Careers in Real Estate Development

This event is open to the University of Maryland community only

The event will feature 5 professionals from the Real Estate Development community. Panelists will give a brief overview of their career. The moderator will ask panelists a set of prepared questions, as time permits, and then we will open up the floor for questions from students. A networking session with food and drinks will follow.

Moderator:

David Roodberg
CEO, DJR Assoc., Chair, Real Estate Development Advisory Board, University of Maryland

Panelists

Marcus Ervin, MRED '09
SVP, Multifamily Lending & Neighborhood Investments District of Columbia Housing Authority

Gabrielle Hapi, MRED, MBA '21
Development Manager, The NHP Foundation

Stuart Liebman ‘78
Managing Partner, Wells Jaworski Liebman LLP

Karen Rose '02
Managing Director, Commercial Leasing, The Durst Organization

Michael Sperling '02
Manager, Real Estate Acquisitions, Rok Acquisitions LLC
 

Please RSVP

Schedule 

5:00 p.m.  |  Arrival and networking 

5:15 p.m.  |  Career panel

6:00 p.m.  |  Q&A

6:15 p.m.  |  Networking reception

7:00 p.m.  |  Event concludes 
 

Biographies

David Roodberg
CEO, DJR Assoc., Chair, Real Estate Development Advisory Board, University of Maryland

David Roodberg is the CEO of DJR Assoc. He was President of The Menkiti Group, where he was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the business including development, capital, commercial real estate, and strategic planning. He was formerly the CEO and President of Horning Brothers for over 20 years. He serves on the boards of Greater Washington Community Foundation, Urban Land Institute Executive Committee in DC, Wesley Housing Development Corporation and University of Maryland Masters in Real Estate Advisory Board.

Mr. Roodberg has also been appointed by the Mayor to serve on the Housing Production Trust Fund Board for Washington, DC setting strategies for the City’s investment in affordable housing. Mr. Roodberg has a bachelor’s degree from Duke University and an MBA from the University of Michigan.

Marcus Ervin, MRED '09
SVP, Multifamily Lending & Neighborhood Investments District of Columbia Housing Authority

Gabrielle Hapi, MRED, MBA '21
Development Manager, The NHP Foundation

MBA, MRED, is a Development Manager at The NHP Foundation, specializing in affordable housing finance, project management, and strategic planning. She oversees real estate development activities from inception to completion, with a strong background in financial modeling, securing funding, and deal structuring. With a solid interdisciplinary foundation in finance and urban development, Gabrielle is committed to advancing equitable and sustainable housing solutions.  

Karen Rose '02
Managing Director, Commercial Leasing, The Durst Organization

Karen Rose is the Managing Director of Commercial Leasing for One World Trade Center. She is responsible for negotiations, leasing, marketing and maintaining tenancy of the Western Hemisphere’s tallest building. Karen, who joined the company in 2002, worked with the midtown office leasing team for 10 years prior to focusing her efforts solely on The Durst Organization’s downtown 3 million square foot asset. Throughout her tenure, she has worked to secure leases with such tenants as Bank of America, the Big East Conference, MGM, National Life Insurance and Olam Group International.

Karen has earned certificates in both Real Estate Finance and Property Management at New York University. A graduate of the University of Maryland, Karen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Hearing and Speech Science. She is a member of the Young Men’s/Women’s Real Estate Association, the Real Estate Board of New York and sits on the event committee of the UJA Real Estate Executives

Michael Sperling '02
Manager, Real Estate Acquisitions, Rok Acquisitions LLC

Since 2009, Mr. Sperling manages the day-to-day real estate development and investment activity for the Rok organization. His extensive experience includes the acquisition of land, residential, hospitality and commercial properties, including the due diligence, financing, structure and legal components. Currently, Mr. Sperling is actively involved in several high-profile projects, including the redevelopment of the Condado Plaza Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, a ground-up mixed-use development in North Miami, Florida, featuring 360 multifamily units, and the transformative redevelopment of the Bahia Mar in Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida. Earlier in his career, Mr. Sperling worked for one of the largest residential condominium developers in the United States. Mr. Sperling earned an undergraduate degree in Finance and Marketing from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland and a Master’s degree in Real Estate Development from Columbia University.