Roxanne Garcia is a Latina innovator with a mission to redefine what it means to be a young woman of color in the fast-paced real estate world.
An MBIRE candidate, Roxanne is currently focused on community development. She leans into her undergraduate training in architecture and urban planning, as well as her professional experience working at MKB Architects, solving community needs and issues that matter most.
Roxanne is no stranger to community engagement, especially when it comes to repurposing a space to fit the needs of others. She has extensive experience designing and project managing over 40 projects across the Chicagoland area.
“I pivoted from architecture into community development because I care deeply about making a difference in underserved neighborhoods. As a South Side Chicago native, this is close to home. I am passionate about taking on projects that promote economic stability and give communities more access to fresh food, affordable housing, and more jobs.”
Roxanne is a Roosevelt Scholar with The Teresa and Hipolito Roldan Scholarship. In addition, she is a graduate assistant for the John Newman Real Estate Scholarship, a program that allows her to conduct various research tasks and assist advisory staff.
Roxanne knew pivoting into community development was the right choice for her when she took her very first class at MBIRE – Introduction to Real Estate. “We learned so much – it was really challenging, but also exciting to feel like I was getting all this experience right away. One of my favorite projects was a case study on an actual property, so it gave us all a taste of the real world of real estate.”
Roxanne is continuing her hands-on learning as a CapEx Analyst & ROI Redevelopment Intern at LivCor, a Blackstone Company. “LivCor’s passion is leaving people – and places – better than we found them. We do that by creating great places to live, work, and grow. It’s incredible to work in an environment that puts our residents at the center of everything we do.”
One day, Roxanne hopes to start a development firm of her own and re-invest in the Chicago community where she grew up.
While she still has one more year left in the program, Roxanne says she already feels like she has been given so many tools and resources, not to mention an incredible network of connections. “As a woman of color in commercial real estate, having a network of CRE leaders, and especially other women in the business, is important. It can help open doors. And I’ve gained that at MBIRE.”