Mr. Bernstein has been Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of the Company since January of 2001. He has been the President and a Trustee of the Company since August 1998, when the Company acquired substantially all of the assets of RD Capital, Inc. (“RDC”) and its affiliates. From 1990 to August 1998, Mr. Bernstein was the Chief Operating Officer of RDC. In such capacity, he was responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of RDC, its management companies, and its affiliated partnerships. Prior to joining RDC, Mr. Bernstein was an associate at the New York law firm of Battle Fowler, LLP. Mr. Bernstein sits on the Board of Trustees of the International Council of Shopping Centers and served as its 2017/2018 Chairman. He has previously served as a co-chair of the Board of Governors for the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (“Nareit”) and is a member of Urban Land Institute (“ULI”) and the Real Estate Roundtable. He is also a member of the World President’s Organization (YPO-WPO), where he was the founding chairman of the Real Estate Network and currently sits on the Board of Advisors. Mr. Bernstein is a member of the Board of Trustees of Golub Capital. Mr. Bernstein received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Vermont and his Juris Doctorate from Boston University School of Law.
Mr. Wielansky has been a Trustee of the Company since May 2000 and the Lead Trustee since 2004. Mr. Wielansky has been Chairman and CEO of Midland Development Group, Inc., which focuses on the development of retail properties in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States, since May 2003. From November 2000 to March 2003, Mr. Wielansky served as CEO and President of JDN Development Company, Inc. and a director of JDN Realty Corporation through its merger with Developers Diversified Realty Corporation in 2003. He was also a founding partner and CEO of Midland Development Group, Inc. from 1983 through 1998 when the company sold its assets to Regency Centers Corporation (NASDAQ: REG). Mr. Wielansky is a member of the Board of Brookdale Senior Living (NYSE: BKD) and a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors.
Ms. Woodhouse has been a Trustee of the Company since January 2023. Ms. Woodhouse served as Chief Operating Officer (“COO”) and as a member of the management committee of Bridgewater Associates, Inc., a global SEC Registered Investment Advisor from 2005 to 2009. As COO she was responsible for Accounting, Operations, Compliance, Counterparty Relations, Finance, Human Resources and Facilities. Between 2003 and 2005, Ms. Woodhouse was President and COO of Auspex Group, L.P., a global macro hedge fund. She was COO and a member of the management committee of Soros Fund Management LLC, a global investment company from 2000 to 2003. Prior to that, she was Treasurer of the Funds at Tiger Management L.L.C. from 1998 to 2000 and before that she was a Managing Director for Fixed Income at Salomon Brothers Inc. from 1983 to 1998. Ms. Woodhouse presently serves as an independent director on the Boards of Two Harbors Investment Corp. (NYSE: TWO), where she has served since 2012 and is chair of the Audit Committee and a member of the Risk Oversight Committee, and Granite Point Mortgage Trust Inc. (NYSE: GPMT), where she has served since 2017 and is chair of the Compensation Committee and a member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance and Audit Committees. She joined the Board of Monro, Inc. (Nasdaq: MNRO) in 2023 and serves on the Compensation and Audit Committees. Ms. Woodhouse previously served as a director of Piper Jaffray Companies (NYSE: PIPR), Seoul Securities Co. Ltd., Soros Funds Limited, The Bond Market Association and as a member of the investment committee at Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts. Ms. Woodhouse also serves on the board of Children’s Services Advisory Committee of Indian River County and is a trustee of the Tiger Foundation. Ms. Woodhouse received an A.B. degree in Economics from Georgetown University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Mr. Spitz has been a Trustee of the Company since August 2007. Mr. Spitz is a principal and past Director of Diversified Trust Company, a private wealth management trust company. He served as Vice Chancellor for Investments and Treasurer of Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee from 1985 to July 2007. As Vice Chancellor for Investments at Vanderbilt, Mr. Spitz was responsible for managing the University's $3.5 billion endowment.
He was also a member of the Senior Management Group of the University, which is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the institution. During his tenure, the Vanderbilt endowment earned returns in the top 10% of a broad universe of endowments for multiple time frames. While at Vanderbilt, Mr. Spitz conducted asset allocation studies and implemented detailed investment objectives and guidelines, developed a comprehensive risk management plan, invested in approximately two hundred limited partnerships in five illiquid assets classes, selected new custodians for both the endowment fund and the University's charitable remainder trusts and implemented a more aggressive approach to working capital management, which increased returns by 2% per annum. In addition, Mr. Spitz was also on the faculty of Vanderbilt University as Clinical Professor of Management at the Owen Graduate School of Management. He has also held various high-level positions with successful asset management companies and has served on the boards of several companies, including Cambium Global Timber Fund, The Common Fund, MassMutual Financial, and the Bradford Fund. He has also served on multiple advisory committees, including Acadia's Opportunity Fund Advisory Boards, on which he served from 2001 to July 2007. Mr. Spitz is a published author and frequent speaker at industry conferences and seminars.
Mr. Zoba has been a Trustee of the Company since August 2015. Mr. Zoba retired on January 31, 2016 from his position as Senior Real Estate Strategy advisor for Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) that he held since 2015, after having served, since 2009, as Senior Vice President of Global Real Estate and Store Development for Gap Inc., the $15 billion retailer operating as Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Athleta, and Outlet Brands. Immediately prior to joining Gap, Inc., Mr. Zoba was Principal and COO for +Steiner Associates, one of the country's most respected mixed-use retail developers.
Mr. Zoba was Chairman of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated’s (“JLL”) Global Retail Leasing Board from 2015-2022, and now serves as Senior Advisor to JLL. Mr. Zoba is also a past Trustee of the International Council of Shopping Centers and is a consultant to QC Terme (U.S.) Corp., an Italian based spa and wellness company on their expansion in North America. Mr. Zoba also serves on the Board of Café Rio, Inc. and on the Board of White Water Express Car Wash, LLC. Both Café Rio, Inc. and White Water Express Car Wash LLC are portfolio companies of Freeman Spogli & Co., a private equity firm, where he serves as an Industry Executive. From November 2004 through April 2006, Mr. Zoba served as President and COO of Premier Properties, a real estate development company. From 2001 through late 2004, Mr. Zoba worked for Galyan’s Trading Company, Inc., where, as Executive Vice President, he helped create and launch a specialty sporting goods retailer that later became part of Dick's Sporting Goods. In the mid-1990s, Mr. Zoba was with The Limited and served as Chief Transaction Attorney, and then expanded his responsibilities significantly to other areas during his seven years there. Mr. Zoba earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard University and attended the London School of Economics for graduate studies. Mr. Zoba has a Juris Doctorate from Case Western Reserve University Law School.
Ms. Thurber has been a Trustee of the Company since March 2016. Ms. Thurber is past chairman (2007-2017) of LaSalle Investment Management, a global real estate money management firm with over $55 billion of assets under management, investing in private real estate as well as publicly traded real estate companies on behalf of institutional and individual investors. Prior to becoming chairman of LaSalle Investment Management, Ms. Thurber was CEO of LaSalle Investment Management from March 2000 to December 2006 and co-president from December 1994 to March 2000. Prior to Alex Brown, Kleinwort Benson (“ABKB”) Realty Advisors’ merger with LaSalle Partners in 1994, Ms. Thurber was CEO of ABKB. Before joining ABKB in 1992, she was a principal at Morgan Stanley & Co. Ms. Thurber is a part-time employee of LaSalle Investment Management, an independent subsidiary of JLL Incorporated (NYSE: JLL) (2018-Present) for the purpose of serving as chairman of the board of JLL Income Property Trust, an SEC registered, non-traded REIT. Ms. Thurber served on the Board of Duke Realty from 2008 until the closing of its acquisition by Prologis in 2022. Ms. Thurber is a trustee and a past global Chairman of ULI-Urban Land Institute, and is a past member of the advisory board and past Chair for ULI’s Randall Lewis Center for Sustainability in Real Estate. In addition, Ms. Thurber is currently a member of the Wellesley College Business Leadership Council and a member of the board of the Bitterroot Land Trust. Ms. Thurber was the 2013 recipient of the Landauer White award from the Counselors of Real Estate and the 2015 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the ULI District Council of Chicago. Ms. Thurber earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and an A.B. from Wellesley College.
Mr. McIntyre has been a Trustee of the Company since March 2021. Mr. McIntyre has over 25 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry. He is the CEO of the Real Estate Executive Council (“REEC”), a trade association for minority executives in the commercial real estate industry, and the founder and Managing Principal of PassPort Real Estate, LLC, a New York-based consulting firm focused on commercial real estate, infrastructure and diversity. Mr. McIntyre previously served as the Executive Advisor for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and as the Executive Director for The Real Estate Associates Program, a non-profit that is focused on increasing the diversity of talent in the commercial real estate industry. Mr. McIntyre was a Senior Vice President and Head of Commercial Real Estate at Hudson City Savings Bank from May 2014 to May 2016. Prior to joining Hudson City Savings Bank, Mr. McIntyre was a Managing Director in MetLife’s Real Estate Investments Group, where he was also a voting member of the Investment Committee for Commercial Mortgages. Prior to joining MetLife, Mr. McIntyre held senior origination and relationship management roles at KeyBank, GE Capital, UBS and Chase.
Mr. McIntyre currently is a member of the Board of Directors of Newmark Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: NMRK), where he serves as Chair of the Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) and Audit Committees, and as a member of the Compensation Committee. Mr. McIntyre is also a Member of the Board of Governors for the Real Estate Board of New York and on the Boards of Yorkville Youth Athletic Association and the National Jazz Museum of Harlem. Mr. McIntyre earned a B.S. in Economics with a concentration in Finance from Florida A&M University.
Mr. Denien has been a Trustee of the Company since October 2022. Mr. Denien has over 30 years of financial experience in the real estate industry, having served multiple executive roles from 2005 to October 2022 at Duke Realty Corporation (“Duke Realty”), a publicly traded REIT in the S&P 500, prior to its recent merger with Prologis, Inc. (“Prologis”) in 2022. Mr. Denien most recently served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of Duke Realty, a role he held since 2013. As Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Denien oversaw all financial functions for the company, including capital markets, accounting, taxation, investor relations, treasury, and information technology. Mr. Denien is also a Certified Public Accountant, and prior to joining Duke Realty, he was an audit and advisory partner for KPMG, LLP (“KPMG”), focused on the real estate and construction industries. He began his career with KPMG in 1989.
Mr. Denien is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Goodwill Industries of Central and Southern Indiana. He is also an Advisory Board Member of the Indiana University Center for Real Estate Studies and a member of the investment committee for the University’s real estate private equity fund. In addition, Mr. Denien is a real estate and finance guest lecturer at Indiana University.
Mr. Bernstein has been Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of the Company since January of 2001. He has been the President and a Trustee of the Company since August 1998, when the Company acquired substantially all of the assets of RD Capital, Inc. (“RDC”) and its affiliates. From 1990 to August 1998, Mr. Bernstein was the Chief Operating Officer of RDC. In such capacity, he was responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of RDC, its management companies, and its affiliated partnerships. Prior to joining RDC, Mr. Bernstein was an associate at the New York law firm of Battle Fowler, LLP. Mr. Bernstein sits on the Board of Trustees of the International Council of Shopping Centers and served as its 2017/2018 Chairman. He has previously served as a co-chair of the Board of Governors for the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (“Nareit”) and is a member of Urban Land Institute (“ULI”) and the Real Estate Roundtable. He is also a member of the World President’s Organization (YPO-WPO), where he was the founding chairman of the Real Estate Network and currently sits on the Board of Advisors. Mr. Bernstein is a member of the Board of Trustees of Golub Capital. Mr. Bernstein received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Vermont and his Juris Doctorate from Boston University School of Law.
Jason Blacksberg joined Acadia in 2014 and is accountable for leading and executing Acadia’s legal strategy and affairs. He also maintains oversight of the Company’s ESG program. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Blacksberg was Senior Vice President of Investments & Assistant General Counsel at the Trump Organization. Before joining Trump, he was an Associate at the law firm of Davis Polk & Wardwell. Mr. Blacksberg began his legal career as a law clerk to Chief Judge Marilyn Huff in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of CA. He received his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and has a bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
John Gottfried
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
John Gottfried joined Acadia Realty Trust in June 2016 as Chief Financial Officer and is responsible for all accounting, financial reporting, budgeting/forecasting, real estate finance, capital market activities, tax and treasury functions. He joined Acadia after 18 years at PwC, where he was a Partner and most recently served as the assurance leader of PwC’s New York City Real Estate practice. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Dayton and is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Alexander Levine
Executive Vice President, Leasing and Development
Alexander Levine joined Acadia in 2019 and oversees all leasing activities for Acadia’s Core and Investment Management platforms. Prior to Acadia, Mr. Levine served as Chief Operating Officer for Ashkenazy Acquisition Corp., primarily overseeing all leasing and development activities across the company’s international portfolio of retail and hospitality assets. Mr. Levine attended the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor where he received a BA in Political Science.
Reggie is responsible for leading the external growth initiatives of the company with ultimate oversight of investment strategy, acquisitions, dispositions, asset management, and fundraising for the investment management platform. Previously, he served in deal making capacities across product types for various private equity investors and entrepreneurial companies. He is an active member of ICSC serving as a Trustee of the organization and a board member of the ICSC Foundation. He further serves on the boards of Lionheart Strategic Management, the Steers Center for Global Real Estate at Georgetown University, and the Jackie Robinson Foundation. He’s also a member of ULI’s Commercial Retail Council (Gold) where he serves on the executive committee. He received his Bachelor of Science in Finance from Georgetown University and a Juris Doctor degree from George Washington University School of Law.
David Buell
Sr. Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer
Mr. Buell is responsible for managing the operations of the accounting, lease administration, financial reporting, and treasury functions. Prior to joining Acadia in 2026, he served as the Chief Accounting Officer at Kite Realty Group for 8 years and was also previously with KPMG. Mr. Buell is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a B.S. in Accounting and a B.S. in Finance from Indiana University.
Ms. Moore has been a member of the Legal Department since 2003 and is the Chief Compliance Officer. She is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the operational side of the Department including leasing, landlord/tenant related matters, construction, and redevelopment projects. She also works in conjunction with the Human Capital Department to advise on and address issues for the Company. Prior to joining Acadia, Ms. Moore worked at the law firms of Shutts and Bowen, LLP and Tripp Scott, P.A.. Ms. Moore received both her Bachelor of Business, with honors and law degree from the University of Miami. She is a member of the Florida Bar and the International Council of Shopping Centers.
Joseph M. Napolitano
Sr. Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer
Joseph M. Napolitano has been Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Acadia Realty Trust since April 2007 and is accountable for managing the Company’s property management, human resources, marketing and information technology disciplines. He has been with the Company since 1995, and has 35 years of real estate experience. Mr. Napolitano has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Adelphi University, is a Master Human Capital Strategist (MHCS) as certified by the Human Capital Institute, is a Certified Property Manager (CPM) by the Institute of Real Estate Management, and is a Real Property Administrator (RPA) certified by the Building Owners and Managers Institute International. Mr. Napolitano is also a board member for DDI (Developmental Disabilities Institute), a non-profit, multi-site agency serving the special needs of children with Autism and other developmental disabilities.
Mark O'Connor
Sr. Vice President, Property Management
Mr. O’Connor directs Acadia’s Property Management, Construction, and Tenant Coordination divisions. Mr. O’Connor is a graduate of the University of Connecticut with a bachelor’s degree in economics, is a Certified Shopping Center Manager (CSM, ICSC), a licensed New York State Real Estate Salesperson and a Board of Education Trustee for the Mahopac Central School District (2017-2020). Prior to joining Acadia in 2007, Mr. O’Connor was employed in the property management discipline with Simon Property Group (1997-2007) and Central Parking Corporation (1992-1997).
Danny Annibale
Vice President, Leasing
Danny Annibale is a seasoned leasing professional with over 10 years of experience in retail real estate. He oversees leasing within Acadia’s shopping center portfolio, driving tenant curation and strategic leasing initiatives. He has successfully placed national, regional, and local retailers, fostering vibrant retail environments that maximize value while enhancing community engagement and shopping experiences.
Douglas Austin
Vice President, Tenant Coordination and DE&I Coordinator
Douglas Austin joined Acadia in 2004 from Cushman & Wakefield and throughout his tenure at Acadia has cross-trained in several departments. This unique perspective makes him quite adept at supervising projects across all disciplines. Douglas has played a key role in developing Acadia’s Tenant Coordination division. Tenant Coordination is a conduit between the Tenants and Landlord’s Acquisitions, Legal, Leasing, Construction, Lease Administration, Asset Management, Accounting and Property Management teams. Acadia has approximately 2,000 tenants. This connection helps to facilitate a smooth transition for the tenant on-boarding & off-boarding processes. Douglas also plays a key role in Acadia’s Social Awareness programs, leading several annual charitable events. Douglas is a graduate of The University of California at Davis with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology.
Josh Bissinger
Vice President, Development
Joshua Bissinger oversees development and redevelopment functions across the Company’s portfolio. Prior to joining Acadia in 2020, he held positions at Youngwoo & Associates and JLL, where he led the acquisition, financing, and development of mixed-use, retail, and office properties. Mr. Bissinger earned a Master of Business Administration from NYU Stern School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Cornell University.
David Craine
Vice President, Accounting
Mr. Craine is responsible for overseeing various components of Acadia’s accounting division. Mr. Craine has been with the Company since 2005. Mr. Craine is a Certified Public Accountant and received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Cornell University in 2001.
Kevin Fitzgerald
Vice President, Controller
Mr. Fitzgerald is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the accounting department and production of financial reports. Prior to joining Acadia in 2012, Mr. Fitzgerald was an Accountant at Grassi & Co. (formerly Kahn Hoffman & Hochman) and an Account Executive at JPMorgan Chase. He received a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Pace University.
Grant Gheer
Vice President, Construction
Grant Gheer joined Acadia in 2023 and oversees the Construction and Tenant Coordination departments across the Company’s portfolio. Prior to joining Acadia, Grant spent 9 years working as a Commercial General Contractor, where he led project teams to develop over 10M SF of new commercial construction, leveraging his background in Mechanical, Electrical, and Structural Engineering. Mr. Gheer earned a Master of Architectural Engineering from Penn State University.
Jeremy Hill
Vice President, Property Management
Mr. Hill joined Acadia in 2007 as a project manager within the company’s construction department and played a vital role in redeveloping several of the company’s NYC urban projects. In 2012, Mr. Hill transitioned to Acadia’s property management team where he is responsible for overseeing AKR’s eastern US portfolio ~ 10M sf while supervising multiple regional managers. Mr. Hill also takes the lead in the due diligence process for property operations, oversight of PM’s annual capex projects, and supervising property management’s construction projects. He has also been a vital contributor in AKR’s sustainability initiatives. Mr. Hill is a graduate of Manhattanville College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts and is a Certified Shopping Center Manager (CSM of ICSC).
Elizabeth (Liz) King
Vice President, Treasury
Liz joins us from the Blackstone Group where she worked both in the New York and London. Her 17 years of experience makes her a versatile financial leader with a wealth of experience in Treasury and Accounting. Across her tenure at The Blackstone Group she successfully implemented various systems including a Global Treasury Management Workstation, a T&E system, and a Procurement system. She has built deep relationships with multiple banking partners both here in the US and abroad.
Christina Lamendola
Vice President, Lease Administration
Ms. Lamendola is a seasoned professional overseeing the Lease Administration Department, which includes billing, collections, and the receivables team while spearheading the implementation of the Company's tenant payment portal. With a track record of success, she negotiates deals with in-place tenants and drives enhancements to the Company's billing and collection strategies. Since joining in 2015, she has steadily advanced within the Lease Administration team. Her strategic vision and leadership ensure efficient operations and optimal financial outcomes for the organization.
Alyssa Lust
Vice President, Assistant General Counsel
Alyssa Lust advises the Company on a variety of legal issues, with a focus on transactional matters related to the Company’s core and investment management portfolio. Prior to joining Acadia in 2017, Ms. Lust was an Associate at the law firm of Paul Hastings LLP. Ms. Lust received her law degree from Cornell Law School and has a bachelor's degree from Colgate University.
Sarah Lynch
Vice President, Acquisitions
Sarah Lynch is Vice President of Acquisitions at Acadia Realty Trust, where she is responsible for sourcing, evaluating, and executing investments for the Company’s dual Core and Investment Management platforms. Previously, she served as Portfolio Manager, Real Estate Equity at PIMCO and Vice President, Acquisitions at Meyer Bergman. Ms. Lynch holds a Master of City Planning from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Wharton School, with concentrations in Real Estate and Finance.
Tracey Mitnick
Vice President, Leasing
Tracey Mitnick’s primary focus is the leasing of Acadia’s urban portfolio. Ms. Mitnick has been with Acadia since 2014 and will utilize her extensive brand knowledge and strong industry relationships in the luxury, advanced contemporary and digitally native categories to drive value across Acadia’s urban portfolio, as well as play an integral role in Acadia’s diligence process for prospective investments.
Robert Pappa
Vice President, Financial Forecasting and Analysis
Mr. Pappa is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the accounting department. Prior to joining Acadia in 2007, Mr. Pappa was employed at Urstadt Biddle Properties as a property accountant and received a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Connecticut.
Erica Pipitone
Vice President, Financial Reporting
Erica Pipitone is Vice President, Financial Reporting, responsible for the Company’s financial reporting activities, including SEC reporting and technical accounting matters. She has advanced within the accounting organization since joining the Company in 2020 and most recently served as Director, Financial Reporting since 2022. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Pipitone served in Deloitte’s audit practice. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Master of Science in Forensic Accounting from the University at Albany and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
Tenisha Rencher
Vice President, Property Management Coordination
Mrs. Rencher joined Acadia in May 2008 and is responsible for overseeing the Property Management Coordinator Division of Property Management. In addition to managing a team, she has been instrumental in coordinating the policies and procedures of the administrative operations in Property Management. Prior to Acadia, Mrs. Rencher was a mortgage underwriter with Argent Mortgage Company. She received a Master of Business Administration from Mercy College, a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and an Associate of Applied Science in Mortuary Science.
David Rodriguez
Vice President, Information Technology
David Rodriguez is the VP of Information Technology and has been with Acadia since 2013. With over 25 years of experience, David has been instrumental in our efforts to expand and protect the business by leveraging cloud computing technologies. David has held numerous senior management positions for various companies in the Hospitality, Manufacturing and Retail industry. His last position was Director of Operations and Solutions Architect for Align, a prestigious IT consulting firm supporting financial institutions in the Wall Street area. David’s specialties include Cloud Technology, Network Design, Cyber Security and Compliance Auditing.
Ryan Segal
Vice President, Property Management
Mr. Segal joined Acadia Realty Trust in August of 2011, opening the Chicago Regional Office. Mr. Segal’s responsibilities include property management oversight of assets located in the Midwest, South and West Coasts. Mr. Segal graduated from DePaul University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, is a Licensed Real Estate Broker and member of the Chicago Association of Realtors, is a Certified Shopping Center Manager and Certified Retail Real Estate Professional by the International Council of Shopping Centers (CSM, CRRP) as well as serves as Commissioner and Chair of the State Street Commission (City of Chicago, SSA #1.)
Samantha Stapleton
Vice President, Asset Management
Samantha Stapleton joined Acadia Realty Trust in June of 2014. Ms. Stapleton initially joined the Development Team, working on value-add projects across the portfolio. In 2023, she transitioned to the Asset Management Department where she is now responsible for leading the Asset Management Team and overseeing the Core and Investment Management portfolios. Prior to joining Acadia, Samantha earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis.
Tulani Thaw, Esq.
Vice President, Assistant General Counsel
Tulani Thaw advises the Company on a variety of legal matters, with a focus on matters related to the Company’s core and investment management transactional activity. Prior to joining Acadia in 2015, Ms. Thaw was an Associate at the law firm of Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. Ms. Thaw received her A.B. from Brown University and her J.D. from New York University School of Law, where she was a Notes Editor for the New York University Law Review.
Lesley Valente
Vice President, Human Resources
Ms. Valente joined Acadia in February 2020 and oversees the Company’s human resources operations and drives its Human Capital Plan. Ms. Valente also sits on the Company’s internal ESG and diversity, equity and inclusion committees. Ms. Valente has over 15 years of human resources experience in diverse industries and obtained her PHR certification in 2012. Ms. Valente is a graduate of the University of Scranton with a Bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in business and has a master’s degree from Pace University.
Karen Yamrus
Asst. Vice President, Senior Paralegal
Ms. Yamrus has been a member of the Acadia legal team since its inception in 1998 and has over 35 years of experience in the real estate industry. She concentrates her efforts in the commercial real estate area in negotiating, drafting and documenting retail, residential and electric vehicle charging station lease agreements and related legal contracts, as well as the legal leasing aspect of due diligence in the acquisition and disposition of commercial properties. Prior to joining Acadia, Ms. Yamrus worked for Mark Centers Trust as Senior Paralegal from 1987 to 1998. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree and Legal Assistant Certification from King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA.
