Inside Our Program / EventsBuiltX
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Several times a year, the Master of Science in Executive Management for Design and Construction (EMDC) program hosts Northwestern's Built Environment Exchange (BuiltX) - an idea forum and networking event for members of the built environment – which benefits both EMDC students and professionals working in the built environment.
BuiltX is designed for attendees to network, openly discuss best practices, and gain objective insights on industry trends. The forum covers a broad range of industry topics through fireside chats, panel discussions, and keynote speakers and encompasses participants from all industries within the built environment to foster a network of knowledge across disciplines and forge meaningful professional connections.
In partnership with The American Institute of Architects Chicago (AIA Chicago) and The Goldie Initiative, this networking and educational event will feature a panel discussion, "Blueprints for Leadership: Developing the Next Generation of Executives in the Built Environment Sector."
The panel will be moderated by EMDC faculty member Karen P. Layng and feature:
- Tamakia "TJ" Edwards, Executive Director - Illinois Capital Development Board
- Linda Kanoski, Project Director - CBRE Design Collective
- Jen Masengarb, Executive Director - AIA Chicago, AIA Chicago Foundation
- Regina Stilp, Founding Partner - Farpoint Development
Explore how the built environment sector can more effectively prepare its next generation of executives with the knowledge, skills, and mindset needed to lead in a rapidly evolving economic and professional landscape.
Event Details
Date - Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Time - 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. CDT
Location - SLOAN Showroom
Address - 333 N. Green Street, Suite 1000, Chicago, IL
Please note the building entrance to 333 N. Green St. is around the corner on 810 W. Wayman Ave.
Agenda
7:30 a.m. - Continental breakfast and networking
7:45 a.m. - Opening remarks and introductions, EMDC director Shelley C. Finnigan
7:50 a.m. - Panel discussion and Q&A
9:00 a.m. - Networking
Panel Participants
Moderator
Karen P. Layng
CEO - M.A.I.T. Co.
Adjunct Professor - Northwestern University Master of Science in Executive Management for Design and Construction Program
Karen Layng is the CEO of M.A.I.T. Co., a strategic legal consulting firm in the construction and engineering industry, former Shareholder and Board Member of Vedder Price and Chair of its Litigation and Construction practice areas, and Chief Strategy Officer and G.C. of Scheck Industries. She is an arbitrator and mediator, serving on the AAA’s mega case construction, commercial and energy panels, and on Dispute Resolution Boards. She is also an Adjunct Professor in the McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern University in the M.S. in Executive Management in Design Construction program and serves as Faculty on the American Bar Association Construction Forum Trial Academy.
Karen is also an experienced corporate board member including as the immediate past National President of the Girl Scouts of the USA. She is the current Chair of the American Arbitration Association Board of Directors and serves on the Northwestern University Industry Advisory Board. She was also the first woman president of the 7th Circuit Bar Association.
Among her many awards and honors, Karen recently received the 2024 Construction Woman Lawyer of the Year Award from the Construction Lawyers Society of America, the University of Illinois Alumni Association’s Comeback Illini Achievement Award and its College of Economics Social Impact Alumni Award, and was named to Crain's Notable Nonprofit Board Leaders list.
Panelists
Tamakia "TJ" Edwards
Executive Director - Illinois Capital Development Board
Tamakia "TJ" Edwards previously served as the Chief Strategy Officer for a minority owned small business firm in the Chicago Metro Area. TJ is a seasoned strategist, operations leader, and change agent with a history of leading organizations through a range of transformational initiatives of varying size and scope. In 2020, Tamakia joined the Illinois Capital Development Board as the Chief of Staff. For that role, she set the tone, direction, and clear vision for the organization’s growth, partnering with the Board and staff to optimize day-to-day operations and deliver against key business objectives. TJ spent 12 years with U.S. General Services Administration where she served in many roles, including cost estimating, project management, and program management.
With a value-added mindset and always with an eye to the future, TJ continually distinguishes herself as a growth driver, value creator, and business partner to her leadership teams. TJ is active in her community as evidenced in service to the Indian Boundary YMCA, job coach with the People’s Resource Center, former Hinsdale D86 Board member, Special Facilities committee member, and on the Community Equity Leadership Team. TJ holds a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University as well as a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology. TJ resides with her husband Herb and their three sons in the Chicagoland area.
Linda Kanoski, AIA, PMP, LEED AP
Project Director - CBRE Design Collective
Linda Kanoski is a licensed architect with over 30 years of experience in the design and construction industry. She holds a Master’s degree in Executive Management for Design and Construction (EMDC) from Northwestern University and a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Currently, she serves as Project Director at CBRE Design Collective, where she leads multidisciplinary design and engineering teams across the country.
Throughout her career, Linda has held leadership roles at renowned firms such as Gensler and HOK, in addition to managing her own architectural practice. Her work is distinguished by a commitment to creating dynamic, engaging spaces for a diverse range of clients. Notable clients include McDonald’s Corporation, Ace Hardware Corporation, Abbott Laboratories, MillerCoors, Chicago Public Schools, Motorola Solutions, Amazon, Accenture, and many others.
Linda is deeply committed to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability within the commercial real estate industry. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for CREW Seattle as Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and has held leadership and organizing positions with the Seattle 2030 District, Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build, and The Goldie Initiative.
Prior to relocating to the Seattle area, Linda was honored to serve as an adjunct faculty member in Roosevelt University’s Master of Real Estate program, where she taught Project and Construction Management for three years.
Her professional credentials include LEED-AP (U.S. Green Building Council), membership in the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute.
Linda resides with her family on Bainbridge Island, Washington, just across the Puget Sound from Seattle. In her free time, she enjoys ceramics, gardening, home improvement projects, and exploring the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
Jen Masengarb, Assoc. AIA
Executive Director - AIA Chicago, AIA Chicago Foundation
Trained as an architect, her career has been devoted to meaningfully connecting more people of all ages and communities to architecture; advocating for the profession; mentoring and teaching the next generation of designers; and serving as a critical bridge between the profession and the public.
Jen joined AIA Chicago in 2021 after more than three years at the Danish Architecture Center in Copenhagen where she led outreach and interpretation strategies for international visitors. While in Copenhagen, she also developed and hosted DAC’s first English language podcast, Let’s Talk Architecture.
Prior to her time at DAC, Jen served in leadership roles for 18 years at the Chicago Architecture Center, including as the director of interpretation and research where she authored the nation’s first high school architecture textbook. Continually looking for new ways to engage the public with Chicago’s design community, she also established a partnership with WBEZ’s Curious City program to answer the public’s questions about architecture.
Jen holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree in American History from the University of Detroit-Mercy. She earned a Master of Architectural History degree from the University of Virginia where she was named the School of Architecture’s 2015 Distinguished Alumni of the Year.
Regina Stilp
Founding Principal - Farpoint Development
As Founding Principal of Farpoint Development, which she co-founded in 2016, she has guided the firm's expansion across the Midwest and Southeast, overseeing development work totaling $4.9 billion in value.
Regina currently leads Bronzeville Lakefront, a transformative 48-acre mixed-use project on Chicago's South Side at the former Michael Reese Medical Center site. Her previous accomplishments include developing Google's first Midwest headquarters and McDonald's global headquarters at the former Harpo Studios.
Her expertise in public-private partnerships and innovative deal structures has established Farpoint as a leader in groundbreaking urban projects. For her contributions, Roosevelt University's Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate recognized Regina with the 2024 Industry Leadership Award.
Regina serves on the Board of Directors of The Magnificent Mile Association, Roosevelt University's Advisory Board, the Membership Committee of the Economic Club of Chicago, and the First Women's Bank Advisory Committee. She is also a member of the Urban Land Institute and CREW, and was named among Crain's Notable Chicago Women in Construction and Design.
Committed to mentoring future real estate leaders through The Goldie Initiative and the Howard E. Eisenberg Foundation, Regina applies her global perspective, shaped by travels to every continent, to enrich urban landscapes. A University of Iowa graduate, she resides with her family in Wilmette.
