Derwin Sisnett

Derwin Sisnett is a Lecturer in Real Estate Development + Design at the University of California, Berkeley's College of Environmental Design. He holds a BA in Psychology (Emory University), MFA in Creative Writing (Hollins University), PhD in Educational Psychology (University of Memphis), and was a Loeb Fellow at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design.

His professional focus centers on equitable development through civic space transformation. Key roles include founding Adaptive Commons (real estate for social good), co-founding Maslow Development (community-focused mixed-use developments), and leading Gestalt Community Schools (high-performing charter schools in Memphis). He co-founded the Obsidian Catalyst Fund with the Menkiti Group to support Black real estate developers.

• Board member at Collage Dance Collective and Crosstown Concourse developer
• Lectured at Harvard GSD, Yale SOM, and Berkeley
• Work featured in Urban Land Magazine, NYT, and WSJ

Recipient of White House and U.S. Department of Education honors for educational initiatives. Teaches RDEV 277: Equitable + Resilient Development.