Robin Schabes is the Chicagoland Opportunity Zones Consortium Director at CCLF. In this role, Robin coordinates and supports the work of the Consortium, delivering on key responsibilities such as project pipeline mapping, project/investor matchmaking, technical assistance coordination, and facilitating the implementation of the Consortium’s action plan.
Robin is a practiced community economic development professional, and has held management-level positions in the nonprofit, public and private sectors focused on economic development and real estate development projects and initiatives. Robin has direct experience and knowledge of multiple incentive programs including Opportunity Zone financing, tax increment financing, special districts and service areas as well as others to achieve community economic development objectives.
Prior to joining the Consortium team, Robin served as the Division Manager for the City of Napa’s Economic Development Division where she initiated and led myriad endeavors such as the creation of a policy framework and a proforma analysis tool related to local Opportunity Zones; the crafting of a competitive application resulting in Napa being selected as one of six cities nationally to participate in the National League of Cities new cohort focused on healthy communities; the launch of a multi-pronged placemaking/placebranding commercial corridor action plan; and the preliminary feasibility analysis of a work/live campus concept focused on the local creative and production industries.
Robin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography and Urban Studies from Northwestern University, a Master of Urban Planning and Policy degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a Master of Science in Real Estate degree from Roosevelt University’s Walter E. Heller College of Business. Robin is a Goldie B. Wolfe Miller Women in Real Estate Scholar and a member of the Alpha Sigma Gamma International Real Estate Honorary Society.