Academy Instructors

Owen M. Beitsch, PhD, FAICP, CRE, FRA-PA
Senior Director

Dr. Beitsch leads economic and real estate advisory services for GAI’s Community Solutions Group, integrating design, planning, and economics. He is also a faculty member in the Urban Planning program at the University of Central Florida, where he teaches land use regulation and economics.

With expertise in real estate development, public planning, finance, large-scale mixed-use projects, tax policy, special district finance, and tax increment financing, Dr. Beitsch has advised on major infrastructure and redevelopment projects across multiple states. His career includes leadership roles with the Orlando Neighborhood Improvement Corporation, Orlando Housing Authority, and Winter Park Planning and Zoning Board.

Dr. Beitsch is a Certified Trainer for the Florida Redevelopment Academy, a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners, and a member of the Counselors of Real Estate. He earned his PhD from the University of Central Florida and was named an Outstanding Alumnus of UCF’s College of Health and Public Affairs.

Thomas R. Kohler brings extensive expertise in strategic planning, public policy, project implementation, and public-private negotiations. Throughout his career, he has played a pivotal role in fostering partnerships with the private sector and successfully structuring public-private collaborations.

Mr. Kohler concluded 26 years of distinguished public service as a senior executive with the City of Orlando, including more than 22 years as Executive Director of Orlando’s Downtown Development Board and Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). In these leadership roles, he oversaw the planning, programming, and development of projects totaling more than $500 million in combined public and private investment, shaping the growth and vitality of downtown Orlando.

Tom’s commitment to excellence is backed by strong academic credentials: a Master’s in Urban Planning and a Bachelor’s in Economics from Texas A&M University, along with advanced executive training at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. He is also a Certified Trainer for the Florida Redevelopment Academy, sharing his knowledge with the next generation of redevelopment professionals.

Renee Jadusingh, Executive Director, Delray Beach CRA

Renée A. Jadusingh is currently serving as the Executive Director of the Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency. Prior to working with the Delray Beach CRA, Renée was Staff Counsel for the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency.  Renee received her Juris Doctorate and LL.M. in Intercultural Human Rights from St. Thomas University School of Law.  She has extensive experience in the public and private sector working with redevelopment and management in the South Florida area.

Ms. Laura Smith serves as Urban Analytics Director within GAI’s Community Solutions Group (CSG), where she conducts and oversees the research and analysis of market, economic, and demographic data; commercial, industrial, and multifamily performance indicators; census data; and employment statistics for various products of the firm. Ms. Smith served as a professional municipal planner for 6 years, expanding her expertise to include writing and updating land development codes, development plan reviews, comprehensive plan rewrites and updates, Evaluation and Appraisal Reports (EAR), Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Findings of Necessity (FON) and CRA Redevelopment Plans.

Ms. Smith is a graduate of University of South Florida, with an MPA in Public Administration and a BA in Political Science. She also earned her master’s certificate in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Central Florida. She currently serves on the Planning and Zoning Board of Lake County, Florida as well as the Board of Directors of the Florida Redevelopment Association.

Brenda Thrower proudly works for City of Tampa as the CRA Development Manager for Ybor City and West Tampa. She has worked in community redevelopment and urban planning in the state of Florida for over 30 years, specializing in the redevelopment of historic districts and neighborhoods. She has chaired numerous committees and boards, including the Ybor City Saturday Market Board, the Hillsborough County Good Government Award Committee, Florida Redevelopment Academy and was past president of the Florida
Redevelopment Association from 2023-2024.

Brenda holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Economy from Tulane University; Master of Public Administration from the University of North Florida; and Master of Urban & Regional Planning from University of New Orleans. She is a certified Florida Redevelopment Academy instructor and teaches the CRA 101 and Capital Projects Management courses. In her spare time, she loves to travel, cook, and spend time with family and friends.

Christine Tibbs currently serves as the Assistant Director of the Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency. She has extensive experience in the public sector working with land use, redevelopment, and capital improvements projects having previously worked for the City of Miami in the Planning Department overseeing development applications and in the Procurement Department coordinating the procurement of architectural and engineering consultants and construction services for an over $600 million capital plan and a $400 million bond program. Christine holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Florida and a Juris Doctor from Tulane Law School. She currently sits on the Palm Beach County School District’s Academic Advisory Committee.

Michelle Van Loan
Director, Real Estate
City of Tampa

Florida is Michelle’s 4th state. She grew up in Chicago, 7 years in Cincinnati, 5 years in Kansas City, and 21 years in Tampa. She is staying put!

Michelle has worked 33 years in government. Past areas of specialization included vertical construction projects, training, strategic planning and performance management, and economic development.

She started with the City of Tampa in 2005 and worked her way up to Director. She worked fourteen years for the Tampa CRA and was Tampa’s very first Community Redevelopment Director. Michelle now serves as Tampa’s Real Estate Director.

Some of the projects she has managed include:

• Rebuilding roadways, complete streets, and multi-modal trails
• Adding parks to stormwater ponds, enhancing the surrounding community
• Repaving and building sidewalks around schools to keep kids safe
• Developed and implemented CRA grants for residents and businesses in low-income areas
• Managed a building Department
• Consulted to Tampa Fire Rescue for their strategic plan for national accreditation
• In addition to transportation improvement in at-risk communities, construction projects include:
  Building a Fire Training Tower, a community center, a farming education center, and a
  police/municipal building

Michelle volunteered for 10 years with the Florida aquarium working with the alligators, penguins and ducks.

She also works every election as a pollworker.

Michelle loves serving her community and trying to help make someone’s life just a little better.

Elizee Michel is the executive director of the Westgate CRA. Before joining the CRA in 2004, he worked for 9 years in the City of Fort Worth’s Housing Department. He has extensive experience in community development.

He holds a ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary and an MURP from Liberty University. He has taught courses in Education and Housing in the United States and abroad.

He was certified by Grow America (formerly NDC) as a Housing Development Finance Professional (HDFP). He is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). Elizee is a graduate of the FRA Academy and is certified as an FRA-RA.