Drew Furry, Purdue University

As director of strategic facility initiatives, Drew provides leadership for complex, high-impact facility and space initiatives at Purdue University.  His responsibilities include advancing major institutional priorities in research space optimization, facility management professionalization, and long-term strategic planning.

In addition, Drew continues to manage construction projects on the Purdue West Lafayette campus.  Primary responsibilities include onboarding designers and contractors, developing the project budget and schedule, leading the design process, and ultimately delivering the project on time and under budget to the client.

Furry earned a bachelor’s degree from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in civil engineering and spent his early career working for a large construction management firm in Indianapolis.  There, he managed projects in healthcare, interiors, and the new Indianapolis International Airport.  Furry is a licensed civil engineer and completed a master’s degree in business administration from Purdue Global.

Howie Ferguson, Construction Owners Association of America

Prior to becoming the Executive Director of COAA in 2018, Howie spent roughly 29 years as an institutional Owner, including 19 years at the University of Florida (UF) in the division of Planning Design & Construction.  From 1999 through July 2018, he managed the planning/programming, design, and construction of more than $400 million worth of capital improvement projects.  He also served as the lead for internal training and was instrumental in the University’s effort to continuously improve its project management and delivery processes and documents.

From 1990 to 1999, Ferguson was a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps, including tours in Portsmouth, NH; Gulfport, MS with the Seabees; and Kings Bay, GA.

Howie is a two-time UF graduate (B.S. in civil engineering; M.S. in construction management) and a registered Professional Engineer (inactive) in the state of Florida.

Jen Francis, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

Jen serves as UWM’s Director of Campus Planning, where she guides the long-range vision for the university’s physical environment from campus planning and capital strategy to construction, space planning, and wayfinding.  She draws on a career that spans architecture, urban design, parks leadership, and public sector innovation. 

A proud Panther, Jen earned her architecture degree at UWM before expanding her practice in Wisconsin and Switzerland.  She later completed dual master’s degrees in Architecture and Urban Design at Washington University in St. Louis and co-published Making the Metropolitan Landscape, an international compendium exploring the future of metropolitan form.  Her public sector roles in Burlington (VT) and Milwaukee County Parks deepened her commitment to designing environments that support community, connection, and well-being.

Jen’s work is grounded in the belief that the in between spaces, the connective, threshold, transitional, and shared environments, are essential contributors to human experience.  She brings a creative, earth centered lens to her work, fueled by art, photography, energy, and nature.  She is a mama, a maker, and a star gazer.

Jason Neitzel, Children’s Wisconsin

Jason Neitzel is Manager of Facilities Planning and Development at Children’s Wisconsin, where he supports the planning and delivery of facility projects for one of the nation’s leading pediatric health systems. He brings more than 15 years of hands-on facilities, construction, and project management experience, with much of his career focused on healthcare environments.

Prior to joining Children’s Wisconsin in 2022, Jason held construction and facilities leadership roles with Quasius Construction, Advocate Health Care, and Aurora Health Care. His career began in the skilled trades as a journeyman carpenter, giving him a practical, field-based perspective that continues to inform his approach to planning, construction, and facility operations.

Jason holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Columbia Southern University and an associate degree in Business Administration, Management and Operations from Moraine Park Technical College.

Lana Zoet, SmithGroup

Lana is an architect and Higher Education Studio Leader at SmithGroup for projects in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa.  She has 20+ years of experience creating spaces for learning and innovation, STEM education, and sustainable design.  She is dedicated to shaping an inclusive, high-performing future for educational environments, leveraging her expertise to create transformative results that enable innovation, equity, and sustainability while addressing the evolving needs of campuses and communities. 

Lana says her inspiration comes from keeping future generations in mind and “the reciprocal relationship that needs to exist between people and planet.”

Ben McMullen, Mortenson

As a Project Executive in Mortenson’s Milwaukee office, Ben is responsible for client relations and project oversight.  He ensures that all project goals and constraints are clearly defined and communicated to the team in order to deliver on all project elements.  He is dedicated to building strong project teams with the ability to solve complex challenges with creative thinking and unique solutions.

Ben graduated from Lake Forest College with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and economics.  After graduation, he began working for his family’s grading business before deciding to transition into construction management.  Ben went on to complete his second degree, a Bachelor of Science in construction management from the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE).  He has worked on everything from small renovations to multiple large and complex projects for Froedtert Health and the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Ellen Skorpinski, HGA

Ellen is a project manager and mechanical engineer with a demonstrated track record of successfully managing, supporting, and providing direction to diverse project teams across a range of markets.  She has extensive experience with capital project delivery and a proven ability to drive overall project efficiencies.  Ellen remains closely engaged throughout all phases of work, collaborating with project teams, owners and contractors to help facilitate communication and meet ownership’s needs and project goals.

Derek Goodman, Kathy’s House

Derek, President & CEO of Kathy’s House, is an accomplished executive with nearly 25 years of experience working for mission-driven organizations and 17 years of leadership experience, driving organizational growth, operational excellence, and mission-focused innovation across nonprofit, for-profit, and employee-owned organizations.  Throughout his career, he has built a reputation for developing high-performing teams, strengthening organizational culture, and delivering measurable financial results while remaining committed to the people and communities each organization serves.