Ilana Preuss

I LAUNCHED RECAST CITY TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN FOR THE LOCAL ECONOMY. My commitment is to apply my expertise in smart growth, community reinvestment, real estate analysis, and stakeholder engagement to create more opportunity for more people in more places and to create strong, inclusive, and resilient economies. It’s based on a few core beliefs. I believe in the power of local business. I believe in greater opportunity for more people - from big city to rural town. I believe in creating more places we love - everywhere. I believe we create strong resilient local economies by investing in all of these outcomes. And I believe that small-scale manufacturing businesses, and the real estate they occupy, gets us these outcomes. So that’s what we do. WE WORK WITH LOCAL LEADERS TO CREATE GREAT PLACES THAT BUILD ENERGY, INCREASE THE NUMBER OF GOOD PAYING JOBS, FILL OUR STOREFRONTS, AND MAKE PEOPLE PROUD OF WHERE THEY’RE FROM. ALL BY BRINGING SMALL-SCALE MANUFACTURING BUSINESSES INTO THE FOREFRONT.

Smart Growth America is a national non-profit focused on fostering stronger communities through reinvestment in existing neighborhoods, infill development and business development in our communities’ cores. • Manage 5-year strategic planning process for $5 million budget and 40 person staff • Advise organization-wide project strategy development covering marketing, communications, press engagement and community outreach • Manage contractors on range of topics including three year initiative on federal real estate finance and multi-year contract on online communications to build a national audience • Lead research and advocacy efforts on federal programs that finance real estate to better support infill and redevelopment products, including release of two reports in 2013, Federal Involvement in Real Estate: A Call for Examination and Federal Involvement in Real Estate: A Call for Action • Develop trainings for elected officials, business and community leaders on public engagement, economic development, communications, and regional outreach strategy development, with over 20 trainings conducted in the last year • Supervise staff of 40 and direct online and press communication team • Lead quarterly sold-out event series in DC called “In the City” which convenes local entrepreneurs and urbanists about what makes a city great, including events, Tech in the City, Food in the City, Transportation in the City

• Launched a national campaign to advocate for changes in federal transportation policy as the founding outreach director • Recruited and managed national partners, including elected officials, real estate developers, and business, health, equity, rural, environmental, civil rights, and labor leaders to build a national advocacy base and agreement on a policy platform • Built national coalition from 15 to 450 partners in 20 months • Directed outreach and online advocacy teams

The implementation assistance program provides direct technical assistance to dozens of local communities each year, working to change local real estate and infrastructure policy to better support infill and redevelopment efforts, as a program of the EPA Smart Growth Office. • Directed team of ten project managers • Developed strategic plans with over 15 cities and state agencies on reducing climate impacts, improving affordable housing, and developing transit-oriented development, transportation policy, and local redevelopment plans • Marketed initiative nationally to invite local communities to apply for the competitive program, leading to over 100 applicants a year for 5-12 awardees • Led assistance teams by contracting with experts on real estate economics, transportation and planning and by convening local engagement groups of elected officials, business leaders and local NGOs • Managed grants ranging from $500,000 to $690,000 with national and local NGOs on a variety of smart growth issues

ERA provided real estate analysis and research for development companies throughout the US. • Conducted real estate feasibility studies and economic impact analysis on urban infill development, retail expansions and equestrian center development • Worked with clients and comparable local developments to interview, analyze and research real estate markets from West Memphis, AK to Binghamton, NY • Developed pro forma for development proposals to analyze feasibility within specific markets

• Researched and designed national program to preserve urban open space throughout Israel. • Authored and published brochure series on available urban open space in major Israeli cities in an effort to preserve remaining spaces. • Lectured on fundraising tour throughout the US to raise funds for the Israeli NGO, including speaking to major donors from Los Angeles to New York City, covering over 15 cities in two weeks.