With over twenty years of proven experience authoring and implementing visionary design, Vishaan Chakrabarti is the founder of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism. Simultaneously, he is a professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, where he teaches design and urbanism. His highly acclaimed book, A Country of Cities: A Manifesto for an Urban America (Metropolis Books, 2013), argues that a more urban United States would result in a more prosperous, sustainable, joyous, and socially mobile nation. Recently Chakrabarti was named the William W. Wurster Dean of the College of Environmental Design at the University of California, Berkeley, a position he will assume in July 2020. PAU will as a consequence open a California office in tandem with its existing New York studio, both of which will continue under Vishaan’s creative direction. From 2012 to 2015, Vishaan was a principal at SHoP Architects, where he co-led major architecture and urban design projects including the master plan and first building at the Domino Sugar site in Williamsburg as well as the master plan and first building at the Essex Crossing site at Seward Park, which together bookend the Williamsburg Bridge in a new form of mixed-use, mixed-income urbanism. While serving under Mayor Michael Bloomberg as the director of the Manhattan Office for the New York Department of City Planning, Vishaan successfully collaborated on the now-realized efforts to save the High Line, rezone Hudson Yards, extend the #7 subway line, rebuild the East River Waterfront, expand the Columbia University campus, and reincorporate the street grid at the World Trade Center site after the events of 9/11. He holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of California, Berkeley; a Master of City Planning degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and dual bachelor’s degrees in art history and engineering from Cornell University. He is a registered architect in the States of New York and Pennsylvania and is registered with NCARB. Vishaan lectures internationally; contributes articles and op-ed’s to the New York Times, Crain’s Business, and other publications; has appeared on CBS Evening News, MSNBC’s The Cycle, Charlie Rose, National Public Radio, WNYC, and other television and radio programs; and was a main-stage speaker at TED 2018: The Age of Amazement. He serves on the boards of the Architectural League of New York, the Regional Planning Association, and the Citizens Budget Commission. Vishaan has received a CACF Catalyst for Change Award and is a former Crain’s “40 Under 40” and David Rockefeller Fellow.

Bill Shown is Managing Director---Real Estate for Silver Ventures, Inc., a San Antonio-based investment firm. In that position he oversees the team that is responsible for the redevelopment of the historic Pearl Brewery, a culinary and cultural destination on the banks of the San Antonio River, and also serves on the overall leadership team at Silver. Bill is a strong advocate for Central City development and toward that end is actively engaged with the local chapter of the Urban Land Institute and served for nine years on the Board of the Hemisfair Park Area Redevelopment Corporation, a public entity created to master plan and redevelop eighty acres in the heart of San Antonio. Prior to coming to Silver, Bill practiced real estate law and served as Vice President of Acquisitions & Development with Hixon Properties Incorporated, a San Antonio-based real estate development company. Bill is a graduate of Texas A&M University and has a law degree from St. Mary’s University. He is married and has two adult children, Cody and Will.

Mukul Malhotra is an award-winning urban designer and nationally-recognized expert and innovator in complete streets. Originally an architect, Mukul gravitated toward urban design because it yields greater impact beyond just the physical environment—urban design sets the stage for public life affecting how people live, work, play, and move around. He is committed to not only advancing the communities he works in around the country, but to moving the dial up a notch on the profession itself. As one of the creators of MIG's re:Streets Initiative, he leads a multidisciplinary collaboration on exploring what America's roadways would be like if they were designed for living instead of just driving. Mukul leads projects from the germination of a vision through the cultivation of consensus into final design execution. His projects have addressed issues related to urban development and revitalization, streetscape design and planning, pedestrian- and transit-oriented design, and preservation of neighborhood and city character. An avid walking advocate, he also serves as the President of the Board of Directors at America Walks and Walking College Mentor. From downtowns and historic districts to new communities and university campuses, Mukul's creativity and interdisciplinary approach have given shape and form to countless places and spaces from California to Massachusetts and Texas to Idaho.

Michael Shannon, PE, CBO was appointed Director in May 2017. Mr. Shannon, the City’s Building Official, oversees more than 430 employees with a budget of approximately $34M for the Development Services Enterprise Fund and over $15M from the General Fund in FY 2019. The Enterprise Fund supports land development, plan review, permitting, and building inspections, while code enforcement and graffiti abatement is supported by the General Fund. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Shannon served as Assistant Director of the Field Services Division over building inspections, code enforcement, and the graffiti abatement team since September 2012. In that role, he also served as the Deputy Building Official for the City of San Antonio. Mr. Shannon also served Development Services as a Fire Protection and Development Services Engineer for approximately 10 years prior to his appointment as Assistant Director. Before joining the City of San Antonio, he worked as a Fire Protection Graduate Engineer with an international fire protection engineering consulting firm. Mr. Shannon is a registered Professional Engineer (PE) in Texas in the discipline of Fire Protection Engineering, holds multiple International Code Council national certifications including Certified Building Official, and is a Texas state-licensed Code Enforcement Officer.