Diego Velasco is a Principal at M.W. Steele Group Architecture and Planning. With 18 years of experience in both urban planning and architecture, he maintains a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to design that makes him versatile and diverse in his skills. His planning work at ranges in scale and scope from Master Planned Communities to General Plans, Community Plans, Streetscape Design, Design Guidelines and Community Outreach. His work in architecture focuses on urban, infill housing and mixed-use. Currently, Diego consults with cities across the region to assist city planners in developing transit-oriented development strategies, implementing urban design standards and zoning codes, and educating community leaders in urban planning and design best practices. Diego is involved in his community on several levels. He is acting chair of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) San Diego/ Tijuana Technical Advisory Program, a former board member and prior President of C-3 (Citizens Coordinate for Century Three), and a Certified Planner with the American Planning Association (APA). Diego is a regular a speaker at ULI, Lambda Alpha, and APA events. He is also Adjunct Faculty at the University of California, San Diego, the University of San Diego and the NewSchool of Architecture and Design, where he teaches graduate and undergraduate city planning, urban design and architecture studio courses focused on critical planning areas in the City of San Diego. Professional Experience 1999-2004: Architectural Design of Urban, Infill Housing 2004-2007: Master Planning and Urban Design 2012-2014: Adjunct Faculty, NewSchool of Architecture and Design 2014-Present: Adjunct Faculty, University of San Diego 2019-Present: Adjunct Faculty, University of California, San Diego 2007-Present: Principal in Charge of Urban Design and Planning at M.W. Steele Group, Inc.

Ian Gill has over 45 years of experience in real estate development, home building and general contracting. His diverse background encompasses residential, commercial, industrial, institutional and mixed use projects with an emphasis on urban and redevelopment projects in the United States and Great Britain. He is a Managing Partner of Silvergate Development, LLC. a residential, multi family development and investment company based in San Diego and operating throughout the Western United States. As a founding principal of Silvergate, he has guided the strategic direction of the firm and while the company focuses on a variety of value add real estate investment opportunities, one of its successful product lines is a three story, walk-up apartment which can be built, incorporating sustainable and green design principles, at a density approaching 40 units per acre. The design of this apartment type is exceptionally efficient, with high ceilings and state of the art, energy efficient fixtures and high quality, durable cabinetry and finishes. This building type has been specifically designed to be flexible, in terms of unit mix, and replicable with architectural variations for reuse on multiple sites to maximize cost efficiency. Silvergate has developed or is currently developing over 900 units of this product type in several locations where its projects range in size from 29 to over 150 units. These projects are strategically located in supply constrained infill locations, within jurisdictions that are pro-business and support quality workforce housing. Prior to the formation of Silvergate Ian was a senior executive with the fifth largest homebuilder in England establishing and managing a regional division of this public company based in London and Birmingham, ultimately building over 300 hundred single family and duplex homes a year in the Southwest of England. Subsequently, as the first British homebuilder to arrive in California he established a US subsidiary and developed and built several single family and condominium projects in and around San Diego County. During his extensive career in the US he has developed and built not only for – sale housing but also more than 1,000 apartments in Southern California and Texas. He also founded a regional general contracting firm, Highland Partnership, which over 25 years has been responsible for coordinating the design and construction of three civic centers, eight public safety facilities including a regional law enforcement training academy, healthcare facilities, institutional projects at two universities and multiple urban residential mixed use projects including a 384 unit twin tower, 18-story condominium, a 106 unit, eight story mixed use residential apartment and a 100 unit mid rise office to residential adaptive reuse, and most recently, a 250 unit, 17 story affordable housing project, Celadon, certified LEED Gold, for Bridge Housing which has been recognized at the State level and Nationally with awards. Ian served for six years as outsourced project executive for the Centre City Development Corporation’s creation and implementation of the Downtown San Diego Ballpark District. From 1998 - 2004 he was involved in coordinating the agency’s activities and interfacing with City Staff, the Padres and Master Developer, JMI on all aspects of this landmark, twenty six block project including PETCO Park. A native of Edinburgh, Scotland he holds a Master of Science Degree in Real Estate and Construction and is a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Quantity Surveying Division) in Great Britain. He is actively engaged in the community and industry related organizations currently serving as a Director on the Building Industry Association’s Urban Council. He serves on the Citizens Advisory Committee for Chula Vista’s redevelopment of the 500 acre Bayfront. He is a Past President of Lambda Alpha International, an honorary Land Use Economics Society and also a Past State Director of the Building Industry Association; Past President, San Diego Chapter of the BIA, Past Chairman and founding member of the Commercial Industrial Council of BIA; Board Member, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Southern California Chapter. He also chairs the Policy Advisory Board of the Burnham Moore’s Center at USD and serves on the Executive Committee of The Chancellors Community Advisory Board for UCSD. In June 2016 Ian was inducted into the California Building Industry Foundations state wide Builder Hall of Fame at a Gala during the Pacific Coast Builders conference in San Francisco. He holds a Class B General Contractor’s license in the State of California, and is certified by the U.S. Green Building Council as a LEEDTM 2.0 Accredited Professional. He is married to Gail Stoorza, a renowned Public Relations and Marketing Professional. They have a 36 year old daughter, Alexandra. He is a cyclist, mountain biker, skier and snowboarder and loves tinkering with vintage sports cars. He also enjoys mentoring and teaching young people in the Real Estate Industry as an instructor for the USD MSRE Program and has been a moderator for ULI’s Young Leaders Program.