Speaking Engagements
Dr. Merritt is available for keynotes, panels, fireside chats, and workshops on topics spanning real estate development, economic empowerment, and leadership.
Pioneer Award Honoree, National DCRE Conference
Dr. Merritt was recognized with the Pioneer Award at the National Diversity in Commercial Real Estate Conference, and joined a fireside chat alongside Meredith Marshall of BRP Companies, moderated by DCRE founder Adeola Adejobi.
It's the kind of room she does her best work in — candid, technical, and unwilling to let the conversation stay abstract.
Areas of Expertise
Tap any topic to see the projects, numbers and awards behind it. Dr. Merritt brings 30+ years of direct experience and a unique perspective as a Black woman who grew up in affordable housing and now leads a $600M+ portfolio with 800+ units in the pipeline.
01Affordable Housing DevelopmentThe full development cycle — from deal sourcing and financial structuring through LIHTC, Tax Exempt Bonds, and complex multi-layered financing to construction management and community engagement.
She has run this cycle end to end as consultant, developer and owner — including as lead developer and owner on her own projects, not just an advisor on someone else's.
- $600M+ portfolio; 17 buildings and 800+ units in the pipeline across D.C., Maryland and Ohio
- Participated in the development of 8,000 units and underwritten roughly $6B in transactions
- Mary's House for Older Adults — the nation's first affordable communal living for LGBTQ+/SGL seniors
- 9410 Hough, Cleveland — 116-unit redevelopment with a community amenity centre
- The Nannie Helen at 4800, Wiley H. Bates Heritage Park, Ker Conway Residence, Beacon Center
02Economic Empowerment & Social CapitalHow to leverage social capital to connect underserved communities with employment, contracts, and economic opportunities. The PCC model and collective impact approach.
She built the model she speaks about. Her doctorate is in social innovation, and PCC exists because she concluded housing alone doesn't move people out of poverty.
- Founder of Project Community Capital® and the WFL Collective™
- Doctor of Social Work in Social Innovation, University of Southern California (2021)
- Social Innovation Summit Award for Economic Empowerment (2022)
- Chevron Dorothy A. Terrell Community Impact Award (2024)
- Inner City 100 / ICIC Community Impact Award (2023 and 2024)
03Women & Diversity in Commercial Real EstateBreaking barriers in a predominantly male and white industry. Building a career through technical excellence, and why diverse leadership produces better outcomes.
Two decades of building other people's buildings before she could own one, and a documented record of what changed when capital finally followed the experience.
- Pioneer Award honoree, National DCRE Conference (2026)
- 50 Women to KNOW, Washington D.C. (2026) · Inc. Female Founders 500 (2025)
- CREW DC Game Changer (2024) · I95 Women of Influence (2024) · MD Daily Record Empowering Women (2024)
- WBJ Women Who Mean Business (2023) · MD Daily Record Top 100 Women (2023)
- Bisnow and Connect CRE Women in Real Estate (2022) · Founding member, BOW Collective
04Community-Centered DevelopmentWhy housing is only the first step. Holistic approaches integrating employment, education, health, and economic mobility alongside bricks and mortar.
Her projects are designed with the services attached, and she sits on the public and nonprofit boards that decide how this work gets funded and delivered.
- 9410 Hough pairs 116 homes with a community amenity centre for workforce development, education, training and healthcare
- Board of Directors, Maryland Economic Development Corporation — appointed by the Governor, representing Baltimore County
- Board member, Project Pneuma — the only nonprofit written into a federal police-reform consent decree
- Famicos Foundation Visionary Award (2025)
- Greater Baltimore Committee Bridging the Gap and Mayor's Business Recognition Awards (2023)
05Financing & Deal StructuringNavigating LIHTC, New Markets Tax Credits, Historic Credits, HUD programs, conventional debt, and institutional equity.
This is the part of the process most deals die on, and the part she was doing for other firms long before she was doing it for herself.
- $310M+ raised since 2021, including $124M in 2024 alone
- Roughly $6B in real estate transactions underwritten
- $8M ARPA grant awarded by the City of Cleveland
- Built the underwriting template adopted company-wide at Struever Brothers, and negotiated their first institutional equity deal
- Goldman Sachs underwrote her experience directly when her balance sheet was still at zero
06Entrepreneurship & Business BuildingStarting and scaling a business as a woman of color. Building strategic partnerships, joint ventures, and navigating the capital landscape.
She has founded six organizations and scaled one of them onto the Inc. 5000 — and nearly every deal in her pipeline is a joint venture.
- Inc. 5000 — #730 nationally and #12 in D.C., on 659% three-year revenue growth (2024)
- Inc. Female Founders 500 (2025)
- Founder of NREUV, Project Community Capital®, WFL Collective™, Heighten the Hustle™ and GroundUp
- Co-founder of NREUV Mechanical, which secured nearly $8M in contracts in its first year
- Stevie Award, Changemaker of the Year (2022 and 2023)
How She Shows Up
Keynote
A 30–60 minute headline talk, tailored to your audience and the moment your industry is in.
Fireside Chat
A moderated conversation — the format where her most quoted lines tend to come out.
Panel
Panelist or moderator on housing, capital access, equity in CRE, and workforce development.
Workshop
A working session for developers, staff, or cohorts — practical, technical, and built around your group's real projects.
I, too, am an institution.
Dr. Merritt in the Room
Tell Us About Your Event
Speaking fees vary by format, travel, and audience. Share the details below and Dr. Merritt's team will come back to you with availability and a fee — usually within a few business days.
Prefer email? speak@nreuv.com
Speaking Inquiry
Speaking Engagements
Fireside chats and panel discussions from conferences and events across the country.
Interviews & Podcasts
Dr. Merritt as a guest on podcasts and interview series covering real estate development, entrepreneurship, and economic empowerment.
Clips & Features
Short takes on social capital, hiring, and access to opportunity — plus the feature on NREUV's 2024 Chevron Dorothy A. Terrell Community Impact Award.
Recent Speaking Events
Ready to Engage Dr. Merritt?
Send your event details and get availability back within a few business days.