Lisa Pendergast is the authoritative voice of the commercial real estate finance industry as President and CEO of the CRE Finance Council (CREFC). Under her guidance, the organization has grown its membership by 30%, now representing over 19,000 professionals.

Pendergast has been a tireless advocate for transparency, recently driving the adoption of the CRE CLO Collateral Manager Data Report, which has already reached 25% market participation. She also collaborated with NCREIF to launch a standardized performance index for debt funds, filling a critical gap in market metrics.

Her leadership was on full display at the record-breaking CREFC Miami 2026 conference, which hosted over 4,000 attendees. With more than 30 years of experience, Pendergast regularly engages with regulators and the New York Fed to shape policy.

Her commitment to inclusivity is reflected in her support for CREFC’s diverse networks, ensuring a robust talent pipeline for the industry’s future.