ULI

WELCOME TO
BOISE
Boise welcomes Urban Land Institute! Here’s all the information you need on lodging, activities, transportation, and the many restaurant options near the event.
SCHEDULE
OF EVENTS
Preliminary Schedule
Boise ID | June 16-18 | Grove Hotel & Jump
District Council Midsummer Retreat
Day 1: Monday, June 16- Boise Centre
All Monday events will be held at the Boise Centre located next door to the Grove Hotel
3:00 – 5:00 pm New Incoming Chairs, CMAs & Treasurers Orientation (Boise Centre)
For members new to their leadership position. Continuing chairs are welcome but need not attend.
- • Introduction to Urban Land Institute at the global level
- • Understanding the district council network & connections
- • Introduction to important resources
3:00 – 5:00 pm Optional Tour hosted by ULI Idaho—Details TBD
5:00 -6:30 pm Welcome Reception (Boise Centre)
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Leadership Dinner & Panel Presentation (Boise Centre-Room 420)
Advisory Services Reimagined: Local Impact, Lasting Change
See how ULI’s Advisory Services and District Council-led TAPs are working together to create meaningful local impact by tackling complex land use challenges. Learn how partnerships with other ULI departments—like the Terwilliger Center for Housing—are unlocking new opportunities and amplifying outcomes. Featuring insights from the successful “Boise at a Crossroads” panel, this discussion shows how collaboration across the ULI network can maximize community impact.
Panelists:
• Kelsey Steffen, ULI Acting Chief of Staff, Americas & Executive Director, Advisory Services
• Rosie Hepner, Vice President, Terwilliger Center for Housing
• Nicki Hellenkamp, Director of Housing and Homelessness Policy, City of Boise
• Vanessa Fry, Director, Idaho Policy Institute, Assistant Research Professor, School of Public Service, Boise State University
• Moderator: Hilary Vaughn, District Council Chair of ULI Idaho
Day 2: Tuesday, June 17
The leadership retreat will be held at JUMP 1000 W Myrtle Street, a short walk from the hotel. Read more about Jack’s Urban Meeting Place. Jack Simplot, was a pioneer and visionary in the business of agriculture, and JUMP is his gift to the city—a lively community space, inspiring works of human ingenuity and innovation.
7:30 am Guided Walk of Boise’s Greenbelt, by ULI Idaho member with the final destination of JUMP (Optional)
8:00 am Staff or Local members will lead groups directly to the JUMP facility
8:15 am – 9:00 Networking Breakfast (Pioneer Room-6th Level)
JUMP staff will provide a brief introduction to the JUMP facility, its development and importance to the community.
9:00 am -10:00 General Session: ULI HQ Welcome & ULI Updates (Pioneer Room-6th Level)
ULI Americas & Global Update, Mary Beth Corrigan, CEO, The Americas
District Council Network Update, Aletha Dunston, EVP, District Councils
10:00-11:00 am General Session: Strategic Sponsorships: What Companies Really Want
In today’s competitive landscape, companies are more intentional than ever about where they invest their sponsorship dollars. This session will provide a behind-the-scenes look at what funding partners seek when considering sponsorship of Urban Land Institute (ULI) initiatives. From alignment with business goals and brand visibility to community impact and thought leadership opportunities, learn what motivates companies to say “yes.” Join a panel of industry sponsors as they share insights on building compelling sponsorship packages, communicating ULI’s unique value, and fostering long-term relationships.
Moderator: Brendon Daniels, CMA, ULI Idaho
11:15 Break
11:15-12:15 Concurrent Sessions
- DC Satellites: Expanding Your Membership and Impact Beyond the Urban Core
- Urban Plan as a Member and Community/Public Official Engagement Tool
- Housing Market Outlook & Policy Solutions
- Finance Answer Session with ULI District Council Accountant Jerry Kirschenman
12:15 – 1:15 pm Lunch & Networking Time (Rooftop Terrace; back up The Jump Room-Level 5)
1:15 – 2:15 pm Concurrent Sessions
- Membership and Marketing Update
- Homeward – ULI’s New Housing Development Game
- Local Product Councils
- Advisory Services Reimagined: Local Impact, Lasting Change (A Deeper Dive)
2:15 Break
2:30 – 3:30 Roundtables by District Council Size
3:45-4:45 The Resurgence of the Urban Core
Mayor Mick Cornett, ULI Fellow & Former Mayor of Oklahoma City
The urban core plays a foundational role in shaping downtown development and the built environment. As the historical, economic, and cultural center of a city, the urban core often dictates the form and function of surrounding downtown areas. Its concentration of amenities and services attracts investment, drives foot traffic, and supports transit-oriented development. As mayor of Oklahoma City, Mayor Mick led the city’s efforts to prioritize development that would positively impact its livability, sustainability, health and wellness, critical to its long-term vitality. As ULI’s Canizaro/Klingbeil Fellow for Urban Development, Mick will share his rich experience to propel a conversation about how to help communities tackle challenges like downtown revitalization, economic development, and connectivity and how ULI leaders can work with elected officials to build better communities.
4:45 Connect with your inner kid and take a ride down the slide.
5:00 pm Return to hotel
6:00 Meet Dinner Hosts
ULI Idaho Members will host dine arounds and incorporate a short tour of downtown developments along the way. Members can select tour/restaurants based on individual interests.
6:30 pm Dine Arounds
Day 3: Wednesday, June 18
7:30 am Guided Tour of JUMP (Optional)
8:15 am – 9:00 Networking Breakfast (Pioneer Room-6th Level)
8:45 am ULI Foundation Update
Hear from the new President of the ULI Foundation Vincent Ilustre on plans for advancing ULI’s philanthropic priorities which support the Institute’s programs, research and mission to shape the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide.
9:00 -10:00 am Coffee and Conversation with Ron Nahas, Rafanelli and Nahas, (Pioneer Room)
Facilitator: Scott Schoenherr, Partner, Rafanelli and Nahas
In this facilitated chat, hear from premier real estate developer in Boise and California, ULI Trustee and Foundation Governor Ron Nahas about his journey in the commercial real estate industry, his ULI engagement and why he is so passionate about the work that we do.
10:00-10:10 Wrap up and Closing Remarks
10:10-11:00 DC Leadership and Staff Planning Time
This time is for District Council leaders and staff to connect as a team on what you have learned and how you can incorporate that into your program of work.
11:00 am Adjourn & Safe Travels Home
Boise ID | June 18-20 | Boise Centre
District Council Staff Summit
Day 1: Wednesday, June 18
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Welcome to Boise & ULI Update
Mary Beth Corrigan, CEO, The Americas
Aletha Dunston, EVP, District Councils
4:00 – 5:15 Keynote: Better Results with “Yes, And”
Megan McCaleb
Whether you want to be a more captivating speaker/presenter or just to stand out as a knowledgeable, approachable leader to your members and colleagues. Megan will activate the rules of stage performance as a tool to enhance your communication skills. The core principle of improv employs a “Yes, And” approach to people and processes. Simply put, the “YES” shows acceptance of what is presented, while “AND” builds upon that idea with the new information of possibilities. Enjoy this humorous, heartfelt, and effective learning experience. [For those who want to take a deeper dive, Megan will also lead a breakout session on Thursday including exercises to utilize the skills learned in this session.]
Megan McCaleb is a masterful improv trainer, and the CEO of Improv Team Culture, with a specialty in coaching executive leadership and their teams to adopt the simple and effective principle of “Yes, And,” the core rule derived from performance improvisation. McCaleb is a speaker coach for business professionals and thought leaders and created the Ovation Speaker Experience to help them amplify their authority and expand their impact as captivating speakers. McCaleb has studied improv through the Second City, ComedySportz, has performed and taught improv workshops internationally, and has more than 20 years of stage time performing in a variety of capacities and gaining practical skills through real experiences.
6:00 – 9:00 pm Reception/Dinner on the Basque Block
The Basque Block is one of Idaho’s most compelling examples of conservation and documentation of a living ethnic neighborhood. Located steps from the Grove Hotel, the Basque Block is comprised of two historic boardinghouses, the Basque Center, the Basque Museum & Cultural Center, Basque Market. We will enjoy Basque music, dancers, food and culture.
Day 2: Thursday, June 19
7:30 am Breakfast Available (Boise Center Room 400)
[available through 9:00 for those staying for unstructured time]
8:00 am- 10:30 am Celebrating Juneteenth Activities or time for private reflection or networking.
- • Reflection walk to the Erma Hayman House and Wassmuth Center for Human Rights in downtown Boise. To celebrate Juneteenth, as does Ms. Opal Lee, walk and celebrate alongside her. Her annual 2.5 mile walk recognizes the 2.5 years it took for the news of freedom to reach the enslaved people in Texas.
- • Quiet time for reflection on your own: Resources for reflection on Juneteenth | Harvard Kennedy School
- • Spend this time in unstructured networking time or roundtables for those who wish to connect with DC colleagues
10:30 am Refreshment Break
11:00 am -12:00 pm Concurrent Sessions
Foundation Relationships: Building Local Partnerships for Impact – Alex Metz & Wes Craiglow | How ULI DCs Can Respond to Local Housing Issues – Rosie Hepner | Membership Lifecycle and How to Improve Your Email Lists – Amanda Cane | Brick by Brick: Building Member Engagement and Community Connections with Urban Plan – Margit Nahra |
12:00– 1:45 pm District Council Awards Luncheon
2:00 – 3:00 pm Concurrent Sessions
Commercial Real Estate 101 (Part 1) – Tamela Thornton | The People Managers Toolkit – Abby Yan | AI Tools for DCs – Jonathan Peter | Successful Sponsorship Strategies – Jennifer Carlat |
3:30- 4:30 pm Concurrent Sessions
Commercial Real Estate 101 (Part 2) – Tamela Thornton | Taps and Advisory Services: Carving Out Your Niche – Marc Gazda & Kelsey Steffan | Making the Most of our Technology – Kerry O’Neil | Stand Up to Stand Out -Megan McCaleb |
6:00 – 8:00 pm Dinner at The Warehouse Food Hall –
722 W Broad Street
Inspired by Boise’s hardworking past, The Warehouse Food Hall celebrates everything it means to be a Boisean; past, present and future. From the second you reach for the door and as you step inside the food hall, you are immersed in history. Literally. Notice the unique door handles? Those are repurposed rail spikes. Reclaimed natural barn wood boards serve as flooring throughout the building, perfectly complemented by the blueprints and historic photos that cover the walls. The Warehouse Food Hall’s location reimagines the former Warehouse District which served as a major distribution hub during the gold and silver rush of the 20th century.
Day 3: Friday, June 20
7:30 am – 8:30 am Networking Breakfast
8:30 –9:30 Concurrent Sessions
Accounting Best Practices for DCs – Jerry Kirschenman | Help Me Help You: Strategies for Effective Management of Member Leaders – Chris Clark & Megan Flanagan | Canva Workshop – Mandy Vogt & Mallory Barker |
10:00– 11:00 Roundtables
11:00 am Adjourn & Safe Travels Home
GETTING HERE
Boise is a convenient destination from almost anywhere via every major airline. Once you’re here, the airport is only ten minutes from the city center.
Nonstop Routes
Boise offers nonstop service to 27 destinations, which are highlighted in blue on the map below.
THINGS
TO DO
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