HBCUs ARE UNDEFEATED:
Asset Management and Monetization to Support the Mission
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have long served as cultural and economic anchors within their communities. Yet many institutions sit on valuable land assets that remain underleveraged as tools for long-term financial sustainability. This session focuses on how HBCUs can strategically activate campus land and real estate holdings to generate durable, non-tuition revenue while advancing their academic mission.
Panelists will examine practical strategies for land use planning, ground leasing, public-private partnerships, district-scale development, and mixed-use projects that align institutional priorities with market demand. The conversation will highlight how thoughtful land stewardship can strengthen balance sheets, enhance campus vitality, and catalyze surrounding community development—without compromising institutional control or mission integrity.
Jay Brown (Panelist)
Chairman & Managing Director, Hayat Brown
Jay Brown, CCIM, PMP, is one of the nation's foremost experts on public-private partnerships, institutional real estate strategy, and the monetization of public assets. As Chairman and Managing Director of Hayat Brown, he has spent more than twenty-five years advising universities, governments, transportation agencies, and other public institutions on how to transform underutilized real estate into long-term sources of financial sustainability and community value.
Throughout his career, Brown has structured and advised on complex development initiatives involving higher education campuses, mixed-use districts, civic infrastructure, and public land. His expertise spans ground leasing, institutional asset management, economic feasibility, transaction structuring, and public-private partnerships, helping clients maximize both financial performance and public benefit.
Recognized nationally for his ability to bridge public purpose with private-sector execution, Brown has advised organizations across the country seeking innovative approaches to real estate development that preserve institutional mission while unlocking new opportunities for investment and growth.
Kimberly Cameron (Panelist)
Principal Consultant, Impactful Strategies
Kimberly Cameron is a nationally respected real estate and economic development executive whose career has centered on helping mission-driven organizations leverage real estate to create lasting economic impact. With more than three decades of leadership experience, she has guided transformative development initiatives that strengthen institutions, revitalize neighborhoods, and expand opportunity through strategic planning and investment.
As former Executive Director of the North Carolina A&T Real Estate Foundation, Cameron led innovative campus-adjacent development initiatives that positioned university-owned real estate as a catalyst for institutional sustainability and community revitalization. Her work has included structuring complex development partnerships, advancing mixed-use projects, and aligning real estate strategy with long-term organizational goals.
Today, through Impactful Strategies, Cameron advises public, private, and nonprofit clients on economic development, organizational strategy, public-private partnerships, and community-centered development.
Jerry Guerrier (Panelist)
Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities Management, North Carolina Central University
Jerry U. Guerrier is a distinguished architect, facilities executive, and higher education leader with more than thirty-five years of experience overseeing complex capital programs and institutional development. As Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities Management at North Carolina Central University, he leads the planning, design, construction, operations, and stewardship of one of North Carolina's premier HBCU campuses.
Over the course of his career, Guerrier has directed more than $2.3 billion in capital improvement projects spanning higher education, healthcare, government, and commercial development. His expertise encompasses campus master planning, infrastructure investment, facilities operations, sustainability, and long-range institutional growth.
Before joining NCCU, Guerrier built a successful career in architecture and project development, including serving as president of an architectural firm, where he managed multidisciplinary teams responsible for delivering projects of regional significance. His ability to integrate design excellence with operational strategy has earned him recognition as a leader capable of translating institutional vision into transformative physical environments.
Michael English (Moderator)
Director, Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership
Michael English is an economic development strategist, storyteller, and community builder whose work sits at the intersection of placemaking, entrepreneurship, and Black institutional wealth. As Director of the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership, he leads initiatives that strengthen downtown as a vibrant destination while fostering collaboration among businesses, local government, the University of North Carolina, and community stakeholders to advance economic vitality and long-term investment.
A passionate advocate for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Michael is also the creator of HBCUs Are Undefeated, a Substack exploring the cultural, economic, and development impact of HBCUs through the lens of land, leadership, entrepreneurship, and community development. His work challenges institutions and practitioners alike to think differently about how HBCUs can leverage their assets to create lasting economic opportunity.
Before assuming his current leadership role, Michael built a career spanning entrepreneurship, ecosystem development, economic mobility, and community investment. He has launched initiatives connecting entrepreneurs with capital and opportunity, advised organizations committed to equitable growth, and become a trusted voice on how relationships, place, and innovation shape thriving communities.
