Skip to content

2024 Fall Panel

Affordable Housing: Holisitic Approaches and Creative Solutions Driven by Chicago's Talent

As Chicago’s affordable challenge grows, the need for innovative, sustainable and community-focused solutions has never been more pressing.  This impressive panel of leaders across the architecture, design, development and construction disciplines will share about the creative solutions their teams are implementing to transform affordable housing in our city.

Thank you to the 2024 PWC Chicago Sponsors, who make this event possible.

Review the complete list of 2024 sponsors here.

Schedule of Events

5:30 - 6:30 PM Networking with drinks and appetizers

6:30 - 7:30 PM Panel discussion followed by audience question & answer

7:30 - 8:30 PM Additional networking with drinks and appetizers

Meet our Moderator

KBrooks_Headshot2

Kemena Brooks

Senior Director of Development

The Community Builders

Kemena Brooks is the Senior Director of Development for The Community Builders, a national non-profit real estate developer. She oversees the organization's City of Chicago development pipeline from initial concept through project stabilization. That pipeline includes over 2,000 units of affordable and mixed income housing, and hundreds of thousands of commercial and neighborhood amenity spaces. Current focus includes the development of two multi-phase, mixed-income, mixed-use communities. Kemena is also leading redevelopment efforts in West Side neighborhoods including the development of a 505000 square foot health and wellness center. 

Kemena is a 2022 graduate of Loyola University Chicago’s Baumhart Scholars MBA program. She is a 2023 Crain’s Business Chicago 40 under 40 recipient and a 2022-2023 Urban Land Institute Women Leadership Fellow.  Kemena serves as a mentor through The Goldie Initiative, is the vice chair for the Chicago Loop Alliance Board of Directors, and was recently appointed to the Chicago Plan Commission.

Meet our Panelists

Tang, Ta Juana

Ta Juana Tang

Founder & President

Tandem Ventures

Ta Juana Tang is the founder and president of Tandem Ventures, a Chicago-based economic development consultancy that is deeply committed to advancing diversity and equity in the construction industry. Since 2008, she has collaborated with developers and general contractors to ensure compliance with government-imposed regulations while championing diversity initiatives that promote the extensive involvement of minority- and women-owned contractors. Additionally, she devises actionable workforce engagement strategies to ensure that residents of the project community have access to employment opportunities.

Over the last 24 months, Tang and her team have successfully managed $514 million in construction projects that have contributed to increased contracting opportunities for small and emerging businesses. Notably, a significant portion of that value—42%, was strategically allocated to minority- and women-owned businesses, marking a 7% increase from the previous year. This growth underscores Tang's strong commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in the construction industry. Tang's leadership has also been instrumental in establishing strategic partnerships between majority and minority-led firms, creating value for both parties and contributing to revenue growth and enhanced scalability for the minority-led firm.

Tang currently serves as the board chair for One On One, a workforce development organization. She is also a founding board member for the Chicago chapter of Professional Women in Construction, where she is a member and former co-chair of the DEI committee. Tang's commitment to ensuring affordable housing remains a viable housing option is evident in her role as a board member and government relations committee member for the Illinois Housing Council.

Tim Swanson Photo

Tim Swanson

Founder & CEO

Inherent L3C

Tim Swanson is the founder and CEO of Inherent L3C as well as the President of Inherentance NPF, a nationally award winning community reinvestment organization that aligns thriving wage career creation, direct community business investment and meaningful homeownership through sustainable and affordable modular smart homes into thriving local economies. He has led large architecture, engineering and construction companies locally and internationally; and having lived and practiced in Abu Dhabi, rural India, New York and Chicago, with projects that span six continents, Tim brings a unique, global perspective to his local work.

Profile Photo

Shreya Singh

Senior Development Associate

Related Midwest

Shreya Singh leads the financing, planning, and execution of Related Midwest’s affordable housing portfolio, with a track record of delivering nearly 1,000 affordable homes across Chicago and the Midwest. Her key projects include the multi-phase revitalization of Lathrop, transforming a historic riverfront property into a mixed-use, mixed-income community in partnership with the Chicago Housing Authority. Singh successfully secured 9% tax credits for the project’s second phase and is now managing the third phase, which will add over 300 units.

Other impactful projects include the $20 million rehabilitation of Riverwoods, providing affordable senior housing in Kankakee, IL, and the $46.5 million redevelopment of Poplar Place, a 100-unit affordable community in Springfield, IL.

Active in the industry, Singh is a member of the Urban Land Institute and co-founded South Asians in Real Estate (SAIRE), supporting South Asian professionals in the field. She holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where she was a Goldie B. Wolfe Miller Scholar.

design-bridge-portraits-5 copy2

Gabriel Ignacio Dziekiewicz

President & Managing Principal

DesignBridge

Gabriel Ignacio Dziekiewicz is the President and Managing Principal at DesignBridge, Ltd, an innovative award winning collaborative practice of architects and designers with a nearly 40 year history based in Chicago. In 2021, Gabriel was appointed by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to serve as Vice Chair of the Commission on Chicago Landmarks, where he also serves as Chair of the Commission’s Permit Review Committee. Gabriel has been a member of the Commission since 2015 when he was first appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel. His expertise and interest in Historic Preservation have made him a key member of the Landmark Commission.

Since joining DesignBridge in early 2007, Gabriel has led the design direction and collaborated on numerous notable architectural and interior design projects, including mixed-use and residential developments, affordable housing, commercial and corporate environments, academic buildings, hotel and hospitality design, high-end residential interiors, and restaurant and entertainment concepts.

Gabriel Ignacio Dziekiewicz continues to seek opportunities to expand his professional service and gain experience through new affiliations, learning opportunities and other growth vehicles. His dedication to quality, service, and integrity is of paramount importance and his professional philosophy is predicated on the concept that learning, service and professional development are a constant endeavour.

We support, advance and connect women and promote diversity within architecture, engineering, construction, development, and related industries.

Find out more about PWC Chicago or become a Member today!