BIABA Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging - Feb. 22

The Building Industry Association of the Bay Area invite you to join us for an insightful and intimate discussion with five influential panelists, each bringing a unique perspective and rich experiences to the table. Our panelists will inspire hiring managers and those eager to create a more diverse equitable inclusive environment.
		REGINA LAWLESS - CEO & Founder, Bossy & Blissful Former DEI Lead, Meta Keynote Speaker & Author Regina Lawless helps high-achieving Black women find purpose beyond their paycheck. Prior to Bossy & Blissful, Regina served as the head of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at Instagram. Regina has worked with Fortune 500 companies across various industries, including Target, Intel and Micron Technology. Her first book, “Do You,” will be published by Greenleaf Book Group, February 2024.
		DON RUTHROFF - Architect & Founding Principal Design Story Spaces A recognized housing industry leader with over 35 years of experience in home building and community creation, Don is an architect that is respected for his integrity, creativity, and problem solving. Don is experienced judge at the local, regional, and national levels and an active member of BIA Bay Area, California Building Industry Association and The National Association of Home Builders.
		JOSH SANTOS - Division President, Northern California Landsea Homes Board of Trustees, California Homebuilding Foundation Board Member HomeAid Northern California Former BIABA Bay Area Chair While Josh’s schooling didn’t have new home division executive leadership in mind, he studied Music and Digital Media Arts at Cal State Long Beach & Dominguez Hills in southern California, he quickly discovered that his ability to connect with other people allowed him to really understand what they were trying to accomplish. Josh decided to make a career change and obtained his real estate salesperson license. Starting with a small local private builder and quickly learning the ropes he had the opportunity to sell for a large private builder, Shea Homes. His ability to sell homes in a declining market provided him with an opportunity to move into a leadership role as Sales Manager. In 2014 Josh was recruited to Richmond American Homes as Director of Sales, and eventually VP of Sale. In 2017, Josh was recruited to run sales & marketing by Landsea Homes in its newly started Northern California division. His commitment to leading people to do their best presented him with the opportunity to take the helm as Division President for Landsea Homes Northern California division in 2019. Josh volunteers his time as a board member for BIA Bay Area, HomeAid Northern California, and the California Homebuilding Foundation.
		LORI WILSON - Assemblywoman District 11 California State Assembly Former Director of Finance KB Homes & Meritage Homes Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson was elected in April 2022 to represent California’s 11th Assembly District which includes all of Solano County and portions of Contra Costa and Sacramento Counties. The District includes the Cities of: Benicia, Dixon, Fairfield, Oakley, Rio Vista, Suisun City, Vacaville and Vallejo. Prior to her election to the Assembly, Lori Wilson was the first Black female Mayor to serve in the entire history of Solano County. First elected to the Suisun City Council in 2012, she served as Vice-Mayor for six years before winning the Mayor’s race in 2018. During her tenure, Lori demonstrated a track record of fiscal responsibility while leading efforts to bring more housing, jobs and diversity to Suisun City.
		FEI XUE - Division Vice President, Northern California Meritage Homes Fei is an accomplished real estate leader currently serving as the Division Vice President for Meritage Homes in Northern California. With 20 years of experience spanning both private real estate development in the northeast and large public homebuilding on the West coast, Fei brings a wealth of experiences to the intersection of DE&I and real estate. Fei recently helped launch Employee Resource Groups within Meritage Homes and is an executive sponsor for the multi-cultural ERG, whose vision is to create a workplace where diversity is welcomed, celebrated, and valued through education and advocacy. Fei holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from New York University and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania.
Support the BIABA & DEIB event through sponsorship: $500 Benefits include: Recognition on BIABA event page, weekly report and all additional marketing materials Two complimentary registration Signage recognition at the event