The Praxis Team
A lean, experienced team with direct ownership over every deal from sourcing to exit.
Leadership
Founding Partner
Kacy Keys
Chief Executive Officer
Kacy Keys is the Founding Partner and President & CEO of Praxis Development Group, which she launched in 2019 with the express intent of "Building with Purpose." With over 30 years of experience in large and complex development projects, she has overseen more than $1 billion in real estate assets across residential, retail, office, and mixed-use product types.
Kacy's career is rooted in Los Angeles — her family's history in the city spans over 100 years. She began her career at the Mayor's Office of Economic Development, where she drafted and spearheaded the City of Los Angeles's Adaptive Reuse Ordinance in 1998 — the landmark legislation that catalyzed the conversion of dozens of historic downtown buildings into multifamily housing. She also negotiated development agreements for landmark civic projects including Staples Center (now Crypto.com Arena) and Walt Disney Concert Hall.
She subsequently practiced land use law at Allen, Matkins before joining JH Snyder Company, where she served as Head of Development and General Counsel for over a decade — leading ground-up projects from the NoHo Arts District to Hollywood's entertainment corridor. She then became Senior Vice President at Seritage Growth Properties, overseeing all development for the company in the Western United States. At Praxis, she leads firm strategy, capital formation, community partnerships, and the vision behind every deal.
With her multidisciplinary background as a land use attorney and developer, Kacy approaches opportunity as "what can be" versus "what is" — seeing creative solutions where others see constraints. She specializes in urban infill, legacy land partnerships, and projects that result in simultaneous value creation and neighborhood enhancement.
Recognition
2024 — Emerging Woman-Owned Business Leader, LABJ Women's Leadership Awards Finalist
2022 — Outstanding Excellence & Influence in LA Commercial Real Estate
2016 & 2017 — Bisnow "Power Women" Honoree, Los Angeles
2015 — LABJ Women Making Difference, Top Five Executives of the Year
2014 — Bisnow "Most Influential Women in Real Estate," Los Angeles
Education
J.D. — UC Berkeley School of Law
M.A. Urban Planning — UCLA
B.A. Economics — UC Berkeley
Partner
Charles Wise
Chief Operating Officer
Charles Wise is a Partner, Chief Operating Officer, and Vice President of Praxis Development Group. A seasoned real estate development executive with over a decade of experience, he has delivered high-impact projects across the Western United States spanning residential, commercial, mixed-use, and adaptive reuse — with over $250 million in development budgets managed and more than 2 million square feet of real estate overseen.
At Praxis, Charles leads day-to-day operations and development execution, applying a unique blend of institutional rigor and entrepreneurial agility. He brings strong command of entitlement strategy, permitting, public-private coordination, and capital structuring — guiding projects from initial vision through completion with a focus on community value and long-term performance.
Prior to Praxis, Charles served as Senior Development Manager at Seritage Growth Properties, a national REIT, where he was Project Lead on flagship mixed-use redevelopments including Mark 302 in Santa Monica and The Collection at UTC. He began his career at JH Snyder Construction — one of Southern California's most successful developers — where he served as Project Manager on landmark projects including The Vermont (464 units, $150M), 959 Seward (250K SF, $133M), and 1601 Vine (110K SF, $69M). He holds a B.S. in Business Finance from Arizona State University's W. P. Carey School of Business and an A.CRE real estate financial modeling accreditation.
Partners & Advisors
Praxis operates with a lean core team, augmented by trusted specialists in law, finance, construction, and design — each selected for proven performance in the LA market.
Legal Counsel
Entitlement & Transactions
Expert legal partnerships covering land use entitlements, purchase and sale agreements, LP operating agreements, and JV structuring.
Lending Partners
Debt Capital
Established relationships with construction lenders, bridge lenders, and permanent financing sources across the Los Angeles multifamily market.
General Contractors
Construction Execution
Trusted GC partners with a track record of on-budget, on-schedule delivery in Los Angeles — selected on performance, not price alone.
Architecture & Design
Design & Permitting
Design partners with deep LADBS experience, fast plan check relationships, and a focus on maximizing unit yield within project constraints.
Financial Advisory
Accounting & Tax
CPA and financial advisory relationships supporting fund accounting, tax structuring, investor K-1s, and entity management across Praxis projects.
Property Management
Leasing & Operations
Property management partners experienced in LAHD compliance, NOAH rent strategy, and lease-up in Los Angeles's complex regulatory environment.
Work With Our Team
Whether you're an investor, broker, contractor, or community partner — we're always open to adding exceptional people to the Praxis network.
Get in Touch