Beyond the Rays - A Bright Future in St Pete 
St. Pete Culture, Community and Capital

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EVENT OVERVIEW
Join us for an illuminating panel discussion exploring the vibrant future of St. Petersburg beyond its famous sunshine. As our city continues its remarkable transformation, this event brings together visionaries, developers, community leaders, and investors to discuss how culture, community, and capital are shaping St. Pete's evolution into one of Florida's most dynamic urban centers.

WHAT TO EXPECT
Our distinguished panelists will dive into St. Petersburg's unique positioning at the intersection of arts, innovation, and investment. Discover how the city's cultural renaissance is attracting capital, how community-focused development is creating sustainable growth, and how investors can participate in St. Pete's bright future.

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS

• Culture as Economic Driver: How St. Pete's thriving arts scene, museums, and cultural institutions are attracting talent and investment
• Community-Centered Development: Balancing growth with preserving St. Pete's unique character and fostering inclusive prosperity
• Capital Opportunities: Exploring investment trends, emerging neighborhoods, and innovative funding models transforming the city
• Beyond Tourism: Diversifying St. Pete's economy while leveraging its natural attractions
• Sustainable Growth: Planning for climate resilience while managing rapid development

Panelist:

• Everald Colas - Founder & Principal, Storyn 

  Everald Colas is an award-winning Haitian American architect, educator, and storyteller with design experience in hospitality, aviation, multifamily, and institutional buildings. He has led a variety of internationally acclaimed projects during his time as a practitioner. As a designer, Everald specializes in projects that require a sensitive approach to integrating mixed-use buildings in a historical context. He is skilled in guiding clients through finding their project’s identity within numerous constraints, helping to ensure that complex projects are distilled to their design essence. He is motivated to find solutions for designing equitable spaces for the voiceless and believes that design is a tool for social change.

  Everald is the owner of Storyn Studio for Architecture, a practice that uniquely balances its work at both the local scale and the international scale, providing meticulous research of the client’s ethos and project parameters to create unique spaces that tell a project’s sole story. Currently, Storyn is the design architect for Morimoto Wynwood Miami; Marriott Moxy of St. Petersburg, FL.; and corporate architect for Buya Restaurant brand in Europe.

• Mack Feldman - VP of Asset Management, Feldman Equities 
  

  Mack Feldman is the Vice President of Asset Management at Feldman Equities, a vertically integrated commercial real estate development firm with office properties in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and Ft. Lauderdale. Feldman Equities and its partners own and manage 2,000,000 square feet of office space throughout Florida. Mack is a member of the Executive Committee of the St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership and a board member with YIMBY St. Pete where he advocates for land use reform intended to improve housing affordability. He is also a member of Urban Land Institute’s Executive Council and co-chairs that organization’s Young Leaders Group in Tampa Bay. 

• Teresa Brydon, Business Redevelopment Manager, PCED
  

  Teresa Brydon is the Business Redevelopment Manager for Pinellas County Economic Development.  She has held this unique position with PCED over the past four years with the primary focus on commercial and industrial redevelopment for the market area.  Teresa works with other government agencies that have regulation oversite to provide input from an economic development perspective.  A primary responsibility of hers is the oversight of the Penny for Pinellas $93 million Employment Sites Program (ESP) that provides funding for new development and significant redevelopment of office and industrial projects throughout Pinellas.

  Teresa has been in economic development for more than 20 years when she first started in St. Petersburg working on business recruitment and retention.  She has an extensive background in business recruitment, redevelopment, and understands the complexities of developing within Pinellas County.  Prior to her government roles, Teresa managed one of the family manufacturing businesses and a held marketing and public relations position with a major national bank.

  She is a graduate of Virginia Tech and has been a permanent resident of Florida for over 25 years.  Teresa and her husband over the years have rebuilt older homes, and they live in an historic St. Petersburg home that is their forever home.  Teresa is also a passionate gardener and on the weekends you will find her outside unless there is a hurricane in the area.

• John Barkett, Broker/Owner, Barkett Realty
  Barkett Realty was founded by John Barkett, an MAI and Real Estate Broker. John holds an M.S. in Real Estate Valuation and Analysis from New York University, and worked in New York City for 10 years before moving his business to Tampa Bay. As an established Tampa Bay area real estate and appraisal specialist with 20 years of experience in the market, John serves clients with real estate concerns from simple to complex by leveraging his analytical mindset, dedication to community and years of practical experience. John offers expertise as a broker, developer partner, appraiser, expert witness and active community leader, highly involved in local organizations shaping Tampa Bay’s economic future.

• Dawn Dodge - Vice President, Kimley Horn
  

  A Vice President with Kimley-Horn, Dawn Dodge is a Professional Engineer with nearly 20 years of experience. After starting her career in the Lakeland and Tampa offices, Dawn moved to St. Pete in 2018 to launch a new office for the firm. During her time as Office Leader, the St. Pete Office has grown to more than 70 employees serving a wide variety of public and private sector clients. Dawn’s passion lies in leading complex, defining projects that bridge the gap between public and commercial interests, deliver outstanding community benefits, solve environmental and sustainability challenges, and create economic impact. A few of Dawn’s notable projects include the St. Pete Pier Approach, Reflection Condos, Art House, The EDGE Collective II, Rome Yards, Westshore Plaza, and Perry Harvey Park.

May 21, 2025 - from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM.

Heavy Appetizers and Open Bar INCLUDED in ticket price

Poynter Institute
801 3rd St S.
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
$50/YP REIC members- $70/REIC members- $95/non-members