W. Matthew Kelly, CEO of JBG SMITH, Joins Steers Center for Global Real Estate as Executive-in-Residence

The Steers Center for Global Real Estate at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, named W. Matthew Kelly, CEO and a trustee of JBG SMITH, as an executive-in-residence.

“The opportunity to work with young people focused on a real estate career is very appealing to me,” said Kelly. “I am excited to be involved with the Steers Center. My involvement in Georgetown McDonough’s MBA-level Real Estate Entrepreneurship class over the last two years has been very rewarding, and I am thrilled to build on that work with the center.”

Kelly has been with JBG SMITH since 2004 and served as a managing partner of the predecessor JBG Companies from 2008 until its merger with Vornado/Charles E. Smith in 2017.  The merger created a new public company, JBG SMITH, and established the firm as one of the largest and most active owner/operators in the Washington, D.C., metro area. In addition to overseeing the company’s public market debut, he and his team led the region’s successful bid to land Amazon’s new headquarters in Northern Virginia. Kelly received a Bachelor of Arts with honors from Dartmouth College and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.

“We are extremely excited to have Matt involved with the Steers Center by contributing to the education of our students and to the creation of a world-class center for real estate,” said Matthew Cypher, Atara Kaufman Professor of Real Estate and director, Steers Center for Global Real Estate. “Also, we expect to find ways to collaborate in service to our mutual home of the Washington, D.C., region.”

One early example of this partnership can be seen through the First Year Seminar course The Real Estate Game, where the undergraduate students have the opportunity to be involved with JBG SMITH and the Washington Housing Conservancy’s efforts to redevelop 614 S Street, NW through the Washington Housing Initiative.  

“Our students are learning very directly from those who are innovating how we provide affordable housing options within our city and around the country,” Cypher said. “This is highly consistent with Georgetown University’s Jesuit values, which require our students to be in service to society.”

Learn more about the Steers Center for Global Real Estate at https://globalrealestate.georgetown.edu.