MURIEL BOWSER
MAYOR
October 12, 2023
The Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman
Council of the District of Columbia
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 504
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Chairman Mendelson:
In accordance with section 2 of the Confirmation Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-
142; D.C. Official Code § 1-523.01), and pursuant to section 205 of the Washington Convention Center
Authority Act of 1994, effective September 28, 1994 (D.C. Law 10- 188; D.C. Official Code § 10-
1202.05), I am pleased to nominate:
Ms. Marisa Flowers
Walnut Street, NE
Washington, DC 20018
(Ward 5 )
for appointment as a public member with experience in municipal finance of the Washington
Convention and Sports Authority Board of Directors, replacing Max Brown , for a term to end May
16, 2027.
Enclosed you will find biographical information detailing the experience of Ms. Flowers, together
with a proposed resolution to assist the Council during the confirmation process.
I would appreciate the Council’s earliest consideration of this nomination for confirmation.
Please do not hesitate to contact me, or Steven Walker, Director, Mayor’s Office of Talent and
Appointments, should the Council require additional information.
Sincerely,
Muriel Bowser 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
~
Chairman Phil Mendelson
at the request
of the Mayor
A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
14 To confirm the appointment of Ms. Marisa Flowers to the Washington Convention and Sports
15 Authority Board of Directors.
16
17 RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
18 resolution may be cited as the "Washington Convention and Sports Authority Board of Directors
19 Marisa Flowers Confirmation Resolution of 2023 ".
20
21 Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the appointment of:
22
23 Ms. Marisa Flowers
24 Walnut Street, NE
25 Washington, DC 20018
26 (Ward 4)
27
28
as a public member with experience in municipal finance of the Washington Convention and
29 Sports Authority Board of Directors, pursuant to section 205 of the Washington Convention
30 Center Authority Act of 1994, effective September 28, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-188; D.C. Official
31 Code§ 10-1202.05), replacing Max Brown, for a term to end May 16, 2027.
32 Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution,
33 upon its adoption, to the nominee and to the Office of the Mayor.
34 Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
MARISA FLOWERS | 202- 230-4041 I marisagflowers@gmail.com I District of Columbia
PROFILE
Highly engaged, influential and trusted senior executive leader dedicated to implementing strategic policy, real estate
and economic development, public/private partnerships, and redevelopment initiatives. Driven by an entrepreneurial
and analytical approach to strategic planning, market analysis and building cross-sector partnerships leading to urban
development, policy innovations and investments over a 20-year career.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
RLJ Lodging Trust, Bethesda
Senior Vice President, Administration June 2023 – present
• Responsible for leading and supervising all of the administrative functions of the $3b publicly traded hospitality
REIT including, but not limited to, human capital strategy, operating infrastructure, corporate strategic
planning, corporate philanthropy and ESG efforts and other corporate initiatives.
Green Door Advisors, LLC, Washington, DC
Founder/Principal 2007 – May 2023
• Founder and Principal of a real estate advisory services firm providing strategic consulting services, including
market and financial feasibility analysis across all real estate assets, project financial analysis, fiscal impact
analysis, development/redevelopment strategy for over $1b in real estate transactions.
• Authored multiple strategic, housing, and economic development plans including, the Prince George’s County
Economic Development Strategy, the 2012 DC Housing Strategy the DC Creative Economy Plan among others,
helping to shape multimillion-dollar investments in affordable housing, workforce development and economic
development in the DC region.
• Manage public/private development agreements including deal negotiation, community engagement, financial
strategy for substantial projects involving DMPED, DCHA and DHCD and related public entities in DC and MD,
resulting in the development of affordable and market rate housing, commercial and retail development
leveraging public and private resources. Consulting services directly contributed to the development of more
than 2,000 units in the District and Maryland.
• Lead business development growing from start-up to established consultancy serving more than one hundred
clients (nonprofit and for-profit developers, institutions, municipalities, and quasi-governmental agencies),
maintained a large client base by providing exceptional analysis, service and value.
Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie, DC City Council
Chairman Committee on Business and Economic Development
Chief of Staff 2019 - 2022
• Managed a multi-disciplinary team with oversight of constituent services for approximately 85,000 DC residents,
executed office communication strategy, budget authorization, agency oversight and policymaking.
• Served as senior advisor to the Councilmember on all public policy goals focused on economic development,
hospitality and tourism, racial equity, real estate development, tax and financial regulation and opportunities to
enhance public-private partnerships.
• Managed budget oversight for the $939m cluster of Business and Economic Development agencies (including
DMPED, EventsDC Destination DC, ABRA, DISB, OCFO among others) to align budget and policy priorities and
ensure effective and efficient delivery of services to residents and businesses.
• Developed and managed the Equitable Recovery Advisory Group (ERAG), bringing t ogether business, finance,
and policy leaders to address the inequitable impact of COVID19 on communities of color in DC. Resulted in
$100m+ BRIDGE Fund investment in small, local and minority owned businesses to facilitate COVID recovery.
• Developed key economic development initiatives including the Commercial Property Acquisition Fund to support
minority and women – owned business ability to acquire commercial properties and combat commercial
displacement and gentrification in DC.
• Developed and maintained public and private sector relationships within the Washington DC business
community to effectuate sound tax, finance, development and business policy and regulation to support the key
drivers of an $148b local economy.
• Provided critical guidance to shape the 2020 Comprehensive Plan Update, specifically related to environmental
justice, racial equity and economic development policy codified within the current Comp Plan for the District of
Columbia.
The Gideon Companies, Washington, DC
Chief Operating Officer & Principal 2017 - 2019
• Founding team member of $50m investment pool for real estate transactions in Washington, DC.
• Managed in- house real estate development partnerships and projects, including two new construction
multifamily projects, third party contractor management, as well as public/private partnership opportunities.
• Facilitated the refinancing of real estate portfolio of approximately eight hundred units, valued at $100 million.
• Led real estate and financial analysis to effectuate investment in third party projects of over $10 million in
equity and mezzanine investments in residential projects in Washington, DC.
National Capital Revitalization Corporation (NCRC), Washington, DC
Director, Real Estate Transactions 2005 -2007
• Negotiated the disposition of large scale urban real estate projects including retail, residential, office, mixed-
use and affordable housing projects of behalf of quasi-public agency.
• Managed community, city council and public agency outreach required to proceed with development in four
public dispositions for redevelopment projects that furthered affordable housing and economic development.
RCLCO (Robert Charles Lesser & Co.), Bethesda, MD
Director of Consulting 2003 – 2005
• Managed consultant teams in the completion of market feasibility studies, go/no-go analysis,
product/community positioning and consumer research studies for national clientele of private sector, public
sector, and nonprofit real estate development firms nationwide and in the Caribbean.
Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Washington DC
Assistant Program Officer 2002 – 2003
• Provided program support for the seven sites throughout the Southeast Region including fundraising development, donor stewardship, research, policy advocacy and conducted underwriting due diligence.
Los Angeles County, Chief Administrative Office, Los Angeles, CA 1998 - 2000
Budget Analyst
• Assisted the Principal Analyst in the planning, coordination, direction, and control over the Dept of Public
Social Services (DPSS) $3.2 billion budget, including authorization of budget expenditures, adjustments, and
human resources investments.
EDUCATION & SERVICE
• Masters in City Planning – Massachusetts Institute of Technology – HUD Fellow 2000 – 2002
• Bachelor of Arts – UC Berkeley – Summa Cum Laude 1994 – 1998
• Board Member, Washington Community Investment Fund (WACIF)
• Executive Committee Member – Jack and Jill of America (Washington, DC Chapter)
• Founder & President, Capital Reserva Wine Club (est. 2005)
Executive Office of the Mayor - Office of Talent and Appointments
John A. Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20004
Marisa Flowers
Ms. Flowers brings over 20 years' experience and a demonstrated track
record of success providing public, nonprofit, and private clients with
innovative and collaborative solutions to complex real estate, planning,
and policy challenges.
Ms. Flowers currently serves as the Senior Vice President of
Administrationat RLJ Lodging Trust, a hospitality real estate investment
trust that owns approximately 100 hotels across the country. In this role
she is responsible for leading all administrative functions of the publicly traded company. Ms.
Flowers founded Green Door Advisors in 2007 and has provided real estate advisory services –
including market analysis, investment analysis, public sector engagement and deal structuring
with a particular focus on public/private partnerships to more than 100 clients, in real estate
projects valued at over $1 billion .
Recently, Marisa served as the Chief of Staff to DC Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, Chair of
the Council’s Committee on Business and Economic Development. In this role, she managed all
aspects of the personal and committee offices and played a critical role in advancing racial equity
and economic development initiatives. These initiatives included the Commercial Property
Acquisition Fund and $100m COVID small business and hospitality relief fund.
Over her career, she has also served in a variety of public, private, and nonprofit positions
including, Director of Real Estate Transactions with the National Capital Revitalization
Corporation in Washington, DC, Director of Consulting with RCLCO and an Assistant Program
Manager with Local Initiative Support Corporation. Ms. Flowers serves on the board for WACIF
(Washington Area Community Investment Fund), a DC based CDFI.
A Ward 5 resident, Ms. Flowers graduated Summa cum Laude from UC Berkeley with a
Bachelor’s Degree in American Studies and received a Master’s in City Planning from the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Marisa lives in northeast Washington, DC with her
husband and two daughters. GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser
Office of the General Counsel to the Mayor
______________________________________________________________________________
The John A. Wilson Building • 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW • Suite 300 • Washington, D.C. 20004 • Office (202) 724 -7681
To: Tommy Wells, Steve Walker
From: Betsy Cavendish
Date: September 27, 2023
Subject: Legal sufficiency review of Resolution nominating Marisa Flowers as a member
of the Washington Convention and Sports Authority Board of Directors
This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above- referenced resolution and
found it to be legally unobjectionable. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not
hesitate to call Erika Satterlee, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of the Mayor, at 202 -
724-1303, or me at 202- 724-7681.
______________________________ Elizabeth A. (Betsy) Cavendish