2026 BIABA Education Recruitment Panel, May 14



	Regina Lawless Toney is a former executive turned speaker, Amazon bestselling author, and former Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Instagram. With nearly two decades of HR leadership experience at Fortune 500 companies—including Target, Intel, and Meta—she brings both seasoned expertise and soulful insight to every stage she steps on. Her debut book, Do You (Fast Company Press, 2024), chronicles her journey from corporate success to spiritual awakening and has positioned her as a recognized thought leader at the intersection of leadership, embodiment, and feminine wisdom. Regina has been featured in outlets such as Fast Company, USA Today, Business Insider, and Black Enterprise. Most recently she joined the faculty of Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business as a Lecturer and is studying to become a Certified Yoga Teacher.

	Gabriela Eaton, SPHR, SHRM-SCP (she/her) is Chief People Officer at DAHLIN, leading People & Culture strategy across eight offices in the Western United States. With more than 20 years of experience in people leadership and organizational development, she partners with executives to build strong, people-centered organizations. Gabriela launched DAHLIN’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative, establishing the firm’s DEI charter and committee to advance a more inclusive workplace where emerging professionals feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to create places that promote human fulfillment and well-being.
	Ed García joined Brookfield Properties/Brookfield Residential Properties in 2023 as an intern before transitioning to Development Coordinator for the Northern California Land & Housing Development group out of San Ramon, CA, supporting the group’s efforts in the Bay Area and the Sacramento Valley. Ed is still in the early stages of his career in real estate development, having spent his first year out of undergrad in bank regulation before changing careers to satisfy his curiosities about the built environment. He currently focuses on projects in the Bay Area, supporting the Project Management Team in upcoming and ongoing master planned communities and neighborhoods in Dublin (Boulevard), Napa (Riversound), Alameda (West Midway), among others. Ed is primarily responsible for managing the planning and operational aspects of projects, such as the coordination, submittal, and approval of permits and plans, managing fees, schedules, and insurance policies, supporting DRE processes, as well as managing external relationships.
	Cindy Ma, AICP, is a seasoned urban planner and designer with over 19 years of professional experience in community planning, urban design, and public engagement. She currently serves as Director of Career Development for the Abbey Master of Real Estate Development + Design (MRED+D) program at UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design, where she supports students and alumni through mentoring, coaching, and professional development. Cindy is the principal of Intersect Planning Urban Design Consulting, LLC, and has led planning and urban design efforts across the Bay Area and nationally, including housing and mixed-use developments, community plans, and entitlement strategies. She previously served as Director of Planning at KTGY, leading the Oakland Community Planning and Urban Design studio. Cindy has been deeply involved with the Urban Land Institute’s UrbanPlan program, serving as a Steering Committee member and now Vice-Chair, volunteer facilitator, and advisor, helping guide program strategy, mentor professionals, and deliver hands-on real estate education to students and community participants. She is also active with ULI and APA leadership initiatives focused on equity, inclusion, and the next generation of planning and development professionals.