibility, and assists clients in formulating housing policies and structuring transactions. Fran holds a Master of Urban Planning and Policy degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Policy from the University of Chicago. She is a member of the American Planning Association, Lambda Alpha International-Ely Chapter, Council of Development Finance Agencies, The Goldie Initiative, Illinois Housing Council, and the Illinois Tax Increment Association. Fran is a Series-50 Qualified Municipal Advisor Representative
Ellen Shepard is CEO of Community Allies, a Chicago-based consultancy working across North America to build neighborhoods and cities where prosperity and opportunity are accessible for all. Ellen works as a strategic advisor to community leaders (including non-profit directors, government officials and staff, and funders), to support their efforts towards equitable economic development, vibrant neighborhood commercial districts, and deep community engagement.
Jennifer Tammen is a senior manager in the Indirect Tax team with over twenty years of success in working with developers, property owners, municipalities and quasi-public agencies on all aspects of tax increment financing (TIF), zoning and entitlements, planning, deal structuring, redevelopment agreement negotiation, early-stage project management, and creative approaches to capital and public-private project evaluation and funding.
Ruth Wuorenma is a land use and development expert who has focused her career on helping public, private, for-profit and nonprofit entities align goals and assets for mutual benefit and increased effectiveness. Her work as a land use lawyer and as a developer informs her research, her policy recommendations and her interest in advancing best development practices. Her path has spanned national and international commercial real estate, market-rate and affordable housing, and various civic roles. She has deep experience in land use and entitlements; in the creation of new real estate products and systems that are replicable and scalable; in site selection and development; and has a lifelong passion for community engagement that strengthens a shared sense of place.