With over 20 years of experience spanning both public and private sectors, Derek specializes in deal structuring and negotiations that ensure successful outcomes for all stakeholders in urban redevelopment projects. His approach combines deep knowledge of capital raising, business development, and community engagement with a commitment to addressing economic disparity through intentional development practices. Derek’s experience managing large-scale public lending portfolios and leading complex entitlement processes enables him to navigate the intersection of policy, finance, and community needs. 

Derek’s work centers on community-oriented development that creates value while preserving the cultural assets and social fabric of existing neighborhoods—a body of work he describes as Cultural Captial. His experience leading redevelopment strategies in historically marginalized communities has shaped his understanding of how development processes can either strengthen or displace community networks. This perspective drives his approach to crafting partnerships and financing structures that prioritize community ownership and long-term resident benefits, ensuring that revitalization efforts serve existing populations rather than displacing them. 

Adaptive reuse strategies form a core component of Derek’s practice, reflecting his belief that sustainable development must honor the historical and cultural significance of existing built environments. His experience managing the transformation of historic buildings for contemporary uses demonstrates how thoughtful renovation and programming can create economic opportunity while maintaining neighborhood character. This approach helps clients identify development opportunities that respect community heritage while meeting modern market demands and regulatory requirements. 

Derek’s expertise in public sector partnerships enables complex redevelopment projects to access the full range of available financing tools and policy support mechanisms. His experience managing empowerment zone lending portfolios and leading large-scale entitlement processes has equipped him with practical knowledge of how public investment can catalyze private development while achieving broader community development goals. This dual-sector perspective allows him to structure deals that leverage public resources effectively while maintaining the flexibility and efficiency that private development requires.