Trends & Strategies Conference

Chief Executive Officer, Tampa Bay Rays

Ken Babby was named Chief Executive Officer of the Tampa Bay Rays in October 2025. A native of Potomac, Maryland, Babby is the founder of Fast Forward Sports Group and previous owner of the Akron RubberDucks (AA affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians) and Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (AAA affiliate of the Miami Marlins) until their sale in December 2025. He is recognized for his leadership in sports business innovation and community-focused organizational growth.

Before joining the Rays, Babby spent 13 years with The Washington Post, rising from a summer intern to Chief Revenue Officer of Washington Post Media and General Manager of Washington Post Digital. He oversaw $500 million in annual advertising revenue and led the company’s transition into the digital era, managing all aspects of its digital, mobile and video operations.

Since founding Fast Forward Sports Group in 2012, Babby has revitalized two Minor League Baseball franchises, earning national recognition for record attendance growth, award-winning fan experiences and community impact. His work has been honored with Sports Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” recognition in 2016 and the EY Entrepreneur of the Year® Award for the Northeast Ohio region in 2017.

Babby serves on numerous boards in Northeast Ohio and Northeast Florida, including Baptist Hospitals of Florida, the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce, and the boards of trustees for Wheaton College and Jacksonville University. He has a two-fold mission: to create a memorable, unique, affordable and enjoyable fan experience, and maximize the opportunity to create change in the community through charitable, wellness and education initiatives.

Babby earned his bachelor’s degree from Wheaton College (MA) and his MBA from Johns Hopkins University. He now lives in Tampa with his wife, Liz, and son, Josh.

Head of Commercial Capital Markets Research, Newmark

Joe Biasi is Head of Commercial Capital Markets Research with Newmark in Boston. Biasi leverages his experience advising both internal and external clients along with technical experience to find deeper, data-driven insights across property types and markets. He also manages the research analytics team, builds AI and dashboard based platforms to aid researchers in delivering deeper insights and improving workflow. Joe has been quoted in multiple media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Globe Street, and Bisnow.

Prior to joining Newmark, Joe worked as a consultant, supporting the development of capital allocation strategies and loan risk identification for commercial real estate funds and lenders at Costar, and as a researcher at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and the Clearing House, where he conducted post- crisis-era financial regulation research. He has co-authored a paper published in the International Finance Review and collaborated on several others.

Joe holds a B.A. in Economics from Clark University and an M.S. in Applied Economics from Boston College.

Head of AI Platform & Infrastructure Services, Google Cloud

Sheri Cunningham is a leading voice in the field of Artificial Intelligence, currently serving as Head of AI Platform & Infrastructure Services at Google Cloud. A seasoned technologist with a proven track record, Sheri is a certified Machine Learning Engineer, Cloud Architect, and Data Engineer, with a Six Sigma Green Belt highlighting her commitment to efficiency and quality. 

Her expertise spans Conversational AI, Generative AI, GPUs/TPUs and MLOps, and was honed through years of experience at Google, AppNexus (acquired by AT&T), and the Federal Reserve Bank. Sheri’s passion for technology is complemented by her dedication to community service, involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters and #IamRemarkable.

She has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Computer Science from Princeton University, and an MBA from Yale School of Management. She is currently nearing completion of a Masters in Data Science from Harvard Extension School. Sheri resides in Naples, FL full time with her husband Troy, 2 year old daughter Ava, and dog Rocco.

Head of Transactions and Capital Markets, North America Real Estate Equity, Manulife Investment Management

Jessica is head of North America transactions and capital markets for the firm’s real estate equity platform. In this role, she’s responsible for the sourcing, underwriting structuring, and negotiation of all investments, including portfolio companies, across North America on behalf of clients. Jessica is part of the global real estate leadership team and sits on several of the firm’s investment committees across real estate equity and debt. She also leads the real estate equity investment team, providing oversight and mentorship across North America. Prior to joining Manulife Investment Management, Jessica was a senior vice president and portfolio manager for PIMCO, leading commercial real estate investments across the Southwest and mountain region of the United States and was responsible for sourcing and structuring of core-plus, value-add, and opportunistic equity, including structured finance, on behalf of PIMCO’s funds. Before that, she worked at American Realty Advisors (ARA), where she led acquisitions across Texas and the Mountain States and was also head of multifamily relationships, securing several key partnerships on behalf of ARA’s clients.

Senior Washington correspondent, Bloomberg News

Saleha Mohsin is the senior Washington correspondent for Bloomberg News and author of Paper Soldiers: How the Weaponization of the Dollar Changed the World Order.

Saleha has reported on economic policy from Ohio to Britain, and Norway to Washington, D.C. Her work as a US Treasury Department reporter encompassed the final months of the Obama years, the about-face of US economic policies in the Trump era which encompassed a trade war, economic sanctions, the Federal Reserve and Capitol Hill, and the government’s response to the worst public health crisis in nearly a century. Saleha covered the transition into the Biden White House, including the stronger focus on economic statecraft and the ‘Buy America’ agenda that carried over from the previous administration. She also reported on the US response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the return to Trump’s America Saleha has interviewed Treasury secretaries on live TV, on trains, planes, cars and in a dozen countries.

That coverage, which includes a decade of covering economic policy, culminated in her writing PAPER SOLDIERS. The book connects the dots between the origin of American power and economic prowess, and a global order that is now shifting after nearly 80 years — with adversaries and allies alike worrying what might happen should they find themselves on the wrong side of Washington.

An Ohio native, Mohsin now lives in Bethesda, Maryland and covers economic policy for Bloomberg News.

Senior Vice President, John Burns Research and Consulting

As Senior Vice President at John Burns Research and Consulting, Chris brings over 20 years of experience delivering in-depth housing market analysis to executive teams and industry leaders. Specializing in demographics and economics, he provides precise, actionable insights that help organizations confidently navigate the complexities of the U.S. housing market.

Chris is known for his clear, thorough presentations that go beyond surface-level analysis. Whether addressing boardrooms or major conferences, he equips his audience with the knowledge and tools to make informed, strategic decisions. His ability to translate detailed analysis into practical solutions has earned him a reputation as a trusted advisor across the industry. His insights are regularly featured in leading publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, and Bloomberg Businessweek.

Vice Chairman of Real Estate Investment Banking, Barclays

Schecky Schechner is a Vice Chairman of Real Estate Investment Banking at Barclays. He is also Chairman of the PropTech Joint Venture. 

Based in New York the group is responsible for the coverage of real estate clients for advisory services as well as all forms of real estate capital – whether debt or equity.  Clients include the leading REITs, lodging and gaming companies, real estate opportunity funds and financial sponsors.  Recently, the group’s coverage efforts have expanded to cover companies at the intersection of real estate and technology – the PropTech sector.

Mr. Schechner joined Barclays Capital in 2008 from Lehman Brothers.  Prior to that, he was a Managing Director and the National Head of Mortgage Origination for J.P. Morgan Chase.

Mr. Schechner started his career in 1984 at Goldman Sachs in the Real Estate department where he worked on a broad range of sales and financing assignments.  He was stationed in London for two years where he had primary responsibility for the construction, leasing and financing of Goldman Sachs’ European Headquarters, Peterborough Court and Daniel House.  Subsequently, he held various positions within Real Estate including as a founding member of both the Real Estate Principal Investment Area as well as the CMBS effort.  When he left Goldman Sachs, he was Co-Head of the Real Estate Investment Banking business. 

Mr. Schechner is currently a trustee of the Urban Land Institute and a member of the Real Estate Roundtable.  He has held leadership positions in the Real Estate Lenders Association, the Mortgage Bankers Association and the National Realty Committee.Mr. Schechner has a BA in Economics and Political Science and Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale University (1980) and a JD/MBA from Harvard University (1984).

Managing Director-Head of Capital Markets, Cantor Fitzgerald

Mr. Wessner is currently Head of Capital Markets for Cantor Fitzgerald Asset Management. Mr. Wessner joined Cantor Fitzgerald in 2011 and during his tenure has held senior capital markets positions within the firm’s commercial real estate debt and equity businesses involving over $6.5 billion of transactions. Additionally, Mr. Wessner has completed over $2 billion of commercial real estate acquisitions in the United States involving multifamily, office, retail and industrial properties. Prior to joining Cantor Fitzgerald, Mr. Wessner was a co- founder of Park Bridge Financial, a privately-held commercial real estate debt and equity advisory firm providing strategic advisory services to real estate owners and lenders on distressed debt and equity matters. Mr. Wessner’s previous experience includes positions within Merrill Lynch’s Global Commercial Real Estate Group, where he primarily focused on the distribution of commercial real estate debt including CMBS, whole-loans, B-notes and mezzanine positions. Additionally, Mr. Wessner was a member of Fitch Ratings’ CMBS group and Ernst & Young LLP’s Structured Finance Advisory practice. Mr. Wessner received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Miami and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Florida. Mr. Wessner holds FINRA Series 7 and 63 licenses.

Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics

Mark Zandi is chief economist of Moody’s Analytics, where he directs economic research. Moody’s Analytics, a subsidiary of Moody’s Corp., is a leading provider of economic research, data and analytical tools. Dr. Zandi cofounded Economy.com, which Moody’s purchased in 2005.

Dr. Zandi is on the board of directors of MGIC, the nation’s largest private mortgage insurance company, is the lead director of PolicyMap, a data visualization and analytics company used by policymakers and commercial businesses, and is a director of the Coleridge Initiative, a nonprofit that facilitates the exchange of data across governments.

He is a trusted adviser to policymakers and an influential source of economic analysis for businesses, journalists and the public. Dr. Zandi frequently testifies before Congress and conducts regular briefings on the economy for corporate boards, trade associations and policymakers at all levels.

Dr. Zandi is the author of Paying the Price: Ending the Great Recession and Beginning a New American Century, which assesses the monetary and fiscal policy response to the Great Recession. His other book, Financial Shock: A 360º Look at the Subprime Mortgage Implosion, and How to Avoid the Next Financial Crisis, is described by The New York Times as the “clearest guide” to the financial crisis. Dr. Zandi is host of the Inside Economics podcast.

Dr. Zandi earned his BS from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and his PhD at the University of Pennsylvania.