Alexsis Blakely

As native New Yorker, Alexsis grew up in Spanish Harlem, which has the nation’s highest concentration of public housing. She is driven by her desire to build wealth and create safety in communities without displacing the people who already there. As a child, poverty and violence were everywhere and she wants others to feel the security that she never did.

Rosewood Strategies is a DC-based real estate development and advisory firm concentrating in multifamily housing and high-impact community projects serving established nonprofit organizations with their real estate needs. In its advisory capacity, Rosewood specializes in development management, financing, New Markets Tax Credit transactions, helping clients to raise debt, equity, grants, and tax credits. Active advisory projects range from $19M - $65M and include D.C. Central Kitchen, Washington Area Community Investment Fund, and Jubilee Housing, among others. As a developer, Rosewood’s focus is on coliving – a niche within the multifamily sector that creates workforce housing opportunities, without the need for government subsidies.

Early in her career, Alexsis held regulatory compliance positions at several financial firms including Harbinger Capital, Guggenheim Partners, and Trafelet Delta Funds. Prior to founding Rosewood Strategies, Alexsis led marketing and communications efforts for Martha’s Table, and led public relations at the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation's (VEIC) office in Washington, D.C. (DCSEU) where she led public relations. There she served as project manager on three of the four DCSEU project teams assembled to craft the winning proposal to renew VEIC’s five-year $100 million contract. Alexsis led the development and entitlement efforts for Rosewood’s inaugural development, a 25,700SF coliving project in Ivy City. Rosewood’s coliving portfolio is comprised of three properties across D.C., totaling over $40.5M and 88,817 SF.

In 2012, Alexsis created a licensed New York State/City certified M/WBE construction firm based in Harlem. Her firm served as a “Build It Back” contractor, helping to rebuild homes impacted by Hurricane Sandy. She directed the firm’s business development initiatives, contract procurement, and consultant management.

Passionate about women’s rights, Alexsis believes that solving the transitional housing issue goes a long way toward empowering women who are victims of domestic violence. Her vision involves a multi-step process, beginning with an effort to provide safe living spaces, education, counseling and growth into preparation for homeownership.

Alexsis holds a Bachelor of Arts from Wesleyan University and is an alumna of The Hotchkiss School and the Prep for Prep 9 program. Mrs. McKinney is an alumna  of Capital Impact Partners’  Washington, D.C. area Equitable Development Initiative.