TEAM

Angel Aguilar

Angel manages the fast-paced paint and clean unit turn for Ballast’s architecture and construction affiliate. Angel oversees a team of crew members who are responsible for conducting light work at our properties to ensure they are rent-ready for the leasing team. Angel facilitates cross-department communication and manages project deadlines, site visits, and quality control for the team.

Angel holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management from California State University, East Bay.

Jordan Albaugh

Jordan leads the Systems Solutions team at Ballast, supporting the technology needs of all divisions and departments across the company. He advises and guides teams on how to best utilize software and technology to improve their workflows and access actionable data.

Jordan holds a Bachelors degree in Studio Art from University of California, Berkeley, and a Masters degree in Studio Art from New York University.

Paola Alunni

Paola is an Architecture & Engineering Manager for Ballast’s architecture and construction affiliate. Paola manages multiple projects, making sure each design fits the desired requirements and budget. She has relationships with construction and structural engineers to ensure that designs meet all business constraints. Before joining the firm, Paola worked at Bartos Architecture, a firm specializing in renovations across the education industry.

Paola has BA in Architecture from Academy of Art University.

Kevin Bacon

Kevin is a Senior Manager for the Property Operations Department at Ballast’s property management affiliate. He oversees telecoms, utilities, and security projects, and assists the Property Operations team with data aggregation and operational expense reduction initiatives. Prior to joining the team, Kevin worked with BIM firms across the Bay Area as a 3D-Architectural modeler and CNC/ Laser Cutter Fabricator.

Pace Barker

Pace is a Principal for Ballast focused on acquisitions throughout the Western U.S. He also serves on the investment committee and assists with maintaining relationships with key Ballast partners Prior to joining Ballast, Pace was a vice president on the U.S. real estate team at The Carlyle Group where he focused on acquisitions and asset management of over $2.0bn in assets across various property sectors and geographies.

Pace received his BA in Economics from Brigham Young University.

Brittany Blacksmith

Brittany leads the human resources team at Ballast. Brittany facilitates staffing, development training, company culture, communication, transparency, and risk management for the company. She started her human resources career at Dutch Bros Coffee, where she managed all items relating to payroll, benefits, and employee relations.

Brittany studied Elementary Education and Spanish at Oregon State University. She is a licensed notary in California.

Ryan Brewer

As co-founder and managing principal of Ballast, Ryan focuses on developing corporate strategy and leading the acquisitions efforts for Ballast. He also serves on the investment committee and is responsible for maintaining relationships with key Ballast partners. Prior to establishing Ballast, Ryan focused on multifamily acquisitions at Veritas Investments. Prior to that, Ryan was on the U.S. real estate team at The Carlyle Group, where he focused on asset management across property sectors that included over $6.0bn in value. Ryan began his real estate career on the investments team at McMillin Capital.

Ryan received his BA in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MBA from London Business School.

Jenise Brimmer

Jenise is responsible for overseeing general ledger account reconciliations and the preparation of journal entries for month-end closing. Prior to joining Ballast, Jenise worked with various construction companies in the East Bay, where she handled all items relating to accounts payable, accounts receivable, and reconciliations.

Jenise studied Psychology at California State University, East Bay.

Camille Brown

Camille is a Senior Administrator for the Property Operations team, handling complex tenant inquiries and system management for the team of administrators. Prior to joining Ballast, Camille worked in property management in Oakland and Berkeley with FPI Management, and as a designer for Richmond American Homes.

Camille earned her Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies from California State University, East Bay.

William Cadle

William is a Senior Manager supporting the revenue team of the Accounting division. William’s background includes both commercial and residential accounting across multiple states. Prior to joining Ballast, William worked for CBRE.

William has a BS in Accounting from Grand Canyon University.

Amy Chan

Amy is a Senior Manager supporting the Architecture, Engineering, and General Contracting divisions. Amy’s experience in residential and commercial design ranges from high-end custom homes to affordable multi-family housing in the Bay Area. Prior to joining Ballast, Amy worked for Apple’s Interior Retail Space Planning division.

Amy holds a BA in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley, with a minor in Urban Planning.

Brennan Chance

Brennan is a Manager within the Compliance team at Ballast. He assists the compliance team with reconciling and reviewing monthly bank reconciliations and transactions, mentoring accountant-level team members, contributing to monthly financial reporting packages, and assisting in the monthly review of accrual and payment of mortgages, property taxes, insurance, and operating expenses. Prior to joining Ballast, he worked as an auditor, a property management accountant, and a corporate accountant at a publicly traded REIT.

Brennan holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Accountancy from California State University, Northridge.

Ray Chen

Ray is a Manager for Ballast’s construction affiliate. Ray oversees the procurement process of required materials for construction projects and building maintenance. Ray is responsible for developing and executing purchasing strategies, negotiating deals to reduce expenses, and communicating with vendors. Before joining the company, Ray spent 20 years working for construction retail stores as a pro account salesperson.

Xiao Chen

Xiao is a Manager within the compliance team at Ballast. Xiao started her real estate accountant career in 1988.  Prior to joining Ballast, Xiao worked for Mid-Peninsula Housing, CBRE and Prado Group.

Xiao earned a degree in Accounting and Computer Application from Heald Business College.

Mike Costello

Mike is a Director at Ballast Investments focused on acquisitions and asset management of multifamily assets. Prior to joining Ballast, ​Mike was at Meridian where he focused on acquisitions of value-add office and medical office properties throughout the Western United States. Mike began his career at Prologis where he focused on financial planning and analysis of the company’s $200bn global portfolio. ​ ​

Mike received his BA in Finance from Bentley University.​

Michael Dormand

Michael is a Manager for the Compliance team at Ballast. He works directly with the month-end closing team to ensure all financials are booked accordingly with the applicable accounting framework. He then works directly with external parties to ensure accurate and timely submission of monthly and quarterly reporting requirements. Prior to joining Ballast, Michael spent the past 10 years in the real estate industry, ranging from Non-profit and Section 8 housing to publicly traded REITS, with a focus in developmental and operational multi-family homes and process improvements.

Michael holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, & Real Estate from Florida State University.

Taylor Fairman

Taylor is a Manager for the Property Operations Team. Taylor facilitates projects, throughout all phases from planning to closure. She started her career in construction management prior to transitioning to operations management.

Taylor graduated cum laude with two Bachelor of Science degrees in Human Health and Performance from Montana State University. She is a licensed Project Management Professional (PMP).

Adrienne Farmer

Adrienne is a Data Analytics Manager for Ballast’s accounting software, Yardi.  She is responsible for executing all activities related to overseeing Yardi.  Focusing on communication and collaboration with all internal stakeholders to improve overall engagement with the Yardi platform while following best practices.

Adrienne has over 13 years of experience in Real Estate Management with experience in accounting and property management in addition to Yardi administration.

Ben Fung

Ben is a Construction Manager for Ballast’s architecture and construction affiliate. He manages project budget, construction schedule, job site safety, resource allocation, and collaboration of all parties to ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget.

Ben holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering degree from San Francisco State University in California.

Tami Gallagher

Tami is a Senior Manager of Property Operations at Ballast. Tami oversees the collections team and assists in communicating with residents on past due balances, ledger clarifications, and rental assistance for the San Francisco metropolitan area.

Tami has over 15 years in Property Management and is a Licensed Real Estate Agent in Texas.

Rosmery Gonzalez

Rosmery is a Senior Administrator for the month-end close team. She applies her accounting skills and knowledge to prepare and review financial statements, perform account reconciliations, and record journal entries. Prior to joining Ballast, Rosmery worked as a staff accountant at Bright Realty.

Rosmery holds a Bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of the Potomac.

Carmen Guo

Carmen is a Manager on the month-end close team where she is responsible for the month-end close process including performing general ledger reconciliations and preparing financial statements. Prior to joining Ballast, Carmen worked in public accounting at PwC as a Tax Associate.

Carmen holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Economics and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting from the University of California, Irvine.

Jake Herczeg

Jake is the Chief Operating Officer for Ballast and its affiliates. Previously, Jake led the Property Operations division and Halyard’s Architecture, Engineering, and General Contracting divisions. Before joining Ballast, Jake founded Herczeg + Tobias Architects, where he specialized in multifamily renovation and addition projects.

Jake holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from The Cooper Union. He is a licensed Architect in California, Illinois, Arizona, and Texas.

Kris Hicks

Kris oversees revenue accounting for Ballast owned properties. Kris started her real estate accounting career at Invitation Homes, where she worked in various accounting teams and specialized in updating processes to create efficiencies and synergies.

Kris has a BBA from Baylor University with a double major in Accounting and Finance, as well as an MBA with an Accounting emphasis from Grand Canyon University.

Daniel Ibarra

Daniel oversees all maintenance operations for the company. Daniel has over 25 years of experience and has been responsible for operating procedures, building systems, project management, construction development, security, safety, and green building initiatives for several large real estate companies during his career.

Daniel has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and Architectural Designs from UPAEP (Universidad Popular Autonoma de Puebla Mex) and has completed more than 100 certifications of maintenance in the United States.

Julia Johnson

Julia is a Senior Administrator on the Treasury team at Ballast, where she is responsible for daily accounting for various treasury activities, including cash management and risk assessment. Prior to joining Ballast, Julia performed accounts payable functions at the Walton Global real estate firm.

Julia studied Business Administration at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Jacob Jurlina

Jacob is a Manager at Ballast focused in Asset Management and Acquisitions. Prior to joining Ballast, Jacob was at TMG Partners where he focused on acquisitions, development, and asset management for commercial properties in the Bay Area. Jacob also worked in the energy industry at Ridgewood Energy focusing on acquisitions, dispositions & capital markets, and worked in investment banking at Rothschild & Co.

Jacob received his BBA in Finance from Southern Methodist University and his MBA from Rice University.​

Kuahiwi Kahapea

Kuahiwi is a Senior Manager for the Property Operations team at Ballast’s property management affiliate. In this role, Kuahiwi oversees resident communications and drives the enhancement and implementation of new communication processes, consistently innovating to foster better tenant engagement.

Nick Kowalski

Nick is a Senior Administrator for Ballast’s architecture and construction affiliate. He oversees construction projects from inception through to completion. Nick manages the collaboration of all parties to ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget.

Nick holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Sharifa Lawson

Sharifa oversees the Marketing team at Ballast’s property management affiliate. Bringing over ten years of experience in multifamily operations, marketing, and training, she specializes in developing and implementing comprehensive workflows, vendor relations, financial planning, digital and print advertising, and reporting. Adept at managing diverse portfolios, including new developments, student housing, value-add properties, and luxury communities, her expertise fosters lead generation, team development, and business growth.

Sharifa is an alum of North Carolina A&T State University, where she studied Accounting.

Leon Liu

Leon is a Senior Administrator for Ballast’s architecture and construction affiliate. Leon manages construction projects from inception through completion. Prior to joining Ballast, Leon worked on public works projects with the local school district.

Leon holds a General Construction License from the State of California.

Greg MacDonald

As co-founder and CEO of Ballast, Greg focuses on developing corporate strategy and leading the Ballast platform. He also serves on the investment committee and is responsible for maintaining relationships with key partners. Prior to establishing Ballast, Greg was a Principal at The Carlyle Group where he sourced residential assets across the multifamily, senior housing and manufactured housing sectors. He was also heavily involved in the asset management of portfolios post-acquisition and through divestiture. Prior to that, Greg worked in the investment banking division of Merrill Lynch.

Greg graduated magna cum laude with a BA in Economics from Columbia University and earned his MBA in Finance with Real Estate concentration from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Garrett Maddex

Garrett is a Manager on the Property Operations team. Garrett oversees the Move Out team to ensure that all residents have a smooth move-out process at the end of their tenancy. Garrett began his career in the PropTech space, then moved into various property management roles throughout the Bay Area and across all asset classes.

Garrett holds a BS in Business Administration from San Francisco State University. Garrett is a Licensed Real Estate agent in California.

Maddalena McKenzie

Maddalena is a Manager for the leasing team at Ballast’s property management affiliate.  She provides training and support to the sales team. Maddalena started her career at Ballast’s property management affiliate and has held several roles within the leasing team.

Maddalena holds a BS in Business Administration and Marketing from Menlo College.

Lauren Medley

Lauren manages the construction of ADU and other capital expenditure projects for Ballast’s architecture and construction affiliate. She manages the internal construction processes as well as the bidding process with the third party contractors to add value to the buildings while keeping costs manageable. Prior to joining the firm, Lauren was the assistant purchasing manager with a home builder where she maintained vendor relations and contracts.

Lauren earned a BA in Management from Georgia Gwinnett College.

Tyler Moser

Tyler is a Manager for Ballast’s Architecture, Engineering, and General Contracting divisions. Tyler’s experience spans from design and construction of multifamily residential to institutional and commercial structures. 

Tyler is a licensed Professional Civil Engineer in California, holding a Masters in Structural and Earthquake Engineering University of California, Los Angeles with a BS in Civil Engineering from University of California, Berkeley, and a BA in Business Economics from University of California, Santa Cruz. 

Victoria Nguyen

Victoria is a Senior Administrator on the Accounts Payable team. Prior to joining Ballast, Victoria worked for a Texas-based real estate company as an accountant for their multi-family properties, as well as for their landscaping and commercial businesses. She is responsible for verifying and analyzing invoices as well as reviewing account reconciliations and schedules for accuracy.

Victoria has a BS in Accounting from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Collin Ogden

Collin is a Senior Administrator for Ballast’s property management affiliate. He manages resident managers and buildings in San Francisco. He previously worked as a field assistant on the Property Operations team. Prior to joining the team, Collin worked as an Underwater Engineer throughout all 50 states inspecting/repairing dams, bridges, and potable water storage.

Lauren Orozco

Lauren is a Manager at Ballast’s property management affiliate. She oversees sales agents and works closely with the administrative team to ensure monthly leasing goals are met. Lauren has been in the industry since 2018, working for some of the largest real estate investment companies in the Bay Area.

Lauren holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California State University, Chico.

Yuri Palhof

Yuri is a Senior Administrator for the Repairs & Maintenance team. Yuri previously worked as a Transaction Administrator, Property Administrator, and as a Maintenance Administrator for Ballast’s property management affiliate. Prior to Ballast, Yuri was an Assistant Property Manager for Blackpoint Management, Inc.

Yuri received a Bachelors degree in Social Sciences with a double minor in Modern Languages and Psychology from the University of Bridgeport, as well as a Masters in Elementary Education from the University of Bridgeport.

Anton Panelo

Anton Panelo is a Senior Administrator on the Systems Solutions team at Ballast, with 20+ years of experience in data analytics and operations, specializing in developing and implementing solutions that drive revenue growth and operational efficiency. His expertise lies in leveraging data analysis, statistical modeling, and process optimization to increase profitability. Anton has a proven track record of success, including improving tenant profiles, optimizing rental income, and reducing vacancy rates, resulting in millions of dollars in increased revenue for companies like Veritas Investments and Colony Starwood Homes. Before specializing in Systems Administration, he managed pricing and reserves in the actuarial industry.

Anton holds a BS in Applied Mathematics from UCLA.

Brian Peyrovian

Brian is a Senior Manager for Ballast’s affiliate, focusing on overseeing the quality control and resident manager teams as well as the quality of our properties. Prior to his current role, Brian managed capital expenditure projects for the firm. Before joining Ballast, Brian worked for Prado Group, where he specialized in ground-up development and multifamily renovation.

Brian holds a BA in Economics with dual concentration in Accounting and Finance from California State University, Fullerton.

Patricia Prado

Patricia is a Manager supporting the Maintenance department for Ballast’s property management affiliate. Patricia’s experience in Maintenance and Construction ranges from Single-family/Multi-family residential housing and Commercial in the Bay Area. Prior to joining Ballast, Patricia worked for the Maintenance department at Prado Group.

Patricia studied Psychology and Real Estate at Chabot College.

Abu Ramin

Abu is a Director at Ballast focused on corporate finance. Prior to joining Ballast, Abu was on the finance team at Veritas Investments and had previously helped manage portfolios for national real estate investment firms. Abu started his finance career at UBS Investment Bank.

Abu received his BS in Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley.

Krisel Ramos

Krisel is the Vice President for the Accounting team at Ballast.  She brings with her over 14 years of Real Estate experience in Commercial, Development, Construction, and Retail Accounting. Prior to joining Ballast, Krisel worked as a Property Accountant and Corporate Accounting Manager at Hines and with Swift Real Estate Partners as a Property Accounting Manager.

Krisel has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting from San Diego State University.

Christina Randall

Christina is a Senior Administrator on the Systems Solutions team at Ballast, supporting DealCloud-related requests from various departments across the company. She consults and supports teams on how to best utilize DealCloud and other related technology to improve their workflows and leverage firm data.

Christina holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business and an MBA degree from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.

Terry Robinson

Terry is a Manager at Ballast’s property management affiliate. In this role, Terry provides guidance to the communications team and works closely with residents to ensure sensitive concerns are addressed with care. Before joining the Ballast team, Terry worked in the tech industry as a leader focused on process streamlining, coaching, EDIB initiatives.

Vadym Samoylov

Vadym is a Manager for the Data Analytics team at Ballast. Vadym focuses on optimizing leasing processes and data reporting. Vadym has been working in the leasing and property management industry in the Bay Area since 2017. Prior to joining Ballast, Vadym held the Leasing Director position at RentSFNow.

Vadym has his CCRM certification along with a Bachelors in Political Economics from U.C. Berkeley.

Ricky Santos

Ricky is a Manager focused on the month-end closing process within the accounting department. Prior to joining Ballast, Ricky worked in both multifamily and single-family property management services firms as well as at Meritage Homes, a publicly traded, national homebuilding company.

Ricky holds a BA in Communication from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and an MBA from Grand Canyon University.

Denzel Saulny

Denzel is a Senior Administrator for the month-end close team. Denzel is responsible for closing and analyzing financial statements according to US GAAP while also maintaining accounting practices and principles. Prior to joining Ballast, Denzel worked in public accounting in both Audit and Tax as well as Asset Wealth Management for high-net-worth individuals and trusts.

Denzel holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from California State University, Sacramento.

Jon Schwerin

Jon is a Vice President at Ballast, specializing in acquisitions and asset management. He has worked in the investment industry for the past 10 years spanning single-family home investment, multifamily asset management, and REIT research at Unison Investment Management, Essex Property Trust, and Uniplan Investment Counsel, respectively.

Jon received his BBA in Finance and Applied Investment Management from Marquette University and an MBA with a concentration in Real Estate from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Additionally, he has successfully completed all three levels of the CFA Program.

Rodney Smith

Rodney is a Senior Manager who oversees the Accounts Payable vertical at Ballast. He is responsible for ensuring that all invoices are processed accurately and in a timely manner. Additionally, Rodney is responsible for managing the Vendor Relations team and ensuring that staff members are properly trained and departmental procedures are followed. Prior to joining the team, Rodney worked with Real Estate firms managing Accounting for Commercial, Multi-Family, Single Family, and Retail portfolios.

Rodney holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management from Prairie View A&M University as well as an MBA from the University of Incarnate Word.

Courtney Spears

Courtney is a Senior Administrator within the Revenue team. Courtney’s primary responsibilities include reconciling corporate receipts and managing tenant ledgers. Courtney has a decade of experience in the multifamily industry and was a Regional Manager prior to joining Ballast.

Courtney completed undergraduate studies at Oklahoma Baptist University and graduate studies at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Alex Stelly

Alex is a Manager at Ballast’s property management affiliate. In this role, Alex provides continuous guidance and support to the communications team, internal teams, and tenants. Before joining the team, Alex worked in construction as a project coordinator, in property management as a leasing agent, and as an administrative assistant in various industries.

Sophie Stoerkel

Sophie works across all entities within the company, focusing on Property Operations. Sophie implements new technologies that create a more efficient system for delivering timely and accurate floorplans. She focuses on improving the tenant experience and streamlining the unit turnover process and works to build effective systems that facilitate interdepartmental communication and knowledge sharing.

Sophie graduated magna cum laude with a BFA in Environmental Design from the Maryland Institute College of Art.

Jin Su

Jin supports the Finance and Legal teams as a Senior Administrator at Ballast. Jin aides in providing analyses on various Ballast funds and answering various investor inquiries. Prior to joining Ballast, Jin worked as a Senior Accountant at EisnerAmper LLP preparing and reviewing tax returns, specializing in supporting financial service clientele.

Jin holds a BS in Economics and Accounting from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Jin is also a licensed Certified Public Accountant.

Gino Tarantino

Gino is a Manager who focuses on reporting and analytics within Ballast’s multifamily portfolio to help keep investors and lenders updated on Ballast’s fund performance. Prior to joining Ballast, Gino worked as a Loan Underwriter at Luther Burbank Savings in their Income Property Lending department.

Gino received his BS in Accounting & Financial Management from California Polytechnic State University.

Tiffany Tran

Tiffany is a Senior Administrator at Ballast’s property management affiliate. She oversees the onsite office administrators and works closely with residents to ensure concerns are resolved in a timely manner. Prior to joining Ballast, she worked as a research intern at a commercial mortgage brokerage company.

Tiffany holds a BBA in Finance from Pace University.

Matt Tripaldi

Matt is a Manager focused on multifamily acquisitions, where he analyzes multifamily deals across different markets. During his time at Ballast, Matt has experience working across asset management and single-family rental acquisitions. Prior to joining Ballast, Matt worked as an Investment Analyst at Newmark Knight Frank on the Investment Sales team in San Francisco.

Matt has a BA in Economics & Political Science from Indiana University.

Leah Trosper

Leah is a Senior Administrator for the Leasing team at Ballast’s property management affiliate. She oversees the leasing administrative team by providing ongoing training and support both to the overseas and US-based administrative staff. Leah has been in the Real Estate industry since 2018, and prior to working for Ballast, she was the director of a leasing team for a property management company in North Dakota.

Amina Warrick

Amina is a Senior Administrator on the month-end close team. She oversees the expense processes for Insurance, Property Tax, Corporate Billbacks, and Monthly Operating expenses across all property funds. Prior to Ballast, Amina worked in accounting of Fortune 500 companies that specialized in REITs, multi-family housing, and commercial properties.

Amina has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Hampton University, Virginia.

Shelby Will

Shelby is a Senior Administrator with Ballast’s property management affiliate. She works with the leasing team to ensure that leases are sent out accurately and efficiently. Prior to joining the team, Shelby worked in property management, has experience in real estate sales, and has worked in commercial real estate management.

Shelby has a Bachelor’s degree in Media Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. She also holds her California real estate salesperson license.

Ricky Wong

Ricky is a Manager on the Treasury team. He is responsible for overseeing cash management, construction funding requests, and loan payments. Prior to joining Ballast, Ricky worked as a Financial Coordinator at Harvest Properties.

Ricky holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from CSU East Bay.

Ronja Wyman

Ronja is a Senior Administrator at Ballast’s architecture and construction affiliate. Her responsibilities include coordinating building scans and processing 3D data, as well as creating and maintaining as-built drawings of all properties. Before joining the team, Ronja worked as a junior architect in Germany and was primarily involved in federal renovation projects.

Ronja holds a Master of Arts degree in Architecture from Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences, Germany.

Alex Zhao

Alex oversees all construction activities for Ballast’s construction affiliate, including fire alarm upgrades, seismic retrofits, ADUs, and maintenance. Alex develops construction strategies and phasing plans in order to meet project timelines and tenant demands. Alex directly manages internal construction and maintenance teams. Alex has been working in the construction industry for 20 years and has experience in both residential and commercial building constructions.

Alex has a BS in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. Alex has E.I.T, General B and C-10 License from the State of California.