ABOUT Our People

Leadership with deep experience across market cycles

Global Executive Team

North America

345+ Employees

3 Offices

Europe

510+ Employees

11 Offices

Asia Pacific

50+ Employees

5 Offices

Senior Executive Team
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Jonathan Martin
Chief Executive Officer

North America

Jon Martin is AEW's Chief Executive Officer responsible for the oversight of the firm’s Private Equity & Debt platform, Global Securities platform, Investor Relations team, and Corporate Operations. He chairs the firm’s Senior Leadership Team and is a member of its Investment Committee, Risk Management Committee, and Audit Committee. He is also the executive sponsor and member of AEW’s Environmental, Social, Governance & Resiliency Committee, and the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee. Mr. Martin has nearly 30 years of real estate experience and has been with AEW since 2001. Prior to assuming his role as CEO of AEW Capital Management, Mr. Martin became CEO of North America in 2021. He was also the firm’s Chief Operating Officer for a period of three years and also spent ten years as a Portfolio Manager for AEW’s flagship core, open-end strategy. During his time at AEW, he has also served in various roles in the firm’s Asset Management, Accounting & Finance teams. Prior to joining AEW, Mr. Martin worked for ten years as a Senior Manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, in Boston and Minneapolis where he was an auditor and financial consultant specializing in the real estate and mortgage banking industries. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame (B.A.) in Finance and Accounting.

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Michael Acton CFA
Head of Research & Strategy, North America

North America

Mr. Acton is a Managing Director of the firm and AEW’s Head of Research with responsibility for directing the activities of AEW Research, the firm’s in-house research group. As one of the founding members of AEW Research in 1990, Acton has over three decades of expertise as an economic analyst and forecaster. The resources offered by AEW Research are an essential component of the firm’s successful investment process. He collaborates closely with senior experts from all sectors of the firm to formulate core through opportunistic equity and debt investment strategies that align clients’ risk and reward objectives with prevailing market prospects. Additionally, he played a vital role in shaping the strategy for AEW's listed securities business, which was launched in 1995. During his career, Acton has also actively contributed to the development of various proprietary research tools, notably playing a key role in the creation of the highly regarded and widely read AEW Relative Value Index. His important contributions to the advancement of research on real estate as an institutional asset class led to his 2023 PREA Graaskamp Research Award¹, a prestigious recognition to those who contribute to the common body of knowledge and insights gained through their significant research. He holds a permanent position on the Investment, Risk Management and Compliance Committees within the organization. Prior to joining AEW, he was with DRI/McGraw-Hill where he managed the Metropolitan Area Forecasting Service. He is a graduate of Bates College (B.A.), and a CFA charterholder, as well as a member of the CFA Institute and CFA Society Boston.

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¹PREA members submit nominations for the award. Nominations are reviewed by former winners of the PREA Graaskamp Award, and three finalists are then voted on by the full PREA membership to determine the winner.

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Michael Byrne
Chief Investment Officer, Head of Private Equity & Debt

North America

Mike Byrne is AEW’s Chief Investment Officer and Head of Private Equity and Private Debt in North America. He has been with AEW since 2003. He is responsible for overseeing all of AEW’s commingled strategies, separate accounts and direct investments in North America. In this capacity he is responsible for the strategic direction and oversight of the Firm’s portfolio management, acquisitions, capital markets and asset management functions in addition to managerial responsibility of the Private Equity Group resources. Mr. Byrne also serves on AEW’s Investment Committee and Risk Management Committee in North America. Prior to joining AEW, he was a member of the real estate team at the Pension Reserve Investment Management Board (“Mass PRIM”), where he managed the pension fund’s real estate and timber portfolios. Prior to that he worked at Citigroup in the real estate investment banking group. Mr. Byrne is a member of the Urban Land Institute (U.L.I.) and NAREIM, and a graduate of Dartmouth College.

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JT Straub
Head of AEW Real Estate Securities

North America

J.T. Straub is a Director of the firm and oversees AEW’s securities team in Boston, London and Singapore. He is also a member of the firm’s Risk Management Committee. Mr. Straub brings over 26 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining the firm, he was a Principal at CBRE Clarion Securities, where his responsibilities included institutional client coverage, consultant relations and product solutions. He is active within the real estate community and is a member of the Pension Real Estate Association (PREA), the Defined Contribution Real Estate Council (DCREC) and the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA). Mr. Straub is a graduate of Connecticut College where he earned a B.A. in economics with distinction and government.

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Jay Struzziery CFA
Head of Investor Relations

North America

Jay Struzziery is a Managing Director at AEW with overall responsibility for the firm’s Investor Relations. His broad experience at the firm includes responsibility for marketing AEW’s investment services and for developing and maintaining client and consultant relationships, as well as strategic partnerships. He is a member of the firm’s Risk Management Committee. Mr. Struzziery joined AEW in 2004 from Morgan Stanley and prior to that he was an analyst at Goldman, Sachs & Co. in the Fixed Income Capital Markets group, working with U.S. corporations. Mr. Struzziery graduated from Villanova University (B.A.) and is a CFA charterholder, as well as a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society Boston.

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Seth Berger
Chief Financial Officer

North America

Seth Berger is the Chief Financial Officer of AEW Capital Management and a Managing Director at the firm, and he oversees the corporate finance department, which encompasses corporate accounting, tax, treasury and payroll functions. Prior to joining AEW in early 2018, Mr. Berger spent over 18 years at MFS Investment Management in various Corporate Finance positions, the latest being Senior Group Controller and Head of Financial Planning; and before that, he was a Senior Auditor with Arthur Andersen LLP. He is a graduate of Boston University’s School of Management (BSBA) with a concentration in Accounting.

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Piper Sheer
Chief People Officer

North America

As AEW's Chief People Officer, Piper Sheer directs the activities of AEW's Human Resources Group. Ms. Sheer is involved in a number of the Firm's committees and is Co-Chair of the AEW Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee. She has more than 27 years of broad-based human resources experience. Prior to joining AEW in April 2018, Ms. Sheer served as the Managing Director for the Global Human Resources Group at State Street Bank. Prior to that, she spent 15 years in Human Resources at IDG. Ms. Sheer is a graduate of University of Vermont (B.A.).

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Carrie Bellerby
Co-General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer, Chief Risk Officer

North America

Ms. Bellerby is a Managing Director at the firm and AEW’s co-General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Risk Officer. Ms. Bellerby manages AEW’s legal, regulatory and compliance matters and also oversees AEW’s Insurance Risk Management group. She serves as an advisor to AEW’s Investment and Risk Management Committees and is a member of AEW’s Compliance, Risk and Internal Audit Committee and AEW’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Steering Committee . Prior to joining AEW in 2005, Ms. Bellerby practiced at the law firm Sullivan & Worcester, LLP, in its Business Law Group. At Sullivan & Worcester, Ms. Bellerby concentrated in the areas of public company corporate governance, including advising public company clients on SEC regulations, public offerings, mergers and acquisitions and private equity transactions. Ms. Bellerby is a graduate of Clark University (B.A.) and Boston College Law School (J.D.).

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Jess Bissey
Chief Resilience Officer

North America

Ms. Bissey is a Managing Director of the firm and AEW’s Chief Resilience Officer. Ms. Bissey is responsible for overseeing the evolution of AEW’s Social, Governance and Resilience (ESG) efforts across the firm, driving a cohesive approach to ESG performance and its continued integration into our global investment processes. At AEW, she implements innovative systems, enhances responsible transparency, and fosters the exploration and adoption of best practices, while leading a team of subject matter experts for the firm’s operating partners, investors, property managers, and other vendors. Ms. Bissey brings with her deep expertise in leading and advising companies on sustainability, governance, social impact, and transformational change with a specific focus on ESG. In her most recent position, Ms. Bissey was Director of ESG at Booz Allen Hamilton, where she launched and led an enterprise-wide ESG function and was responsible for establishing a data-driven, integrated approach to corporate sustainability, reporting, and stakeholder engagement. While at Booz Allen, she also served as Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary. Previously, Ms. Bissey was Deputy Chair of the Social Enterprise and Impact Investing Practice Group at the global law firm, Morrison & Foerster LLP, and practiced corporate law at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. Ms. Bissey is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law (J.D.) and Cornell University (B.A.).

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Alec Burleigh
Portfolio Management

North America

Alec Burleigh is a Portfolio Manager in AEW's Direct Investment Group, with responsibility for three real estate equity separate account portfolios. Mr. Burleigh has lead Portfolio Manager responsibilities for one separate account and works closely with the Portfolio Managers on his two remaining accounts in developing the annual portfolio business plan including new acquisitions and asset sales. He has 37 years of real estate finance and portfolio management experience encompassing all major property types. Mr. Burleigh joined AEW in 1997 as a Senior Portfolio Controller, responsible for the financial reporting and management of real estate separate accounts and co-mingled strategies containing assets throughout the U.S. He later served as Asset Manager for several office and industrial properties. Prior to joining AEW, Mr. Burleigh was employed with First Data Investor Services Group and The Boston Company (1989-1997), where he was a Senior Portfolio Controller, specializing in real estate limited partnerships. Prior to that, he was employed at Boston Federal Savings Bank (1986-1989). Mr. Burleigh is a graduate of the University of Connecticut (B.A.).

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Sara Cassidy
Head of Portfolio Management

North America

Sara Cassidy is a Managing Director at AEW and Head of Portfolio Management for the firm’s Private Equity Group. In this capacity, she is responsible for the oversight of all portfolio management activities across strategies and separate accounts. Ms. Cassidy is also a Portfolio Manager for the firm’s open-end core property strategy, where she is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the strategy's investments and operations as well as working closely with investor relations on marketing and providing support to investors. She is also a member of the firm’s Investment Committee. She co-chairs the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee and is also a member of AEW’s Talent Committee. Prior to joining AEW in 2018, Ms. Cassidy work with J.P. Morgan Asset Management since 2006, and she most recently held the title of Executive Director. In that role, she was responsible for the origination, structuring, negotiating and underwriting of investment transactions in the Northeast, focusing on acquiring core, value-add, and opportunistic real estate. Prior to J.P. Morgan, she was a vice president with Related Capital, where she was an acquisitions officer for the tax credit equity group and an associate with Joseph J. Blake and Associates, a commercial real estate appraisal firm. Ms. Cassidy holds a B.A. in finance from Boston College and serves as a council member for the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and is a Management Committee member for ULI Boston, is a past President and current active member of NAIOP Massachusetts, and is an Advisory Board Member for The Boston College Real Estate Council.




Redmond Costello
Redmond Costello
Chief Technology Officer

North America

Redmond Costello is a Managing Director and Chief Technology Officer at AEW. In this capacity, he is responsible for both the day-to-day management and operations of technology infrastructure and information systems across all of AEW’s US and international offices. This includes defining IT initiatives, developing and implementing IT strategy, overseeing system implementations, ensuring availability and support of technology infrastructure and managing all technology-related expenses and acquisitions. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Costello worked for eight years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, where he was an auditor and systems consultant specializing in the real estate industry. Mr. Costello is a graduate of Holy Cross (B.A.) and Northeastern University (M.S., M.B.A.). He is also a former CPA in Massachusetts.

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Anthony Crooks
Portfolio Management

North America

Tony Crooks is a Managing Director at AEW and Senior Portfolio Manager for AEW's opportunistic strategy with responsibility for investment origination and asset management, as well as assisting in overseeing the strategies' operations and strategic direction. Mr. Crooks is a member of AEW’s Investment Committee and Risk Management Committee. Since 2000, he has invested and managed office, multifamily residential and mixed-use sectors. He is currently responsible for office, retail, residential, industrial and debt acquisitions in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida Markets. He also leads AEW's opportunistic strategy in all healthcare related investments and asset management domestically and in Canada. During his tenure at AEW, Mr. Crooks has been involved in acquisitions, dispositions, financing, asset management and portfolio management for a wide variety of commercial real estate product types across North America. Prior to joining AEW in 2000, Mr. Crooks served as an Equity Analyst with Thomson Financial. He currently is a member of the American Senior Housing Association (ASHA) and Urban Land Institute (ULI). He is a graduate of Northeastern University (B.S.B.A.) and a CFA charterholder.

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Marc Davidson
Executive Managing Director

North America

Marc Davidson is an Executive Managing Director/Senior Advisor of AEW Private Equity in North America and serves on the firm’s Investment Committee and Risk Management Committee for the region. Previously Marc was the Head of AEW's opportunistic strategy, a series of private equity strategies sponsored by AEW, where he was responsible for overseeing the resources, strategic direction, investment strategy and portfolio management. He has over 37 years of experience in real estate portfolio and asset management, investment acquisition and structuring, property management, and development, as well as extensive experience working with national developers and large institutional property owners. Prior to joining AEW, Mr. Davidson worked at Coopers & Lybrand as a Senior Manager in the Real Estate and Reorganization Groups, where his areas of expertise included financial analysis and planning, forecasting, development of internal management controls, deal structuring, and investment analysis. Prior to that, he served as a commercial real estate controller at several real estate development and management companies, including Winthrop Management, The Linpro Company and Charter Development Company. Mr. Davidson is a graduate of Bentley College (B.S.).

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Alfred Della Porta
Head of Capital Markets

North America

Al Della Porta is a Managing Director in AEW’s Capital Markets Group with responsibility for financings, subordinate debt investment originations, and strategic asset dispositions on behalf of the firm’s institutional clients and strategies. Since joining AEW in 1998, he has executed capital market transactions including project and entity level financings as well as mezzanine and B-note investments across various markets and property types including multifamily, industrial, office, senior housing and hotels. Prior to joining AEW, he worked for Konover & Associates, a private retail developer. Mr. Della Porta is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and holds a bachelor’s degree in Real Estate & Urban Economics. He is an active member of the Urban Land Institute, National Association of Industrial and Office Properties and Mortgage Bankers Association.

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Michael Dopler
Portfolio Management

North America

Michael Dopler is a Director within AEW’s private equity platform. Mr. Dopler is a separate account Portfolio Manager, responsible for overseeing the strategic direction and fund operations, and a Senior Acquisitions Officer, responsible for sourcing and closing new acquisition and development opportunities. Mr. Dopler has over 18 years of broad real estate experience primarily focused on acquisitions and development but including portfolio management, asset management, dispositions, and restructurings. Mr. Dopler joined AEW in 2006 from The Bascom Group, where he focused on value-added multifamily acquisitions in California, Colorado, Texas, and Georgia. He is currently a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and National Multifamily Housing Council. Mr. Dopler earned a B.A. in Business Administration at California State University, Fullerton.

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Dean Dulchinos
Head of Debt Portfolio Management

North America

Dean Dulchinos is the Head of Debt Portfolio Management for the AEW Private Equity Group. Dean joins AEW from Amherst Holdings, where he served as Head of SFR Portfolio Management. Previously, he was Head of Real Estate Debt Portfolio Management and Capital Markets at Barings, overseeing all commingled funds and separate accounts, with responsibility for a team managing $28 billion in commercial real estate investments in stabilized, transitional and construction strategies. In this role, he led new commercial real estate debt product development as well as the deployment of client capital in CRE debt investments and the global capital markets and syndication functions. He served as a member of Barings’ Global Real Estate Debt and Equity Investment Committees and its CRE Debt Valuation Committee. His experience has encompassed commercial mortgage lending, real estate structured credit and the formation and management of investment vehicles for global institutional clients. He has held a variety of leadership positions at Barings and its predecessors, Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers and Babson Capital Management, including Head of Structured Real Estate Investments, overseeing the firm’s bridge and construction lending platform, as well as a 100-person operating company dedicated to multifamily capital solutions, including its agency lending strategy. Dean began his career as an attorney focused on commercial real estate transactions at Day, Berry and Howard (now Day Pitney) before joining MassMutual’s Law Division, representing the company in CRE lending, investment funds and private placement transactions. He holds a J.D. from Western New England University School of Law, and a B.S. in Business Administration and Finance from Western New England University.

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Joshua Heller
Head of Eastern U.S. Acquisitions

North America

Josh Heller is a Managing Director for AEW Private Equity, North America. Mr. Heller is the head of the Eastern U.S. acquisitions team and oversees 21+ acquisition professionals with the responsibility of sourcing, underwriting, negotiating, and closing new acquisition and development opportunities across the eastern half of the U.S. Since joining AEW in 2011, Mr. Heller has completed a wide variety of deal structures including direct real estate acquisitions, speculative ground-up developments, joint venture partnerships, and structured financings. During his time at AEW, he has assisted with portfolio management duties for one of the firm’s institutional clients, a large private pension fund, as well as helped launch AEW’s cold storage platform. Mr. Heller is a member of the Urban Land Institute (U.L.I.) and earned both a B.A. and a Master’s degree in Real Estate Finance from Cornell University.


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Lily Kao
Head of Asset Management

North America

Ms. Kao is a Managing Director at AEW and Head of Asset Management for the firm’s Private Equity Group. In this capacity, she is responsible for the oversight of all asset management activities across all strategies and separate accounts. Ms. Kao is also a Senior Portfolio Manager for AEW's U.S. open-end, core strategy, where she is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the strategies investments and operations as well as working closely with investor relations on marketing and providing support to the strategies investors. She has been with the firm since 1998 and is a member of AEW’s Risk Management Committee and Investment Committee. Ms. Kao serves as a Council Member for the Urban Land Institute (ULI). She holds a B.S. in business administration from the University of Southern California.

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Julie Kittler
Portfolio Management

North America

Ms. Kittler is a Director and Portfolio Manager within AEW’s Private Equity Group, focused exclusively on multi-family investment. Ms. Kittler is also the Head of Multifamily Asset Management and is responsible for co-managing the AEW's essential housing income strategy. She leads a team of multifamily and housing asset management specialists. In addition, Julie has been actively involved with developing, incorporating and enhancing AEW’s resiliency practices across AEW’s platform and multi-family properties. Ms. Kittler joined the firm in 1993 and has 30 years of institutional real estate advisory experience in a variety of property types across the country. She is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts (B.A. Economics).

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Dillon Lorda
Portfolio Management

North America

Dillon Lorda is a Director and Portfolio Manager within AEW’s Private Equity Group, responsible for co-managing the AEW's essential housing income strategy which focuses exclusively on multi-family investment. Prior to joining AEW, Mr. Lorda was a Managing Member of Conrad Investment Management, where he utilized research-based metrics to target specific segments of the multifamily sector that were expected to have resilient income potential and led a team focused on underwriting and structuring those transactions. Prior to that, he was a Managing Director at Pension Consulting Alliance (now a part of Meketa Investment Group), consulting on a non-discretionary basis for the real estate accounts of major institutional investment plans. Prior to joining Pension Consulting Alliance in 2009, Mr. Lorda’s roles at prior firms included development, sourcing and underwriting of real estate assets focused on residential properties at both Del Mar Development and Time Equities. Before starting his real estate career in 2006, Mr. Lorda spent six years in international agricultural trading with Bunge and ED&F Man. Mr. Lorda earned a BA from Hamilton College and a MS in Real Estate Finance from New York University.

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Shirley McCrohan
Portfolio Management

North America

Shirley McCrohan is a Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager within AEW’s Private Equity Group focusing on the management and support of office, industrial, retail and multifamily assets. Mrs. McCrohan joined the firm in 2012 and has ten years of real estate experience spanning portfolio management, asset management and accounting. She is a graduate of Cornell University (B.S. Economics) and Northeastern University (MBA/MSA) and holds the designations of Certified Public Accountant, inactive, and Chartered Financial Analyst.

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Patrick McLaughlin
Portfolio Management

North America

Patrick McLaughlin is a Director and Portfolio Manager within the firm’s Private Equity Group. As a Portfolio Manager for AEW’s separate account clients, he is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the investments and operations of institutional client portfolios. Prior to joining AEW, Mr. McLaughlin worked at Long Wharf Capital, most recently holding the title of Director of Investments. In that role, he was responsible for the origination, underwriting, structuring and negotiating of investment transactions. He also retained responsibility for all key strategic decisions being made on behalf of those investments. Prior to Long Wharf Capital, Mr. McLaughlin was a Vice President at CIBC Private Wealth Management, serving as a senior member of the investments team. Mr. McLaughlin holds an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management and a B.A. in economics from Tufts University. He is also a CFA Charterholder.

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Mark Morrison CFA
Portfolio Management

North America

Mr. Morrison is a Director and Portfolio Manager in AEW’s Private Equity Group. Based in AEW’s Boston office, Mr. Morrison is responsible for managing portfolio assets across the core through value-added spectrum that represent all major property types and most significant U.S. markets, in addition to sales and new acquisitions. Mr. Morrison has 16 years of real estate experience spanning portfolio management, acquisitions and accounting. Prior to transitioning to the role of Portfolio Manager, Mr. Morrison served as an acquisition specialist for several years responsible for sourcing, underwriting, negotiating and closing new investment opportunities. Prior to that, Mr. Morrison was based in AEW’s Singapore office where he served as Financial Controller for AEW's Asia Pacific core plus/value-add real estate strategy. Prior to joining AEW in 2008, he was a Senior Accountant at Ernst and Young, with a primary focus on publicly traded REIT’s. Mr. Morrison has a B.S. in Business Administration from Babson College and is a Certified Public Accountant, inactive. Mr. Morrison is also a CFA charterholder.

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Thomas Mullahey
Head of Western U.S. Acquisitions

North America

Tom Mullahey is a Managing Director of Private Equity, North America and head of AEW’s Los Angeles office. Mr. Mullahey is also a member of the firm’s Risk Management Committee. He has 36 years of real estate experience and is responsible for overseeing the management of a variety of investment assets, located primarily in the western U.S. Mr. Mullahey is also involved in sourcing and underwriting office and industrial investment opportunities in West Coast markets. He joined the firm in 1995 after spending ten years at L.J. Melody and Company as correspondent to Copley Real Estate Advisors and New England Mutual Life Insurance Company. Mr. Mullahey is a member of the Urban Land Institute (U.L.I) and a graduate of the University of Arizona (B.S.).

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Lauren O'Neil
Chief Operating Officer

North America

Ms. O’Neil is the Chief Operating Officer of AEW Capital Management and a Managing Director of the firm. Ms. O’Neil has responsibility of AEW’s day-to-day operations, including working with the firm’s Investor Relations, Finance, Human Resources and Information Technology groups. In addition, she is responsible for developing, maintaining, and expanding key relationships for the firm nationwide. As a Managing Director, Ms. O’Neil plays an integral part within the firm’s Senior Leadership Team, actively contributing to AEW’s overall strategic vision and direction. Prior to joining AEW, Ms. O’Neil was a Senior Managing Director and Boston office Co-Head at JLL (and previously HFF) since 2018. Her primary responsibilities included managing day-to-day operations of the capital markets business, in addition to deal origination. She spent the previous 13 years as a Senior Director, Director and Analyst at the firm. Lauren is a Board Member and former President of the Real Estate Finance Association (REFA); National Forum Member, MA Chapter Board and Gavel Member of the National Association of Office and Industrial Properties (NAIOP); and a Member of IOPC Green Product Council for the Urban Land Institute (ULI). She is actively involved in community initiatives and currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Heading Home, Hill House and The Advent School. Ms. O’Neil is a graduate of Boston College (B.A.).

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Justin Pinckney CFA
Head of Private Debt

North America

Justin Pinckney is the Head of Private Debt at AEW. Prior to joining AEW in 2022, he was a Principal with Mercer Alternatives where he served as Head of Private Debt, North America, and was a member of the Private Debt Investment Committee and Ratings Review Committee. While at Mercer, Mr. Pinckney served as a lead researcher within North American real estate and as a consultant on select client relationships. Before Mercer, he was Deputy Chief Investment Officer with Michelin North America. Mr. Pinckney started his career as an underwriter for commercial real estate and lower middle market commercial and industrial lending at First Citizens Bank. Mr. Pinckney graduated from Wofford College (B.A.) and is a CFA charterholder and a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society South Carolina.

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Adam Schwank
Portfolio Management

North America

Adam Schwank is a Director in AEW’s Private Equity Group and Portfolio Manager for AEW's cold storage strategy. In this capacity, he is responsible for the strategies portfolio construction and risk analysis, the seamless integration with the strategies dedicated cold storage operating platform, and working closely with investor relations providing support to the strategies investors. Prior to transitioning to the role of Portfolio Manager, Mr. Schwank served as an acquisition specialist and was responsible for the origination, underwriting and structuring of real estate investment transactions in Florida, as well as retail opportunities across the East Coast. Mr. Schwank joined AEW in 2011 as an Asset Manager in the retail group where he managed, repositioned and sold multiple shopping center investments. Prior to joining the firm, he worked in asset management at Bentall Kennedy responsible for industrial, office and retail properties. Mr. Schwank is a graduate of Northern Arizona University (B.S.) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.S.) where he remains actively involved at the MIT Center for Real Estate as a teaching assistant for graduate level courses focused on real estate contracts.

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Steve Sechko
Portfolio Management

North America

Steve Sechko is a Managing Director of the firm and a Portfolio Manager in AEW's opportunistic strategy group with responsibility for investment origination and asset management on the East Coast. During his tenure at AEW, Mr. Sechko has been involved in acquisitions, asset management, dispositions, and financing for a wide variety of commercial real estate product types and strategies across the United States. He is also a member of the Firm's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee. At AEW, Mr. Sechko has been involved in acquisition transactions across the risk/return spectrum. Mr. Sechko joined the firm in March 2002. Prior to joining AEW, Mr. Sechko worked for Citigroup in their Financial Management Leadership Development Program. Mr. Sechko is a graduate of Boston College (B.S.).

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Neal Sharma
Co-General Counsel

North America

Neal Sharma is a Managing Director of the firm and AEW’s co-General Counsel. Mr. Sharma manages AEW legal, regulatory and compliance matters. He also serves as an advisor to Investment Committee. Prior to joining AEW, Mr. Sharma practiced at the law firm Goodwin, LLP, in its Real Estate and Private Investment Funds groups. Prior to joining Goodwin, Mr. Sharma provided legal and consulting services to the affordable housing and supportive services firm Cascap, Inc. Prior to attending graduate school, Mr. Sharma was an analyst at the information technology service and consulting firm Accenture. Mr. Sharma is a graduate of Boston University (B.S., Biomedical Engineering), University of Michigan Law School (J.D.), and University of Michigan Ross School of Business (M.B.A.).

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Dana Spires
Head of Fund Operations

North America

Dana Spires is a Managing Director at AEW and Head of Fund Operations for the Firm's North American and Asian commingled strategy platforms. In this capacity, Mr. Spires is responsible for all operational aspects from the strategies structuring, initial setup, and overseeing efficiencies in the asset management and accounting functions. Mr. Spires has expertise in the establishment, administration, and management of a variety of client investment accounts, including the management of one of AEW’s senior housing separate accounts, and AEW's Core Plus/Value-Add strategy and AEW's Asia Pacific Core/Core Plus & Value-Add Strategy. He joined the firm in 2000 as a Controller within the firm’s Private Equity Group. Prior to AEW, Mr. Spires was the Controller of Leggat McCall Retirement Properties, where he assisted in the development, construction, acquisition, financing, and management of assisted and senior living communities throughout New England. He is the former Vice-Chair of the NCREIF Performance sub-committee and a National Investment Center for Senior Housing & Care Industry member. Mr. Spires is a graduate of Thiel College (B.A.).

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Kevin Stotts
Capital Markets

North America

Mr. Stotts is a Director of the firm in the Capital Markets Group. Mr. Stotts has responsibility for overseeing AEW’s debt financings for new acquisitions of core and value-added opportunities as well as financing of the firm’s existing portfolio of assets. He manages a team that works closely with the firm’s portfolio and asset management teams to develop strategy, advise clients and execute the placement of property and fund level financing across all property types. Mr. Stotts has over 36 years of commercial real estate experience in both debt and equity roles. Prior to AEW, he held positions in asset management and loan servicing at The Travelers Insurance Co. with a significant focus on loan workouts and restructuring. Mr. Stotts is a member of the Mortgage Bankers Association and a former chair of the Capital Markets Committee of the National Association of Office and Industrial Parks (NAIOP). He is a graduate of Southern Methodist University (B.B.A).

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Brian Sunday
Portfolio Management

North America

Brian Sunday is a Managing Director of the firm and Portfolio Manager for the AEW senior housing investment strategy. In his role as Portfolio Manager, he is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the strategy and is a voting member of the Funds’ Investment Committee. Since joining the AEW's acquisitions team in 2005, he has completed investments in the senior housing sector, including age-restricted, independent living, assisted living, and memory care facilities in metropolitan markets throughout the U.S. Before joining AEW, Mr. Sunday worked at AMC Delancey Group and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Mr. Sunday is a graduate of Villanova University (B.S.).

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Gina Szymanski CFA
Real Estate Securities Portfolio Management

North America

Ms. Szymanski is a Managing Director of the firm and Portfolio Manager in the firm’s Real Estate Securities Group where she is also a member of the Global Securities Allocation Committee. Prior to joining AEW, Ms. Szymanski worked at Putnam Investments for over 15 years where she was the REIT portfolio manager for Putnam's Research Fund, a senior member of the Global Equity Research team, and a portfolio member of the Quantitative Equity Research team. Prior to joining Putnam Investments, Ms. Szymanski held finance positions at CIBC World Markets and Matson Driscoll & Damico Ltd. In 2019, Ms. Szymanski was selected as the winner of Bonhill’s 2019 Women in Asset Management Award1 for the Real Estate category. Ms. Szymanski earned an Honors Bachelor of Mathematics in Economics and Business Administration from the University of Waterloo and a Master of Science in Computational Finance from Carnegie Mellon University. She is a CFA charterholder, a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society Boston.

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¹ Nominations are open to asset management professionals across industries and are judged by a panel of senior women in the industry. Nominations are only considered for candidates living and working within the USA. Nominations are open for all: individuals can nominate themselves or someone else. No fees were paid to participate in the nomination process.

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Matthew Tracy
Portfolio Management

North America

Matt Tracy is a Portfolio Manager with responsibility for managing two separate accounts. He has over 32 of experience in real estate investment management and finance Mr. Tracy joined AEW in 1996 as a Portfolio Controller, responsible for the financial reporting, management, and disposition of client assets throughout the U.S. He later served as Asset Manager for a several office, industrial, and independent living properties. Prior to joining AEW, Mr. Tracy worked at Saunders Real Estate Corporation, specializing in commercial, residential and condominium property management. He is a Certified Commercial Investment Manager (CCIM), a member of the New England CCIM network, is a licensed Massachusetts Real Estate Broker and is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts (B.A.).

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Jonathan Watson
Portfolio Management

North America

Jon Watson is a Managing Director of the firm and Portfolio Manager in the AEW's opportunistic strategy group with responsibility for investment origination and asset management on the West Coast. During his time at AEW he has been involved in the acquisition, disposition, financing, and asset management for a wide variety of commercial real estate product types. Prior to joining AEW, Mr. Watson was with Thomas Properties Group (NASD: TPGI), where he was involved in acquisitions, asset management, leasing and development services for a multi-million square foot office portfolio. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business (B.S.).

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Jeff Furber
Chairman Emeritus

North America, Europe, Asia Pacific

Jeff Furber joined AEW in 1997 and from 1999 to 2020 served as Global Chief Executive Officer. In 2020, Mr. Furber transitioned from Global Chief Executive Officer to the newly created role of Global Chairman, primarily overseeing the completion of a firm-wide leadership succession plan. He retired from AEW in 2023.

Under his leadership, AEW experienced extraordinary growth, expanding from a small U.S.-focused firm with $8 billion of assets under management to a $90 billion1 global real estate platform with 18 offices and over 800 professionals offering institutional investors diversified real estate strategies in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Mr. Furber is a member of the Board of STAG Industrial Inc. (NYSE: STAG), the Boston Children's Hospital Trust; and the Ogunquit Playhouse, as well as a former member of the Board of The Howard Hughes Corporation (NYSE: HHH). He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Business School.

1 As of June 30, 2023. AEW includes (i) AEW Capital Management, L.P. and its subsidiaries and (ii) affiliated company AEW Europe SA and its subsidiaries. AEW Europe SA and AEW Capital Management, L.P. are commonly owned by Natixis Investment Managers and operate independently from each other. Total AEW AUM of $90.7 billion includes $41.9 billion in assets managed by AEW Europe SA and its affiliates, $5.3 billion in regulatory assets under management of AEW Capital Management, L.P., and $43.5 billion in assets for which AEW Capital Management, L.P. and its affiliates provide (i) investment management services to a fund or other vehicle that is not primarily investing in securities (e.g., real estate), (ii) non-discretionary investment advisory services (e.g., model portfolios) or (iii) fund management services that do not include providing investment advice. Staff and offices include AEW Capital Management, L.P. and AEW Europe SA and their respective subsidiaries.

North America

Investor Relations Team
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Chad Nettleship CFA®, CAIA®
Investor Relations

North America

Mr. Nettleship is a Vice President in AEW’s Investor Relations Group with responsibility for marketing AEW’s investment capabilities to the insurance industry. Mr. Nettleship joined AEW in 2022 from PIMCO, where he was focused on developing relationships with insurance clients and delivering customized investment solutions. Prior to that, he was with State Street Global Advisors working in their exchange-traded fund (ETF) group where he led the buildout of their insurance distribution efforts and engaged with insurance regulators / industry groups on statutory accounting matters. Mr. Nettleship holds an undergraduate degree in finance and marketing from the University of New Hampshire and is both a CFA and CAIA charterholder.

CFA® and Chartered Financial Analyst® are registered trademarks owned by the CFA Institute. CAIA®, CAIA Association®, Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst® and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association® are the exclusive service marks of the CAIA Association.

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Brooke Pinault
Client Services

North America

Ms. Pinault is a Vice President of AEW Investor Relations with responsibility for overseeing the team’s Client Service efforts. She also contributes to the broad marketing and client/consultant support efforts, with a focus on marketing collateral, sponsorships and events. Ms. Pinault has been with AEW since 2010. She is a graduate of Fairfield University and holds a Certificate in Real Estate Finance from Boston University.

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Michele O'Brien
Marketing Communications

North America

Ms. O'Brien serves as the Director of Marketing Communications at AEW, with a dual focus on corporate and investor relations initiatives. She has oversight responsibility for maintaining the firm's brand integrity, ensuring the alignment of communications with the company's strategic direction and image. She manages internal and external marketing strategies that extend across various channels, from digital platforms to traditional marketing avenues.

Joining in 2005, Ms. O’Brien brought with her over 25 years of marketing and management experience from positions she held at prominent real estate firms such as Beacon Properties, Legatt McCall/Grubb & Ellis and Spaulding & Slye. She holds a B.A. in English from Merrimack College.

CFA® and Chartered Financial Analyst® are registered trademarks owned by the CFA Institute. CAIA®, CAIA Association®, Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst® and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association® are the exclusive service marks of the CAIA Association.