Someone recently asked me what makes ULI so special in comparison to multiple other land use related organizations in the Sacramento Region.  It’s a fair question, and our leadership team certainly had a lot to say when I posed this same question at our last executive committee meeting.  This month, I want to share my own answer, which is twofold: unique and plentiful professional development opportunities at the local level, and more access to data and experts from all over the world than you can imagine.

At the local level, ULI has provided professional development opportunities time and time again. Here are some of the things I have done over the last twenty+ years as a member of ULI Sacramento:

• Helped start our Sacramento Young Leaders Group (YLG) in my mid-20’s. At that time, YLG was the first young professional group in the Sacramento Region, and it was exciting and fulfilling to be part of that founding effort.
• Created the YLG Mentoring Groups program (with help from more senior ULI members) and later served as a Mentor to one of these groups.
• Participated on the Programs Committee and helped organize dozens of programs for our district council.
• Tried (and failed!) to create a ULI Sacramento book club.
• Served as a panelist on an Advisory Services Panel in Lewiston, Texas, focused on solving greening/parks access in an underserved part of the city.
• Attended multiple national conferences and engaged with members from all over Americas.
• Collaborated with other land use organizations in the Region to co-host events that all of our members would value.

Through these efforts, some successful and others not so much, I have learned a great deal about our industry, the challenges we face, collaboration with others, and how to innovate as a leader.  Even better, as I look to the future I see many more opportunities to learn and grow through ULI.  Please join me in getting the most out of your membership with ULI Sacramento!

Isabel Domeyko, Chair (2021-23)