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2026 Women In Real Estate Awards
National
- Brenda Barrett Leads AMC to Its Highest-Ever National Ranking
- Elizabeth Burnett Oversees Slatt Capital’s $5B Portfolio
- Cass McFadden Turns Sustainability Into Metrics at Cortland
- Kristie Jacobson Kimnach Grows the REMAX Commercial Brand Worldwide
- Shawna Knyal Generates Over $1B in Transactions Since Joining Paragon
- Gantry’s Sara Litton Upgrades Servicing for $23-Billion Loan Portfolio
- Tina Quirin Co-Founds Arcus Harbor
- Susan Rounds Strengthens BKM’s Operations and Leadership Pipeline
- Ursula Sage Adds AI Tools to Dealpath’s Investment Activities
- Whitney Burns with Hines Helps Establish Hospitality Standards for CRE
- Vanessa Howes Modernizes Lument’s Multifamily Loan Operations
- Sairah Burki Leads Regulatory Advocacy, Sustainability Platform at CREFC
Sairah Burki Leads Regulatory Advocacy, Sustainability Platform at CREFC
Sairah Burki is Managing Director and Head of Regulatory Affairs and Sustainability at the CRE Finance Council (CREFC), the trade association representing the more than $6-trillion commercial real estate finance industry. Within CREFC, Burki plays a critical role in representing the commercial and multifamily real estate finance industry on regulatory and policy matters with significant implications for the overall industry and the market participants that CREFC represents.
She leads CREFC’s regulatory advocacy across a broad range of issues, including bank capital and liquidity, SEC regulation, housing finance, disclosure, and other capital markets issues. She develops policy positions, builds consensus across often-divergent member interests, engages directly with regulators and policymakers, and works with other trade associations on joint advocacy. Her responsibilities have expanded significantly beyond regulatory affairs. She has built CREFC’s sustainability and property risk and resilience platform from the ground up, addressing emerging issues including climate risk, insurance, sustainable finance, C-PACE, and climate-related due diligence.
Burki is also a highly visible industry educator and thought leader. She develops member programming, webinars, conferences, and primers; speaks regularly at industry events; moderates panels; participates in podcasts and media interviews; and distills complex regulatory and market developments into clear, actionable guidance for CREFC members.
Burki has built a career spanning nearly three decades across financial services, capital markets, structured finance, and public policy. Before joining CREFC in April 2020, she was Managing Director and Head of Policy at the Structured Finance Association. She also founded and served as the first Executive Director of the Structured Finance Foundation, creating a nonprofit focused on educational opportunities for underserved young people.
These are just a few reasons Sairah Burki is among the National Connect CRE 2026 Women in Real Estate Award winners. Connect CRE’s Women in Real Estate Awards honor the achievements and inspirational stories of women who have reached respected leadership positions and taken on mentorship roles.