Design for Sustainability

Robert Looper (Moderator)

Robert Looper III is an Entrepreneur and the Creator of Nashville’s blooming CRE media source, CityNowNext. Looper (as he prefers to be called) was born and raised in the projects of Washington, D.C. and is one of 10 siblings. He attended Norfolk State University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Building Construction Technology. Upon Graduation, Robert served as a Senior PM for the DC Department of General Services as well as an elected official and served 2.5 terms as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner with the DC Government. Upon moving to Nashville, TN, Looper worked with Hensel Phelps on the Concourse D expansion at BNA followed by a promotion to Design manager after his 1st year. During this time, Looper was amazed by the growth that was happening and started taking pictures of projects. It was in the midst of the Covid 19 pandemic where Robert decided to dedicate more time to blogging about development projects in Nashville. Looper used his experience in design, planning, & construction to create a different readership experience with his articles. In late 2020 the site NashvilleNowNext.com garnered about 1,900 views, that number grew to 98,000 views in 2021 and to more than 100K views in April of 2022. That year, he started the company CityNowNext Real Estate Media, LLC with the goal of transforming how we view, interact, and experience real estate development now and in the future.

Katie Rudowsky Garrett

Katie Rudowsky Garrett is a seasoned landscape architect and a Partner with Kiser + Vogrin Design. She has worked with urban and suburban communities and developers throught the country, with a strong focus on Middle Tennessee. Most notable and recent projects are McEwen Northside and Berry Farms, both in Franklin, TN. Katie has played a pivotal role in the Urban Land Institute’s Steering Committee, the Mentor Program, and the Women’s Leadership Initiative. Katie recently stepped down from a 5-year term as Board Member and Chair of Wedgewood Houston’s neighborhood association, SNAP, and while doing so devoted her time to stewarding responsible growth in the evolving neighborhood through advancing the 2021 approval of the Wedgewood Houston Chestnut Hill Urban Design Overlay; working directly with developers and the community on new developments; and focusing on SNAP’s affordable housing initiative. Katie’s critical thinking and illuminated spirit are always evident within each project as a dedicated steward to Nashville’s urban growth and thoughtful longevity. Katie enjoys spending time with her husband, taking her dog to local parks and cheering on Penn State… “We Are!?”

Sheila Dial Barton

Sheila Dial Barton, AIA, LEED AP, serves as Principal and Project Architect at EOA. She received her Bachelor of Architecture from UT and her degree in Interior Design from the Art Institute of Atlanta. Sheila became a Principal in 2015 with the firm becoming majority woman-owned in 2019. She led the Design Team for the new Tennessee State Museum, which opened in 2018, with a total project cost of $160M with 140,000 square feet. Since coming to EOA in 1997, Sheila has focused on award-winning student housing, multi-family and mixed-use design with local, regional, and national awards, including three residence halls at Belmont University and Nashville’s first modular housing project, Alloy at Tech Hill. Sheila loves calling Nashville home and enjoys travel along with being in the outdoors with her husband, Edwin, and their son Noah.

Kaitlin Dastugue

Kaitlin Dastugue is the Chief Operating Officer for the Civic Design Center. In her role, Kaitlin oversees the organization’s day-to-day operations, programs, and staff. Prior to joining the Civic Design Center, Kaitlin served as the Executive Director for Rebuilding Together Nashville and as the Planning & Policy Manager for the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA). In both roles she managed a variety of initiatives aimed at strengthening Nashville’s neighborhoods and preserving affordable housing. She holds degrees in Political Science and Architectural Studies from Emory University and a Master’s in City and Regional Planning with a concentration in Public Private Development from the University of Pennsylvania. A native of the New Orleans area, she lives in East Nashville with her husband, Mick, and son, Henry.

Jeff Furman

As head of the RDU regional office and Development Partner, Jeff is responsible for the development, design, construction and stabilization of Northwood Ravin’s multifamily and mixed-use developments. Working closely with the development, general contracting and property management teams, he has been a key contributor to the successful development of over 7,000 residential units and 1,500,000 sq. ft. of office and retail. Jeff’s active projects include multiple projects in different SouthEast metro markets as well as numerous pursuit opportunities He successfully served as the VP/development manager for signature mixed-use projects including Capitol View and McEwen Northside in Nashville, TN, Carolina Square in Chapel Hill, NC, as well as Bradford in Cary, NC.

In addition to being a registered professional engineer and licensed North Carolina real estate broker, Jeff is a LEED AP and works closely with the residential team to implement and improve luxury, sustainable features into the pipeline of projects. Prior to joining the Northwood Ravin, Jeff served as Director of Development in the multifamily group for Crosland. Previous to that role, he was in the Crosland Retail division and managed the development of 3 shopping centers. Professional experience also includes land development design management and 7 years of active duty military service as an officer in the US Navy Civil Engineer Corps.