CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Nafeez Amin is the Chief Operating Officer at Associate Capital and oversees the firm’s day-to-day activities and internal processes. He is terribly excited and humbled to be part of a project as ambitious as Power Station. Nafeez has a diverse professional background that includes institutional financial advisory services (M&A, shareholder proxy fights), academic research on technological innovation, management of a high-net-worth family office, and nearly two decades leading the highest-rated boutique provider of graduate school test preparation. He also co-founded Smart with a Heart, a first of its kind not-for-profit that provides premium educational and admissions services, with hopes of changing for the better the trajectories of military veterans and under-resourced individuals. Nafeez is proud to serve on the board of Wharton Executive Education and to support tortured sports teams with his Labrador retriever and human family. 

PARTNER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, DEVELOPMENT

Tina Chang is a Partner and Managing Director of Development at Associate Capital, where she leads design and master development efforts at the Power Station. In this capacity, she selects and partners with the globe’s most talented and innovative design professionals to deliver world-class, sustainable and intentionally-crafted buildings and open spaces. Prior to Associate Capital, Tina spent nearly a decade in the public sector. She managed large-scale entitlement projects as a Senior Planner with the San Francisco Planning Department, and master-planned US Naval installations in the Middle East and Washington, D.C. region during her time with the US Navy. She earned a Master of City and Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania and B.A. in International Development Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles. Tina served as a commissioner for the San Francisco Board of Appeals and currently serves as Board Chair of the Homeless Prenatal Program, a nationally-recognized family resource center that empowers women and families by facilitating housing security, healthy babies and economic sustainability. She lives in San Francisco with her family.

CSA PROJECT MANAGER

Su Hong Chen serves as CSA (Civil, Structural, Architectural) Project Manager for the UCSF cancer treatment development at Power Station. She has extensive experience in managing complex life science and higher education projects. She previously worked at Perkins&Will as its San Francisco Science & Technology practice leader. 

In addition to completing the design and entitlement on several speculative life science buildings in the Bay Area, she led the delivery of the UCSF Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry Building (a P3 development like ours) and, most recently, Samuel Merritt University’s 10-story vertical campus at Oakland City Center.  

Su was raised in Brooklyn and witnessed the transformation of its waterfront. She is thrilled to be part of Associate Capital because we have similar ambitions in Dogpatch. Su received her Bachelor of Architecture from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and is a licensed architect. She enjoys biking and the outdoors with her young family.

ASSOCIATE PARTNER

Yvonne Chen is an Associate Partner at Associate Capital. In this role, she brings her 25 years of expertise in Project Controls, CPM Scheduling, Claims Assessment and Document Control to support the construction team and liaise with the finance team during the construction phases of Power Station. Prior to Associate Capital, Yvonne successfully delivered three complex multi-million dollar transit/transportation programs; led the Program Management team on a multi-billion dollar transit program; and was recently a key member of a multi-billion dollar mixed-use development project in downtown San Francisco. Yvonne holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. She lives in the East Bay with her family and loves visiting Disneyland and Disney World.

PARTNER

Steve DeWees is a Partner at Associate Capital and currently leads all horizontal construction efforts at the Power Station while preparing to onboard a team of contractors and consultants as the project heads toward vertical construction. Steve started his career as a carpenter working alongside his grandfather and now has over 40 years of experience on several iconic projects on the West Coast, including the original build at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, both of which he managed start to finish. Collaboration and high ethics are Steve’s foundational values for building successful project teams – and being a part of the team is what he finds most satisfying about his work. Imparting his decades of experience and knowledge, while exploring new ways of building and managing projects, is what makes every project unique and exciting. Steve believes construction is one of the greatest opportunities for challenge and sense of accomplishment and enjoys mentoring the future leaders in industry. Steve lives in Marin with his wife Kelly and their faithful companion Babygirl.

DIRECTOR, DEVELOPMENT & TRANSACTIONS

Andrew DeWitt is a Director at Associate Capital, responsible for all aspects of the development process for the market-rate residential, commercial, and hospitality components of Power Station. He is also responsible for evaluating new acquisition opportunities and supporting the firm’s capital markets activities. Prior to joining Associate Capital, Andrew was an Acquisitions and Development Associate at Crescent Heights, where he focused on the acquisition and entitlement of mixed-use, high-rise developments in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle. Andrew holds a B.S. in Business Administration with concentrations in Law and Real Estate from Boston University.

PROJECT EXECUTIVE

Valentin Doering serves as Project Executive at Associate Capital, overseeing the execution of the inaugural life sciences-focused building within the Power Station. Valentin has honed his expertise in orchestrating the development of life sciences facilities across Europe, Asia and North America. His experience ranges across healthcare facilities, pioneering biotech manufacturing and cutting-edge medical research centers. Valentin's unwavering dedication is rooted in serving the ultimate beneficiary: the patient. He holds a degree in Architecture and resides in Castro Valley with his family.

PARTNER AND CAPITAL MARKETS

Colin Ensley is Partner at Associate Capital and is responsible for the firm’s finance, accounting, and capital markets activities. While his primary focus is Power Station, Colin also serves in this capacity for the balance of Associate Capital’s investment portfolio. Prior to Associate Capital, Colin served as Director of Finance for Catellus Development Corporation, where he oversaw the firm’s debt capital markets function and was principally involved in the development of a 500,000 square foot retail and industrial development in Teterboro, NJ. He has also served as an Associate at W3 Partners and as an Analyst at Broadreach Capital Partners, both private real estate investment platforms. Colin holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from California Polytechnic State University and a Master’s degree in Accounting from the University of Virginia. He is a Board Member of Friends of Jackson Park and lives with his family in the East Bay.

SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER

Kelley Gallese serves as Senior Project Manager on the first life science development at Power Station. Kelley brings 15 years of commercial construction and life science development experience. She enjoys the complexities of large, technical, construction projects and bringing together teams capable of solving challenges and delivering beautiful and functional buildings that serve the goals of the end user. Kelley previously worked at IQHQ and DPR Construction where she managed both core and shell and tenant improvement construction projects supporting various sectors, including healthcare, life science and advanced tech users. She has a degree in Architectural Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. Kelley enjoys volunteering with students to show career opportunities available in the design and construction industry. She lives in San Francisco with her family and enjoys the wind/water/snow sports, food, culture, and natural beauty of the Bay Area.

SITE MANAGER

Anthony "Tony" Grasso is the Site Manager at Associate Capital and has dedicated four decades to the construction industry, working in the trades (welding, carpentry) and in roles serving as project superintendent. He has overseen the construction of highly visible, complex projects, such as bridges, high rises, convention centers and structures at San Francisco International Airport. Before joining the Power Station team, he oversaw the buildout of a mental health and sleep center for the Veterans Administration. A safety savant, Tony holds numerous certifications in risk. Outside of work, Tony cherishes the time he gets to spend with his new granddaughter, his lovely wife and their rescue dog Mimi at their home in Martinez. He values family, community and the satisfaction that comes from building successful projects and cultivating relationships.

DIRECTOR, FINANCE

Matt Henderson is the Director of Finance at Associate Capital. In this role, he provides financial analysis on all new acquisitions and development-related activities for the firm. Specifically, he is responsible for managing underwriting, due diligence and capital markets processes for Associate Capital’s investment portfolio, including the Power Station. Previously, he was an Associate at Eastdil Secured, where he was principally responsible for the financial underwriting, due diligence review and transaction execution of major multifamily assets throughout the West Coast. Prior to that, he was an acquisitions analyst focused on evaluating value-add opportunities across the Western U.S. Matt earned his B.S. in Applied Economics & Management with a specialization in Real Estate from Cornell University. He is a Bay Area native and lives in San Francisco with his fiancé.

OPERATIONS INTERN

Arya Kanna is our Operations Intern at Associate Capital, where he brings a dynamic blend of data science and positivity. In his role, Arya supports various departments to optimize day-to-day operations. He works to integrate the latest AI technology into traditional workflows and is assisting in our marketing and multimedia efforts.

Arya is from Dallas, Texas, and is pursuing a B.S. in Industrial Engineering & Operations Research and Data Science at UC Berkeley, where he is involved with consulting organizations, school dance team, and AI Entrepreneurs. His experience already includes projects with Samsung, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and early-stage startups. Outside of work, Arya enjoys college football (Hook 'Em) and Bollywood dance, and he explores how engineering can be leveraged for social good.

MANAGING PARTNER

Enrique Landa is a Managing Partner at Associate Capital and leads the firm’s investing and development efforts. Enrique and the team recently obtained entitlements and commenced construction on Power Station – a 29-acre project with life science, office, residential and hotel uses on the San Francisco Bay. Enrique has spent his career working with family offices to manage large portfolios and develop real estate projects. A fan of complex problems in need of creative solutions, he is especially drawn to rehabilitating historic buildings, buying assets that aren’t for sale and finding innovative ways to finance affordable housing. Along the way, he has been known to fall in love with historic buildings, like the Swedish American Hall, which he helped restore, landmark and place on the National Register of Historic Places. Enrique has degrees from the University of Cambridge and University of Pennsylvania. He is a board member of Meals on Wheels and lives with his family in San Francisco.

ASSOCIATE GENERAL COUNSEL

Kristen Laychus serves as Associate General Counsel at Associate Capital. She is a key member of our transactions team and is the head of our compliance efforts. Previously, she worked in the Office of County Counsel for the County of San Diego where she focused on advising on real estate transactions. Kristen earned a J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law and a B.A. in Government from the University of Virginia.

PROJECT COORDINATOR

Sarah Mae Ledesma is the Project Coordinator for the Power Station - UCSF Clinical and Life Science Building at Associate Capital. Prior to joining the team, she held key roles at Tesla, including Sr. Document Control Specialist and Permit Coordinator within the Engineering and Construction team at the Fremont Factory. In these positions, she played a crucial role in enhancing collaboration by creating novel business operation programs and by developing standards that supported local initiatives at Fremont and global efforts across all of Tesla’s factories.

With over 12 years of experience in construction administration, Sarah has contributed to major infrastructure projects in the Bay Area and beyond, including the BART Extensions (Phases I and II), the Caltrain Electrification Project, and Meta Data Centers. Her expertise is focused on ensuring the successful execution of high-profile, multi-billion-dollar developments.

A proud Bay Area native, Sarah holds a B.A. in American Multicultural Studies from Sonoma State University. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and close friends. She resides in the East Bay with her husband and two young daughters, whom she lovingly calls her “broke besties.”

PROJECT MANAGER

Sara Li is a Project Manager at Associate Capital, where she is responsible for working with design teams, consultants, contractors and stakeholders on design and development projects at Power Station. In particular, she is focused on activation and open space design across the site to transform a former power plant into a dynamic and distinctive waterfront destination. She is drawn to large, complex development sites, having previously worked at HYM Investment Group on redeveloping a 141-acre former horse racing track in Boston. Sara holds master’s degrees in City Planning and Real Estate Development from MIT and an undergraduate degree from Harvard. She enjoys exploring parks and trails around San Francisco with her husband and dog. 

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT

Victor Lo is the Senior Accountant at Associate Capital. He helps manage the accounting for the entire project and acts as a link between the accounting department and other departments. Before transitioning to the development side of real estate, Victor previously served as a Property Accountant for Harvest Properties focusing on commercial real estate. Victor holds a B.S. in Managerial Economics from the University of California, Davis and is a licensed CPA. When not working, you can find Victor rock climbing a couple of blocks away at Dogpatch Boulders or attending a Giants game at Oracle Park.

ASSOCIATE PARTNER AND CONTROLLER

Jeanne Madden is an Associate Partner and the Controller at Associate Capital. Prior to joining Associate Capital, Jeanne served as Vice President and Regional Controller for Boston Properties, where she worked on the Salesforce Tower development project and oversaw the accounting, forecasting and joint venture reporting for the company’s ten million square foot California operating portfolio. Before that, Jeanne oversaw the 303-acre Mission Bay redevelopment project in San Francisco, first as a Vice President at Catellus, then in the same capacity when the project was acquired by Mission Bay Development Group. Jeanne also worked on several other large redevelopment projects during the ten years she spent at Catellus. Jeanne has a BA in Finance from Texas A&M University and lives in Sausalito.   

PROJECT MANAGER

Nora Mansilla is a Project Manager at Associate Capital. She works on the vertical development team and manages the Power Station’s affordable housing program. Her passion for building equitable communities started during her time at MTO Fund, where she worked alongside the founding team to launch their social impact real estate investment product. Before switching to the development side of real estate, Nora managed ground-up construction of office, residential, mixed-use, biotech and hotel properties. Most recently, she managed $80M in taxpayer-funded construction projects on behalf of Castro Valley Unified School District. She also volunteers with 81cents and is an alumni admissions interviewer for her undergraduate alma mater. Nora has an MBA with a Certificate in Public Management and Social Innovation from Stanford University and an AB in Engineering Sciences from Dartmouth College. She loves adventuring with her husband throughout California and can never resist a scenic photo.

CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

Molly Maybrun is the Chief Development Officer at Associate Capital, where she leads master development efforts at Power Station.  In this capacity, she oversees the design, permitting, financing, and implementation of all project infrastructure, serves as Associate Capital’s primary liaison to the project’s diverse stakeholders and regulators, and is charged with overall budget and schedule responsibility for the Power Station buildout. Prior to joining Associate Capital, in addition to a nearly 20-year private sector development career, Molly worked for the cities of New York and Oakland where she led efforts to retain the New York Times in a new headquarters building in its namesake Times Square and to develop a new home for the Oakland Athletics on the San Francisco Bay waterfront.  Molly’s passion for the built environment and attention to detail dates to her earliest development projects – including building a scale model of her childhood home for the family dog – and she has been known to take photos of trash enclosures, ADA ramps, and fire department connections while on vacation.  Molly received her undergraduate education at the University of California, Berkeley, and her masters degree at The Wharton School. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, daughters, and pandemic puppy.

CHIEF OF STAFF

Graham is the Chief of Staff at Associate Capital, focusing on acquisitions and strategy at Associate Capital. Prior to joining the team, he was an early-stage venture capital investor, leading investments in enterprise software and consumer businesses. He previously helped scale NerdWallet’s product organization during its early growth phase and began his career in investment banking at Credit Suisse in New York. He holds an MBA from The Wharton School and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania. He lives in San Francisco with his partner and their dog, Hugo.

PARTNER

Chris Palermo is a Partner at Associate Capital and brings over 35 years of industry experience to the vertical development team at Associate Capital. Before Power Station, Chris spent over a decade at Crescent Heights, where he managed the pre-development and/or construction of over 8,900 luxury residential units in major cities across the US, including over 1,400 residential units in San Francisco. During his career he has delivered Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco, UCSF research labs, the award-winning NEMA Chicago, penitentiary facilities and franchise retail spaces. Chris has a BS in Economics from the Wharton School of Business and is an ardent supporter of the SFFD Toy Program. He has been in the Bay Area since 1985 and lives with his family in Pleasant Hill.

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT/ACCOUNTING

Gabrielle Perez is the Executive Assistant and Accounting at Associate Capital. In this critical function, she ensures the team has the tools necessary to maximize performance and achieve its lofty goals. She oversees office operations, manages human resources processes and supports the Finance team with Accounts Payable. Gabrielle holds an MBA from Dominican University of California and a B.S. in Hotel Management from New York University. She lives in San Francisco.

DIRECTOR, DEVELOPMENT

Paul Roberts is a Director at Associate Capital, focused on the horizontal improvements at Power Station. Prior to Associate Capital, Paul was a Project Manager at Treasure Island Development Group where he oversaw the development of Street Improvement, Stormwater Garden, Pump Station and Water Tank projects on Yerba Buena Island in San Francisco. Before that at Wilson Meany, Paul worked on residential buildings and public spaces at Bay Meadows, a mixed-use development in San Mateo, CA. He also designed seismic retrofits for a variety of building types around California and New Zealand while with Holmes Structures. Paul holds a BS in Architectural Engineering from California Polytechnic State University and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley. He lives in the East Bay with his family and enjoys exploring urban spaces with a cup of coffee in his hand.

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Mike Roumbanis is the Chief Financial Officer at Associate Capital and is responsible for managing the firm’s balance sheet, capital raising initiatives, financial reporting, and developing and implementing strategies to support both growth and long-term financial sustainability. Prior to joining Associate Capital, Mike spent 24 years with Lendlease with executive and financial leadership roles in development, construction, and investment, where he was responsible for raising capital, negotiating complex transactions, mentoring teams, and driving business growth. Mike has an MBA from the London Business School and an undergraduate degree from Arizona State University. He lives in the East Bay and enjoys spending his time outdoors or traveling with his family.

MEP PROJECT MANAGER

Kyle Stangland serves as MEP Project Manager on the inaugural life science and cancer treatment development at Power Station. With a passion for building places of healing, he brings nearly 10 years of healthcare and high-performance building design and construction experience to Power Station. Kyle’s robust experience in design engineering and construction management will inform and ensure the highest technical requirements for this landmark project. His focus on the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing infrastructure — which he refers to as the “organs” of a space — will help the building come to life. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Kyle lives in Marin with his wife and son and enjoys outdoor activities, playing pickleball, and spending time with family.

PROJECT MANAGER

Lizzie Sturr is a Project Manager responsible for the construction and delivery of The Maxwell, the first vertical development at Power Station. Before joining Associate Capital, Lizzie worked at Lendlease and Brookfield Properties. She managed and oversaw the construction of Beaudry, a ground-up, 785-unit, 64-story mixed-use development in Downtown Los Angeles. Her past projects include the design and permitting for Pier 70 and construction management for the TI and retail build-out at 5M. Lizzie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies and Environmental Science from Brown University and a Master's degree from UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design. She is actively involved in the Berkeley Real Estate Alumni Association, a member of the Urban Land Institute, and serves as the president of her co-op board. In her free time not related to real estate, Lizzie enjoys sailing and competed in the sport during college. She resides in Russian Hill with her husband, Nick, and their dog, Monty.

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT

John Tran joins us as Senior Accountant, whereby he will manage reporting processes and perform day-to-day accounting functions across our portfolio.
He comes to us from Oak Wood Ventures, a private firm focused on multifamily assets and where he performed similar functions. John began his career in public accounting at RSM, where he worked in the Assurance practice. He performed audits and other financial engagements for clients in the real estate, financial services, and consumer products sectors.

He holds both a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from the University of Texas at Dallas and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant. Outside of work, John is looking forward to the Cooper Flagg era of Dallas Mavericks basketball, nature walks on the weekends, and the next blockbuster thriller. 

OPERATIONS & MARKETING

Catalina Vargas is the Office Manager and Marketing Coordinator at Associate Capital, with a focus on interior design. In this role, she demonstrates dedication to the refinement of work quality, cultural initiatives, and the best practices to drive effectiveness as a team and community. She implements office procedures and operations while overseeing the team by successfully maintaining administrative and facility duties through strong communication and strategic planning. She is also responsible for curating both internal and public events that create lasting impressions for Power Station.

Additionally, Catalina has designed and executed personalized office design projects, tailoring spaces to enhance functionality and aesthetic appeal. She engages in social media and marketing work to enhance the company's brand and outreach. Prior to Associate Capital, Catalina worked on residential lease-ups in Alameda and San Francisco for Greystar Real Estate Partners, where she helped bring buildings to stabilization as the primary tenant liaison. She also has prior experience in office management, executive support, and recruitment. Catalina holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice from San Francisco State University. She is a Bay Area native who enjoys being a fur mom to Ocean and Ivy, DJ-ing house music, and taking spontaneous trips that create memories to last a lifetime.

SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER

Ivan Walynetz is a Senior Project Manager, currently leading the construction of Power Station's Street Improvement project. Prior to Associate Capital, Ivan was overseeing the development of a multi-billion infrastructure improvement plan for Google's Moffett Park Master Plan project in Sunnyvale, CA. Ivan has led the construction and contract management of several large-scale residential, commercial and industrial development projects across the US, New Zealand and Australia. He has also been involved with design and construction management of some award-winning open space development projects including the Oakley Creek Restoration project in Auckland as well as the Presidio Tunnel Tops project in San Francisco. Ivan holds a Bachelor's degree of Engineering from the University of Auckland and an MBA from Boston University.

ASSOCIATE PROJECT MANAGER

Joe Worley joins us as an Assistant Project Manager, supporting Ivan and Paul in land development initiatives.

He brings experience in large-scale development. Prior to joining Associate Capital, Joe managed over 50 acres of land and utility infrastructure for the Puyallup Tribe in Tacoma, Washington, and led delivery of Block 5 in The Spring District, a 340,000-square-foot shell and core office project for Meta in Bellevue. Only a few years into his career, Joe has already helped deliver over 1.1 million square feet of commercial projects across office, mixed-use, and industrial asset classes.

Originally from Seattle, Joe now lives in Alamo Square. Outside the job site, Joe is an avid golfer, hiker, and reader—especially tomes about the histories of San Francisco and Silicon Valley. Joe is also a talented home cook who makes an impressive lamb tagine. He and his wife spent nearly a year traveling the world together, and they now enjoy discovering new pockets of the city and humbling rounds on SF’s municipal golf courses.