The problem
Getting the right people in a room is easy to talk about and hard to do well. What matters is the action that follows. I'm methodical about both.
What I did
Bringing people together is part art, part science: the room has to feel right, and the structure has to get people collaborating, not just mingling. I produced and moderated a two-part leadership forum with the City of Santa Monica in December 2025 and March 2026, drawing 140+ attendees across both events: two sitting Mayors and senior City of Santa Monica leadership, alongside major property owners, developers, private equity, and hospitality operators. I brought in sponsors to fund the work and gave those companies a seat at the table. I did it through CALS, the 501(c)(3) I co-founded: coastal revitalization and access are the mission, and downtown Santa Monica is where we started.
The details
| Events | December 2025 and March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Attendance | 140+ across both |
| Partner | City of Santa Monica |
| City leaders | Two sitting Mayors and senior City leadership |
| Also in the room | Owners, developers, PE/VC, operators |
| My role | Produced, moderated, and secured sponsors |
| Through | CALS, a 501(c)(3) |
| More | supportcals.org |