TEAM

At Ballast, our team of 170+ passionate employees are careful stewards of capital and preservers of communities where we work and live. Our culture is founded on teamwork, accountability, and a shared purpose to create value for our investors and communities. Above all, we value unique perspectives and integrity. Meet senior members of the team at the center of our success.

  • Angel Aguilar Senior Project Engineer

    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 Vice President, Systems Solutions

    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 Manager, Schematic Design

    Paola Alunni

    Paola is the Schematic Design 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 Manager, Operations

    Kevin Bacon

    Kevin is a Manager for the Operations Department at Ballast’s property management affiliate. He oversees telecoms, utilities, and security projects, and assists the 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 Principal, Investments

    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 Manager, Human Resources

    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 Managing Principal, Co-Founder

    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 Accountant, MEC

    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, Jenice 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.

  • William Cadle Accounting Manager, Revenue

    William Cadle

    William is a 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 Manager, Architecture

    Amy Chan

    Amy is a 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 Senior Accountant, Treasury

    Brennan Chance

    Brennan is a senior accountant within the treasury team at Ballast. He assists the treasury team with reconciling and reviewing monthly bank reconciliations, monitoring cash flow, contributing to monthly financial reporting packages, and assisting in the monthly 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.

  • Xiao Chen Sr. Accountant, Compliance

    Xiao Chen

    Xiao is a Senior Accountant, Compliance 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 Director, Investments

    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.​

  • Miguel Diaz Accountant, Treasury

    Miguel Diaz

    Miguel is part of the Treasury team at Ballast. Miguel is responsible for loan draws, bank reconciliations, monthly loan payments, and journal entry review. Prior to joining Ballast, Miguel worked at CIM Group in both operational accounting and development accounting.

    Miguel holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California State University, Los Angeles.

  • Taylor Fairman Manager, Projects

    Taylor Fairman

    Taylor is a Project 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 Manager, Platforms

    Adrienne Farmer

    Adrienne is the Platform 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 Manager, Halyard Construction

    Ben Fung

    Ben is a Project 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 Manager, Revenue

    Tami Gallagher

    Tami is a Revenue Manager 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.

  • Carmen Guo Accountant, MEC

    Carmen Guo

    Carmen is an Accountant 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 Chief Operating Officer

    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.

  • Oscar Hernandez Manager, Architecture

    Oscar Hernandez

    Oscar is a manager supporting the Architecture, Engineering, and General Contracting divisions. Oscar has experience in custom single-family homes, commercial retail, mixed use and multifamily projects all around Northern California. Prior to joining Ballast, Oscar worked in the Entitlements division of a single-family home builder.

    Oscar holds a Bachelor of Architecture from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

  • Kris Hicks Controller, Operational Accounting

    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 Senior Manager, Maintenance

    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.

  • Kuahiwi Kahapea Senior Manager, Communications

    Kuahiwi Kahapea

    Kuahiwi is a Senior Manager of Communications 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.

  • Greg Long, CFA Director, Investor Relations

    Greg Long, CFA

    Greg is a Director focused on Investor Relations, where he partners with current and prospective investors to deliver the Ballast platform to the marketplace. Greg has worked across private assets since 2007. Prior to joining the company, Greg raised capital from leading public and private institutions while working at Barings LLC. Prior to that, Greg was a real estate investor for the Bank of America Pension Plan, where he also oversaw private equity and hedge fund allocations.

    Greg received his BBA in Finance from University of Georgia. He is a CFA Charterholder.

  • Greg MacDonald CEO, Co-Founder

    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.

  • Maddalena McKenzie Assistant Manager, Leasing

    Maddalena McKenzie

    Maddalena is an assistant manager for the leasing team at Ballast’s property management affiliate.  She provides training and support to the sales team, as well as works as a leasing agent. Maddalena specializes in Ballast’s Berkeley student housing market. She 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 Senior Manager, Construction

    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 Manager, Structural Engineering

    Tyler Moser

    Tyler is the Engineering 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 Accountant, Accounts Payable

    Victoria Nguyen

    Victoria is an Accountant 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 Senior Administrator, Quality Control

    Collin Ogden

    Collin is a Senior Administrator of Quality Control with 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 Senior Administrator, Projects

    Lauren Orozco

    Lauren is a Senior Project Administrator for the leasing team 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 Assistant Manager, Maintenance

    Yuri Palhof

    Yuri is an Assistant Maintenance Manager for Ballast Investments. 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.

  • Brian Peyrovian Manager, RM Program

    Brian Peyrovian

    Brian is the RM Program 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 Manager, Maintenance

    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 Director, Finance

    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 Controller, Compliance

    Krisel Ramos

    Krisel is the Controller for the Compliance 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.

  • Ricky Santos Senior Accountant, MEC

    Ricky Santos

    Ricky is a Senior Accountant 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 Accountant, MEC

    Denzel Saulny

    Denzel is an Accountant 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 Senior Associate, Investments

    Jon Schwerin

    Jon is a Senior Investment Associate 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 Accounting Manager, AP

    Rodney Smith

    Rodney is an Accounting 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.

  • Jana Simmons Senior Manager, Revenue

    Jana Simmons

    Jana oversees Revenue for the Property Operations Team. Prior to joining Ballast, Jana served in the role of Vice President of Operations for various property management firms across the Midwest and East Coast. With over 20 years of comprehensive experience in property management, Jana has gained expertise in all its diverse aspects.

    Jana recently earned her CCRM certification in the state of California and remains committed to ongoing professional development and growth.

  • Sophie Stoerkel Director, Operations

    Sophie Stoerkel

    Sophie works across all entities within the company, focusing on operations and pre-design. 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.

  • McNeil Sylvester Manager, Architecture

    McNeil Sylvester

    McNeil works as an architecture manager for Ballast’s architecture and construction affiliate’s ADU team. McNeil creates & coordinates the in-house architectural plans for new ADU projects. Prior to joining Ballast, McNeil’s experience includes working for a design-build company where he created and coordinated architectural plans for both single family homes & multi-family townhomes.

    McNeil holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the New York Institute of Technology. He is a licensed Architect in New York State.

  • Gino Tarantino Associate, Investments

    Gino Tarantino

    Gino is an Investment Associate 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.

  • Duong Tran Accounting Manager, MEC

    Duong Tran

    Duong is an accounting manager for the month-end close team. He oversees the month-end closing process to ensure all properties’ books are closed timely and accurately in accordance with GAAP. Prior to joining Ballast, Duong spent five years as an accounting manager in the hospitality industry with a focus on multi-unit full-cycle accounting and process improvements.

    Duong holds a Master’s degree in accounting and financial analysis from Northeastern State University.

  • Matt Tripaldi Associate, Investments

    Matt Tripaldi

    Matt is an Investment Associate 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.

  • Alex Wall Director, Investments

    Alex Wall

    Alex is a Director for Ballast where he helps source new acquisition opportunities, develop business plans, and manages various portfolios of homes across the West Coast. Alex has worked in the institutional residential market, servicing both the multifamily and single-family sectors across brokerage, asset management, and acquisitions. Prior to joining Ballast, Alex worked for The Jones-Saglimbeni Group of Institutional Property Advisers as a Financial Analyst.

    Alex received his BSC in Finance from Santa Clara University and has been a licensed Real Estate Broker in the State of California.

  • Amina Warrick Accountant, MEC

    Amina Warrick

    Amina is an accountant 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.

  • Ronja Wyman Senior Administrator, Pre-Design

    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 Senior Director, Construction

    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.