Dana Briggs is the Economic Development Director for the City of Idaho Falls and works to promote community and economic development through strategic planning, outreach, and advocacy efforts. She manages relationships with the development and business community, elected officials, federal contractors, state government agencies, and other stakeholders. She oversees development processes and leads projects with public and private partners from inception to completion. Prior to her current role, Dana taught a collegiate management course, worked as a business analyst, and directed the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce’s events and programs. Dana is active in many community and civic organizations, and serves as the board chair of the Idaho Innovation Center. She holds a bachelor’s degree in recreation management and a master’s degree in business administration.

Dean Papé has a portfolio of development projects that runs the gamut, from residential to retail and from medical to mixed-use. Recent additions to his volume of work include student housing, automotive dealerships, market-rate apartments, and a neighborhood retail center. Dean earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering and Construction Management and a minor in Business Administration from Oregon State University. A strong believer in education, he continually adds to his knowledge and expertise by taking courses in real estate finance, marketing and property management and seeking knowledge from mentors within the industry. No two real estate development projects are alike, and Dean's decisive and collaborative management style have allowed him to succeed in the real estate development industry despite the recession, while relishing the varied challenges posed by the unique demands of each new project.

Dr. Vanessa Crossgrove Fry is Interim Director at the Idaho Policy Institute (IPI) where she leads students, staff, and faculty in providing innovative and objective research to help public, private, and nonprofit leaders overcome challenges and navigate change. She serves as Associate Research Professor in the School of Public Service where she teaches the MPA Capstone and co-teaches the Vertically Integrated Project Housing Opportunities for All. Dr. Fry has focused both her work and education on utilizing multi-sector, evidenced-based solutions to address persistent social, environmental, and economic issues and meet the current and critical needs in communities across Idaho and beyond. Dr. Fry is also an Adjunct Faculty Member at Presidio Graduate School in San Francisco where she received her MBA in Sustainable Management. Vanessa also holds a BA in Biology and Fine Art from Wittenberg University in Ohio and a PhD in Public Policy and Administration from Boise State. In addition, Vanessa serves on the board of the Red Cross of Greater Idaho. When she’s not commuting with her family back and forth between Boise and Custer County you can find her on Twitter @IdahoVanessa. LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Andrew Warren, Andy, currently serves as the PwC’s Director of Real Estate Research. As the Director of Real Estate Research, and is responsible for monitoring all aspects of commercial and residential real estate, including space market fundamentals, capital market trends, regulatory changes and operational developments. For the past eight years, Andy has led PwC’s participation in the development and production of the Emerging Trends in Real Estate publication. Andy is a frequent speaker on issues affecting the real estate market and has also authored numerous articles for internal clients and national real estate publications. Andy also forecasts market performance for PwC’s “Real Estate Investor Survey”.

Partner, Parkwood Business Properties. Chris Meyer is a partner at Parkwood Business Properties, North Idaho’s leading developer and manager of commercial real estate. In that role he oversees the asset management of almost 700,000sf of commercial office, industrial, medical office, tech-flex, and retail properties. He is also responsible for new development lead generation, site selection, financing, and construction execution. Prior to joining Parkwood, Chris worked as a Development Manager for Legacy Partners Residential in Seattle where he developed the $75mm Legacy at Pratt Park urban mixed-use luxury apartment project with 248 units and 6,500sf of street level retail. Legacy at Pratt Park was awarded the 2010 neighborhood impact award at the NAIP Night of the Stars in 2010. Chris is active in his community and serves on the boards of the Kootenai Health Foundation, Jobs Plus (the Coeur d’Alene Economic Development Corporation), the Hayden Lake Watershed Association and the Coeur d’Alene Education Partnership. He also serves on the ULI Idaho District Council Advisory Committee. Chris has a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, an MBA from the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington and a Masters in Urban Planning from the School of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Washington.