Dr. Michael Wilkerson is a Partner and the Director of Analytics at ECONorthwest. He brings over 15 years of private-sector experience as an economic consultant and as an analyst in the financial services industry. Mike studies urban economics for both public and private sector clients—with a focus on land use, transportation, and real estate development and how they interact with the regional economy. Using a data-driven approach that focuses on spatial analysis, he conducts housing market analyses, development feasibility studies, TOD implementation studies and master plans, economic impact analyses, and provides expert testimony. He regularly presents at national conferences on topics related to real estate economics, including the American Planning Association, the National Multifamily Housing Council, and the Urban Land Institute. Mike is currently an adjunct professor in the Master of Real Estate Development program at Portland State University.

Anne Weaver is the CEO and co-owner of Elephants Delicatessen and has worked in every department in the company during her 41-year tenure. Locally owned since 1979, Elephants was a pioneer in the gourmet food industry in the Pacific Northwest. Elephants operates seven retail locations and a busy catering business, all serving made-from-scratch food. A Portland native, Anne runs Elephants Delicatessen with her husband Executive Chef Scott Weaver. Anne is passionate about equity, social justice, and using business as a force for good and has led Elephants' developments in sustainable business practices. Elephants became a certified B Corporation in 2015 and was twice honored with their "Best for the World" Changemakers award.

Matt was born and raised in Portland, but began his real estate career in New York City. While there, he worked in JP Morgan’s Global Real Assets group and subsequently at GI Partners, a real-estate focused private equity firm. Matt earned a BA in Political Science at Yale University and an MBA at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. He serves on the boards of The Portland Business Alliance, Oregon Sports Authority, Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Clean and Safe, Pioneer Courthouse Square, and LOCUS.

Lisa Abuaf is the Director of Development & Investment at Prosper Portland, the City of Portland’s economic development and redevelopment agency. For the past 17 years, Lisa has managed Prosper Portland's public-private partnerships to help translate Portland’s economic development and community action plans into reality, using the tool of tax increment financing and related loans, grants and property redevelopment programs. Lisa manages a team of staff promoting equitable community development, employment district growth, shared wealth creation, and urban innovation through financial investments and real property transactions. Core functions of the team include partnering with community based organizations, nonprofits, partner City Bureaus, small businesses and commercial developers to deliver on community-centered development strategies and action plans; development agreements; public infrastructure improvements; lending and grants; asset management; and community engagement. As part of developing an updated Inclusive Economic Development Strategy for Portland, Lisa and her team are working with ECONorthwest to develop a data rooted needs assessment and public intervention recommendations for Portland’s Central City subdistricts and Corridors.

Megan Conway became Travel Portland’s Chief Strategy Officer in January of 2020. In this role, she works in partnership with the President & CEO, the Board of Directors and the Executive Team to ensure organizational structure and priorities are geared toward economic success for Portland’s hospitality sector. In addition to this work, Conway oversees the Communications & PR, International Affairs, Policy and Community Engagement departments while also leading regional strategy in partnership with Travel Oregon and other statewide tourism entities. As part of her work for the Regional Cooperative Tourism Plan (RCTP), Conway serves as past President of the Oregon Destination Association (ODA) Board of Directors. She is a member of the U.S. Travel Communications Council, the Sport Oregon Board of Directors Executive Committee and is a founding member of the Portland chapter of Women in Sports and Events (WISE), a legacy project from Portland’s hosting of the women’s NCAA basketball tournament. Before joining Travel Portland in 2010, Conway served as PR lead at the adidas U.S. headquarters in Portland. She oversaw public relations work for primetime sporting events ― including the 2008 Summer Olympics, the 2008 Olympic Track & Field Trials and the 2010 World Cup ― as well as ongoing initiatives for the running, soccer and training categories. Prior to adidas, Conway gained experience in tourism through roles with Travel Portland and Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory. Additionally, she spent time as account lead at Weber Shandwick Minneapolis for consumer product clients such as Jim Beam, Coca-Cola and Microsoft. Originally from Minnesota, Conway lives in Northeast Portland with her husband and three daughters. Her favorite PDX activities include running in Mt. Tabor Park and picking up local goods at one of the city’s many farmers’ markets.