Graham Allison
Opportunity Zones: New Developments, Tract Selection, and Leveraging Bonds
Thursday, May 14, 1:00 - 2:30 PM
CEO and Founder
Opportunity Zone Development Group
Graham Allison is CEO and Founder of Opportunity Zone Development Group (OZDG), an opportunity zone (OZ) consulting and minority-owned development firm in Columbus, Ohio. Established in 2018 to take full advantage of the capital benefits and community improvement mission of Opportunity Zones, while guiding investment into ESG partnerships throughout the United States.
Graham is one of the most sought-after opportunity zone consultants in the country, having guided 200+ investors totaling hundreds of millions of dollars in capital gains investment, as well as numerous business owners and fund managers on how to achieve their opportunity zone goals. Passionate about economic and community development, Graham excels in creating public-private partnerships for community-backed developments that traditional approaches had failed to move forward. In all he has managed more than $2B in projects, including mixed-use residential and commercial, headquarters expansions, manufacturing, distribution centers, and facilities for R&D and advanced energy.
As Fund Manager, Graham has managed multi-million-dollar OZ equity fundraising and compliance for QOFs and QOZBs in several verticals including medical office and surgery centers, multi-family, mixed-use and adaptive reuse real estate projects, as well as renewable energy, non-profit partnerships and film production.
Graham received a Bachelor of Arts of Degree from Ohio Wesleyan University, where he learned his love for community service, and a Master of Business Administration Degree from Franklin University. A proud father of four, Graham and his wife Skylar and their children live in Columbus.
Robert Carrillo
Opportunity Zones: What’s New, What Matters, and How Public-Private Partnerships Drive Investment
Thursday, March 12, 1:00 - 2:30 PM
Founder & President
LaunchPad Collective, Inc.
Robert Carrillo is Founder and President of LaunchPad Collective and Carrillo Group CANY (CGX), where he leads land acquisition, entitlement, and mixed-use development in San Bernardino’s Opportunity Zone corridors.
Stacy Cumberbatch
Opportunity Zones: Key Updates for 2027 and Business Support Strategies
Wednesday, December 16, 1:00 - 2:30 PM
Managing Director
Blended Impact
Stacy Cumberbatch is the Founder and Managing Director of Blended Impact, a Southern California based civic innovation lab founded in 2019. Leading partnerships with cities, nonprofits, and private investors nationally, the team has unlocked over $255M in public and private capital for economic development in emerging tech hubs.
Previously she served as a FUSE Executive Fellow and Executive in Residence with the County of Riverside Office of Economic Development. There she partnered on developing and launching the Opportunity Zone strategy for the county across multiple cities and unincorporated areas. She also currently serves as a Strategic Advisor for Accelerator for America, a nonprofit, nonpartisan "Do tank" led by an advisory council of mayors and other elected officials across the country.
Earlier in her career, she served as a Principal at a seed-stage venture capital fund and accelerator program, co-launching the Los Angeles office where over $4.5M was invested in early-stage companies during her three year tenure. Prior, she had over twelve years of corporate and consumer real estate finance experience at institutions including First Republic Bank, Colony Capital, and Bank of America underwriting over $1.7B in real estate loan transactions.
Stacy is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and holds a Masters of Science in Entrepreneurship & Innovation from the University of Southern California.
Preston Frick
Opportunity Zones: New Developments, Tract Selection, and Leveraging Bonds
Thursday, May 14, 1:00 - 2:30 PM
Preston Frick serves as a Manager at the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA) within the Knowledge and Networks Division. In this role, Preston works to connect development finance professionals in the areas of access to capital, Opportunity Zones, and federal funding opportunities. As a part of this work, he leads CDFA’s Opportunity Zone and access to capital programming as well as CDFA’s FedFund Briefings.
Before joining CDFA, Preston served as a Grants Coordinator for the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC). Preston helped MORPC become an EDA Economic Development District and helped Central Ohio communities apply for federal funding opportunities. His career has focused on community and economic development from an academic and regional planning setting. He obtained a Master of Public Administration from Ohio University's Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service in 2022.
Emil Liszniansky
Introduction to Opportunity Zones
Thursday, January 15, 1:00 - 2:30 PM
Principal
Envision Group LLC
EMIL LISZNIANSKY, ESQ., AICP, PE | Principal
Emil Liszniansky is a Principal and co-founder at Envision and a certified planner, licensed attorney, and registered engineer. Throughout his 20-year career, Emil has been immersed in a diverse mix of strategicplanning and economic development initiatives including comprehensive plans, infrastructure projects, community revitalization efforts, project development finance, and funding pursuits. Emil brings a unique perspective to the strategic planning process ashis technical background allows him to identify creative, yet feasible solutions, while his legal training allows him to successfully navigate complex contractual and regulatory issues. An experienced grant writer and funding strategist, Emil has helped Envisionclients to secure over $80 Million in funding assistance since 2016.
Catherine Lyons
Opportunity Zones: What’s New, What Matters, and How Public-Private Partnerships Drive Investment
Thursday, March 12, 1:00 - 2:30 PM
Senior Director of Policy and Coalitions
Economic Innovation Group
Catherine Lyons is the Senior Director of Policy and Coalitions at the Economic Innovation Group, a bipartisan research and policy organization dedicated to creating a more dynamic and inclusive U.S. economy. Catherine leads the organization's government affairs work, focused on implementing and enhancing Opportunity Zones, restricting the use of noncompete agreements for all workers, creating more pathways for high-skilled immigration, and establishing new retirement savings vehicles for workers. In previous positions, Catherine worked on federal immigration reform as well as a variety of state and local policies across California, and served as an AmeriCorps member in New Orleans shortly after Hurricane Katrina. She holds a Master's of Public Policy from the Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy, and Bachelor's degrees in International Relations and Journalism from the University of Southern California.
Jennifer Syx
Introduction to Opportunity Zones
Thursday, January 15, 1:00 - 2:30 PM
Director of Economic Development
Envision Group LLC
JENNIFER SYX | Director of Economic Development
Jennifer Syx is Envision’s Director of Economic Development and has over 20 years of experience in the private, non-profit and public sectors. She works with communities and companies on strategic economicdevelopment initiatives including site selection, business attraction strategies and recruitment, and incentive packages. Jennifer has secured over $253 Million in financial incentives and funding assistance for corporate and municipal clients. Jennifer holdsa B.S. Marketing from Kent State University. Her project experience includes master planning; land acquisition, site assembly and readiness; brownfield redevelopment; grant and incentive procurement; market analysis; and economic impact statements.