Meet the Faculty

Aaron Forbes, a CFA® Charterholder, holds degrees in economics and finance from the University of Calgary. He is a licensed member of the Real Estate Council of Alberta and has completed the Mortgage Associates Program. Joining MCAP’s Development Finance Group in Calgary in 2006, he is now a senior director, overseeing origination, negotiation, and underwriting of construction loan facilities for various projects. With over $5 billion in real estate transactions across Western Canada, he has facilitated financing arrangements with major Canadian Banks, Alberta-based lending institutions, pension funds, life insurance companies, and private lenders. In 2020, Mr. Forbes began instructing real estate development and finance courses at the University of Calgary Haskayne School of Business Executive Education Program.

Candace is a partner and the practice lead of the Daoust Vukovich LLP commercial real estate department. Considered one of the best law firms in Canada for commercial property, leasing and development, Daoust Vukovich LLP has a team of highly qualified lawyers and ​paralegals serving the specialized needs of clients who acquire, develop and use commercial real estate. Candace’s practice encompasses all areas of commercial real estate law, including acquisitions, dispositions, financing and development of land involving commercial, retail and industrial properties. Her clients are diverse, and include entrepreneurial and institutional land developers, construction companies, commercial landlords, property managers, space users and commercial tenants. 
 
Candace is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and seminars including the Law Society of Ontario, the Land and Development Conference, the Canadian Apartment Investment Conference, and the International Council of Shopping Centres Law Conference. 
 
Candace joined Daoust Vukovich in July 2012 after practicing for several years at a full service Bay Street firm. Following her graduation from the J.D./L.L.B. joint degree law program at the University of Detroit in 2006, she was called to the bar in Ontario in 2007 and admitted to the New York State Bar in 2008. Prior to law school, Candace obtained her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario.   

Emma MacKenzie is President at Chatterson, a Calgary-based marketing agency with a specialization in Real Estate. Emma has spent the last 13 years planning and executing strategic marketing for a multitude of real estate development clients across Canada. Emma specializes in strategy development, project visioning, creative execution and the important connections between storytelling, target market motivations and marketing success.

Jason Hardy is the Co-Founder & CEO of the leading real estate e-commerce software, Ownly. Jason has spent the previous 18 years serving the real estate development sector in both Canada and the United States. An industry thought leader and speaker, Jason is the Chairman at Chatterson, a boutique real estate marketing firm headquartered Calgary, Canada. Jason is an instructor of Real Estate Marketing at the Haskayne School of Business’ Real Estate MBA program at the University of Calgary and holds the role of Senior Director of the Real Estate Development Institute of Canada. Jason also sits on the Management Advisory Committee (MAC) and Proptech Advisory Committee at the Haskayne School of Business and serves as Committee Chair at the Westman Centre for Real Estate Studies.

John Fisher is an Executive Vice President, Advisory & Transaction Services at CBRE in Calgary, a Sessional Instructor at the Haskayne School of Business, a board member of NAIOP, North America’s largest commercial real estate development member-association, an instructor at the Real Estate Development Institute and an advisor to The City of Calgary, Calgary Economic Development, The Calgary Stampede, The Westman Centre for Real Estate Studies and a variety of private real estate firms, associations, and corporations. John has worked on a variety of notable projects across Canada and is frequently called upon for industry articles, speaking events and publications.

John has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern University) /Schulich School of Business (York University) and a BA in Economics (University of Calgary).

Mark Seasons is a Professor and the Director of the School of Planning at the University of Waterloo, which he joined in 1998 following almost 20 years in planning practice. He is a Fellow, Canadian Institute of Planners and a Registered Professional Planner (Ontario). Mark’s education includes a BA (Honours Geography – Queen’s); MEnvDes (Planning – Calgary); and PhD (Regional Planning – Waterloo). Mark has practiced as an urban planner with the City of Calgary, the New Zealand federal government, the Province of Ontario, and the Canadian federal government’s National Capital Commission. Throughout his professional career, he has worked in the areas of urban renewal, long-range planning, neighbourhood revitalization, regional planning, and non-profit housing. Mark’s research interests include plan evaluation, planning for climate change, strategic planning, and planning for slow-growth or declining cities. He has designed and delivered courses in land use planning, research methods, planning theory, program evaluation and regional planning. As a researcher, Mark has written and had published numerous articles in a variety of peer-reviewed journals. He’s also a member of the editorial boards of several academic journals for which he regularly reviews and evaluates articles that are submitted for publication. Mark was editor-in-chief of Plan Canada, the Canadian Institute of Planning’s practice-oriented journal, from 2005-10. In 2021, he published a sole-authored and peer-reviewed text on plan monitoring and evaluation (Evaluating Urban and Regional Plans: From Theory to Practice, UBC Press).

Rob Spanier, President of the Spanier Group, is an international real estate development advisor dedicated to creating innovative, next-generation destinations and places, with expertise in creating thriving communities with uniquely curated specialty retail experiences. By playing an integral role on multi-disciplinary project teams, Rob commits his extensive knowledge in large-scale mixed-use development, master planning, specialty leasing, large-scale project management and real estate deal making. Rob has been actively involved with the Urban Land Institute Toronto (“ULI”) since 2007. He currently sits as a member of both the Advisory Board and Governance Committee for ULI’s Toronto District Council.

Rob has spent over two decades working in the real estate sector on complex mixed-use development projects, including 11 years as a Partner & Principal at a private real estate consulting firm.

Founder of Sano Stante Real Estate and jointly responsible for opening the first ReaL Broker in Canada. 

Sano has 38 years of experience in the real estate industry, and is the current Chair of the Residential Council or RECA, past President of the Calgary Real Estate Board, past Chair of Attainable Homes Calgary, an Honorary Life Member, a CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Manager), a member of the RE/MAX Circle of Legends, and a savvy real estate developer and investor in his own right. Sano consults to government, institutions and businesses on the real estate market and assists builders in developing and marketing unique real estate projects. He has matched thousands of residential clients and their lifestyle to fine real estate and helped craft their real estate into a fine investment.  

Sano teaches Real Estate Sales Management & Strategies through the Real Estate Development Leadership certificate. 

Amanda has been managing property for over 15 years as a RECA-licensed Property Manager. Originally specializing in condominium management, Amanda achieved her Registered Condominium Manager designation in 2011. Beginning in 2014, she made the transition to commercial real estate, managing properties in all asset classes both as a third-party manager and an institutional landlord. In 2016, Amanda completed her Certified Property Manager (CPM) designation the pinnacle designation in property management. 

Currently, Amanda is on the Board of Directors for Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), Calgary Chapter and works on the Calgary Chapter Government Affairs Committee with the Building Owners & Managers Association (BOMA).

Amanda is passionate about improving public safety, promoting inclusive & diverse spaces, and educating future real estate professionals. In her spare time, Amanda enjoys time with her friends & family, skiing, mountain biking, and golfing.