ULI South Carolina member, Lasenta Lewis-Ellis, is currently participating in the ULI/REAP Fall 2020 Academy, which will wrap up this week.

Lasenta Lewis-Ellis, GC, CM, CQM-C, MAHRD is the President and CEO of LLE Construction Group, LLC, a Woman and Minority-Owned Small Business General Contracting and Real Estate Investment and Development Firm.

LLE specializes in Owner Representation and Consulting Services in Facility Maintenance & Sustainability (to include FF&E, OS&E and Space Planning, Renovations, and Logistics), Program & Project Management with an emphasis in Construction and Facilities Support. Lasenta is a Co-Developer on Community and Real Estate Investment & Development Projects in South Carolina.

With a passion for all things facilities and entrepreneurship, and a drive to inspire, motivate, and encourage others, Lasenta also created LLE Consulting, a Division of LLE Construction Group, LLC. LLE Consulting provides Small Business Strategic Development & Consulting; Small, Women, and Minority Business Enterprises (SWMBEs) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) Outreach Programs; and Educational Training in Entrepreneurship, Project Management and Federal Government Contracting for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs.

A member of several professional organizations in addition to ULI, including Women Presidents Organizaiton (WPO) and Women Impacting Public Policy, Lasenta is also fiercely dedicated to serving her community. During the summer of 2015, she partnered with three local business owners, attorneys, and community leaders, Karen Jenkins, Tameika Isaac Devine, and Dalhi Myers, to host “Beyond the Lemonade Stand Entrepreneur Camp for Girls.” The Entrepreneur Camp was an initiative to bring awareness of entrepreneurship to young girl’s ages 9-17 years of age, the opportunity to share each owners’ experiences in business, and to motivate, encourage, and inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs. She continues to support local non-profits, schools, entrepreneurs via sponsorships and speaking engagements to share her experience in business.

Lasenta holds an Associate in Architectural Engineering Technology from Midlands Technical College (Columbia, SC); a Bachelor of Arts from the University of South Carolina (Columbia, SC); and a Master of Arts in Human Resources Development from Webster University (Fort Jackson, SC).

About Project REAP (The Real Estate Associate Program) – it is the industry’s most successful diversity initiative in the commercial real estate industry. REAP is an industry-backed, market-driven program that serves as a bridge between talented minority professionals and commercial real estate companies looking for talent.

REAP exists because the commercial real estate industry’s professional ranks are less than 1% minority at management levels—less than 1,000 people of color in an industry with over 125,000 professionals. REAP has increased that minority cohort by 10%.

ULI and REAP have formed a partnership to build on a long-standing relationship and commitment to bridging the gap between talented diverse professionals and the world of commercial real estate. The 8-week Fall Academy provides a suite of on-demand courses, live webinars and industry panel discussions weekly, taught by senior level experts in the commercial real estate industry. Program participants also received registration to the ULI 2020 Fall Meeting and a ULI membership.