Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Solutions for Emerging Real Estate Developers
Our Mission
The Women’s Sustainable Development Initiative (WSDI) equips emerging developers with practical solutions to overcome barriers in real estate and community development. Through hands-on training, mentorship, and access to capital, WSDI bridges the gap between vision and execution. Our programs—WE Develop (2026) and WE Build (2024) —offer step-by-step guidance, funding support, and a strong network of peers and partners. By addressing challenges like pre-development costs, technical readiness, and industry access, WSDI empowers women to launch successful projects that create lasting, sustainable impact in their communities.
WSDI CURRICULUM - WSDI offers real estate development curriculum supported by curated presentations by local professionals and curated networking events. Topics will be highly focused the real estate development process from project concept, due diligence, financial analysis, team building, preparation to apply for lender financing and discussions involving real issues emerging women developers face.
The WSDI Curriculum is rooted in ESG principles. Note: Syllabus and all related content is the property of WSDI.
WSDI COMMUNITY -SUPPORT AND ENRICHMENT - WSDI hosts twice a month virtual meeting of our WSDI COMMUNITY of emerging women developers located in and outside of Detroit. Project concepts and the pathway to completion are discussed. Professional and technical development resources are presented in real time and shared. Virtual meeting are held the second and third Wednesday of every month at 6:00 pm EST. For more information, please subscribe to this website.
The Women’s Sustainable Development Initiative (WSDI) is dedicated to dismantling the systemic hurdles that prevent women from succeeding in commercial real estate (CRE). Historically, the industry has been defined by vast inequities that stall high-potential projects before they even begin. WSDI bridges these gaps by providing the pre-development funding, technical assistance, and mentorship necessary to move a project from a vision to a job-creating reality.
Our Why - Breaking Barriers in Commercial Real Estate Business
The Reality: A Landscape of Inequality
Despite progress in other sectors, women in CRE and real estate finance face a steep uphill battle:
- The Massive Pay Gap: According to the CREW Network, women in CRE earn 34% less in total compensation than men. For commissions and bonuses, the gap is even more severe; Black women earn 71% less, Asian women 73% less, and Hispanic/Latina women 74% less than their male counterparts.
- Financing Roadblocks: Minority-owned firms consistently face lower loan approval rates and higher interest rates, limiting their ability to scale.
- The Venture Capital Void: In 2024, female-only founding teams received just 2.3% of global VC funding. This figure has remained virtually stagnant at approximately 2.4% for the last 30 years.
The Goal: From Concept to Construction
WSDI empowers emerging developers through targeted programs. We focus on four strategic pillars to ensure communities benefit from diverse leadership:
- Early-Stage Capital: We provide the critical "first-in" funding for feasibility studies and legal fees that often stop projects in their tracks.
- Project Readiness: Through technical mentorship, we prepare women to successfully secure permanent, long-term financing.
- Funder Networks: We plug developers into inclusive investment networks that prioritize community-centered, women-led projects.
- Market Visibility: We build the credibility and presence of women developers, fostering a culture where investing in women is the standard, not the exception.
By closing the capital and network gaps, WSDI helps women create sustainable, neighborhood-scale developments that generate local wealth and long-term stability.
About Us - FOUNDERS
Karen AD Burton, President
Jill Ferrari, Vice President
Jill Ferrari, Vice President
Spacelab Detroit
AE Collaborative
Noir Design Parti
Karen is a consultant and architectural designer who has provided technical expertise to design teams on large-scale projects in Michigan and Las Vegas, NV. She is the co-founder of SpaceLab Detroit, a professional shared office and coworking space that equips small businesses and startups
Spacelab Detroit
AE Collaborative
Noir Design Parti
Karen is a consultant and architectural designer who has provided technical expertise to design teams on large-scale projects in Michigan and Las Vegas, NV. She is the co-founder of SpaceLab Detroit, a professional shared office and coworking space that equips small businesses and startups with the resources to grow, compete for larger projects, and contribute to Detroit’s resurgence.
Karen serves as co-chair of the Pathways to Inclusion Committee of ULI Michigan, is a charter member of both the Detroit Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects and the National Association of Black Women in Construction, and is a former board member of the Detroit Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction.
She is a graduate of the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, has completed coursework toward an MBA at Wayne State University, and is a 2019 graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program.
Jill Ferrari, Vice President
Jill Ferrari, Vice President
Jill Ferrari, Vice President
Renovare Development
Renovare Opportunity Fund
Ostara Press
Jill is the Managing Partner of Renovare Development, a woman-owned social impact real estate development company based in Detroit. With + 25 years of experience spanning private development, law, consulting, and community development, she has led complex brownfield redevelopment pr
Renovare Development
Renovare Opportunity Fund
Ostara Press
Jill is the Managing Partner of Renovare Development, a woman-owned social impact real estate development company based in Detroit. With + 25 years of experience spanning private development, law, consulting, and community development, she has led complex brownfield redevelopment projects covering more than 100 acres across multiple states.
She has served as Chief Executive Officer for multi-million-dollar corporations focused on affordable housing and community economic development, where she drove operations and organizational vision. An attorney and licensed member of the Michigan State Bar Association, Jill brings deep expertise in navigating both legal and development landscapes.
Her leadership and impact have been widely recognized: GlobeSt. Magazine’s 2021 “Woman of Influence”, Wayne State University’s 2017 “Woman of Distinction”, and the 2016 Melvin Simon Award from the ICSC Foundation. She currently serves as Co-Chair of ULI Michigan’s District Council, founded ULI Michigan’s Women’s Leadership Initiative, and is a member of the Women’s Development Collaborative.
Rachele Downs, Secretary
Jill Ferrari, Vice President
Rachele Downs, Secretary
Downs Diversity Initiatives
Dominion Real Estate Advisors
Rachele is a veteran commercial real estate and economic development executive with more than 20 years of experience representing institutional, corporate, government, and philanthropic entities. She currently serves as Vice President with Dominion Real Estate Advisors and is the fou
Downs Diversity Initiatives
Dominion Real Estate Advisors
Rachele is a veteran commercial real estate and economic development executive with more than 20 years of experience representing institutional, corporate, government, and philanthropic entities. She currently serves as Vice President with Dominion Real Estate Advisors and is the founder of Downs Diversity Initiatives, LLC, a consultancy specializing in strategy, program design, and project management with a focus on diversity and inclusion in real estate, entrepreneurship, and workforce development. Rachele is a past president of CREW Detroit and was the founding Program Manager for Wayne State University’s Detroit Revitalization Fellows, where she designed and directed the pilot program to expand the capacity of organizations driving Detroit’s revitalization. She also led inGAGE™, Inforum’s statewide strategy to position Michigan as the Midwest hub for high-growth women entrepreneurs, creating a comprehensive platform of support for women founders.Passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion, Rachele continues to strengthen access to resources in economic development, commercial real estate, and education.
About Us - Founders
Lisa Berden, Director
Lisa Campbell, Executive Director
Brinda Devine, Treasurer
Linchpin Legal
FiVG
Lisa began her career clerking for Michigan Supreme Court Justice Marilyn Kelly and has since built more than a decade of expertise in tax-based real estate finance, commercial transactions, and corporate law. She has negotiated national commercial leases across office, industrial, retail, and flex space for multination
Linchpin Legal
FiVG
Lisa began her career clerking for Michigan Supreme Court Justice Marilyn Kelly and has since built more than a decade of expertise in tax-based real estate finance, commercial transactions, and corporate law. She has negotiated national commercial leases across office, industrial, retail, and flex space for multinational companies and has closed over $115 million in state and federal NMTC allocations across four states.
Her experience includes structuring tax credit financing, closing complex commercial real estate transactions, and advising tax-exempt organizations, small businesses, and mid-sized companies on growth, compliance, and governance. Lisa has also facilitated multiple public-private partnerships with state, county, and local entities and regularly counsels clients on national and local economic development incentives.
She is a graduate of Michigan State University and earned her law degree cum laude from Wayne State University Law School.
Brinda Devine, Treasurer
Lisa Campbell, Executive Director
Brinda Devine, Treasurer
P8 Real Estate Solutions
Kornr Store
Brinda Devine is the founder of P8 Real Estate Solutions and Kornr Store. With more than 30 years in the commercial real estate industry, she has built a career spanning development, acquisitions, asset management, portfolio strategy, and public-private partnerships, managing diverse property types ac
P8 Real Estate Solutions
Kornr Store
Brinda Devine is the founder of P8 Real Estate Solutions and Kornr Store. With more than 30 years in the commercial real estate industry, she has built a career spanning development, acquisitions, asset management, portfolio strategy, and public-private partnerships, managing diverse property types across institutional, corporate, and community settings.Throughout her career, Brinda has held senior leadership roles overseeing multimillion-dollar real estate portfolios, where she directed acquisitions and dispositions, negotiated complex transactions, and advanced redevelopment strategies.
Brinda is deeply committed to inclusive neighborhood development, drawing from her experience and her ongoing work mentoring small-scale developers.
Brinda holds an M.B.A. in Innovation and Entrepreneurship and a B.S. in Finance from Wayne State University and is a licensed Michigan Real Estate Broker.
Lisa Campbell, Executive Director
Lisa Campbell, Executive Director
Lisa Campbell, Executive Director
Lisa is a seasoned leader in community development and affordable housing finance, bringing more than two decades of experience to her role with the Women’s Sustainable Development Initiative (WSDI).
At WSDI, she leads strategic partnerships, program design, and capacity-building initiatives that equip women developers to launch and com
Lisa is a seasoned leader in community development and affordable housing finance, bringing more than two decades of experience to her role with the Women’s Sustainable Development Initiative (WSDI).
At WSDI, she leads strategic partnerships, program design, and capacity-building initiatives that equip women developers to launch and complete commercial real estate projects in underserved communities.
Prior to joining WSDI, Lisa held a leadership role at Cinnaire, where she advanced mission-driven investments and supported emerging developers through technical assistance, predevelopment funding, and innovative financing tools. Her work has spanned the Midwest, consistently focused on creating equitable pathways for underrepresented groups in real estate and development.
Recognized for her collaborative leadership style and commitment to equity, Lisa continues to champion economic inclusion, sustainability, and community resilience—helping to build stronger neighborhoods from the ground up.