Erica Alexis is a Principal for Dennis Holdings Inc., an asset management company that acquires, develops and manages commercial and residential real estate in the US.
Prior to becoming a developer, Erica managed Data Operations and Strategy for a real estate technology start up brokerage, where she gathered knowledge in aggregating real estate data, and implementing policies and procedures to operate in compliance of National Association of Realtors standards. She also worked as a project manager for a general contractor in Los Angeles. Erica recently formed a commercial real estate development partnership that focuses on new construction and rehabilitation projects in urban communities.
Erica graduated from UCLA, with a Bachelors of Arts in Sociology, she later earned a certificate in Hotel Revenue Management from Cornell University and became a licensed commercial associate of Coldwell Banker Commercial. Upon completion of the Ross Minority Program in Real Estate, Erica’s increased knowledge base in real estate finance will allow her to creatively structure development projects that benefit urban communities, on multiple levels: job creation/training; affordable housing; increased retail in economic deserts utilizing green technology. Erica Alexis currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
Anastacio Castillo III is a Project Manager with the San Diego Unified School District since 2014. He oversees as well as manages the Design & Construction for School Modernization Projects within the City of San Diego. Prior to working at the School District, Anastacio worked as a Development Project Manager for the Jacobs Center for Innovation for 6 years. During that time he worked closely on the Physical Redevelopment of Southeast San Diego’s Diamond Neighborhoods, also known as Market Creek. Here he gathered a deep understanding of Urban Planning & Development to increase the livability and quality of life in the community. Anastacio especially takes pride in this piece work since he grew up in the neighborhood and has been an integral part of the development as an industry professional.
Anastacio began his career studying Civil Engineering with an emphasis in Construction Management at San Diego State University. He also took courses including Architecture Design, Small Business Investing, and Real Estate Sales. He has continued his education and training in many areas related to Land Development, Environmental Planning, & Real Estate Investing. Currently Anastacio is working to obtain his Real Estate License.
Anastacio’s short term goal is to complete the USC Ross Minority Program in Real Estate and establish a pathway for success within the real estate industry. In the near future he plans to continue to be involved within Urban Community projects and form a business in Urban Real Estate Development with a focus on sustainability.
Chelsea Coleman graduated from The University of Virginia in 2008 with a joint degree in gender studies and Italian. She has been working as a chef and farmer for the past eight years and currently co-owns an organically-minded wine bar in the South Park neighborhood of San Diego. Along the way, she has sold organic ice cream sandwiches out of a pushcart as the "Cream Queenz", incorporated a restaurant-to-farm composting company called "Closing The Loop" and Chaired the San Diego chapter of Slow Food for two years. Her interest in emergent community development and real estate comes from her experience working in restaurants that were harbingers of neighborhood development and her sincerely held belief that development with access to good food in mind can transform communities for the better.
Tanner Cronenbold is a Realtor for John Aaroe Group who has actively been involved in real estate for over 10 years and has been licensed for 6 of those years by the Bureau of Real Estate. Tanner brings a multi-faceted approach to the real estate world having physically worked on multiple construction projects such as Hangar 25, the world’s first and only LEED Platinum Certified aviation facility, which is the highest environmentally friendly rating given by the U.S. Green Building Council. Not only has he been a part of projects such as the 60,000 square foot airplane hangar, he has also worked on the title and escrow side for Lawyers Title, giving him an understanding on all moving parts of the business. Tanner’s technology skills are unmatched having been the director of business development for Homestack, a real estate application that can be found and downloaded in Apple’s iTunes App Store as well as Android’s Google Play Store. He proudly joins USC’s Ross Minority Program in Real Estate with expectations to one day acquire the knowledge and expertise to eventually become a real estate developer himself.
Jennifer Dunbar is the head of Sales for the Western Division at Nestle Waters. She leads a sales team in the overall development of strategy and go-to market execution in the B2B channel. Jennifer has spent the last 20 years growing brands and market share in the consumer products industry with behemoths Pepsi and Kellogg’s all while deepening her knowledge of how to manage a P&L.
Jennifer has always had a passion for real estate and has cut her teeth in the residential market buying, rehabbing and selling single-family homes. She has also worked as a general contractor on residential development project and is seeking to bridge these experiences as a pathway to multi-family development in the greater Los Angeles area. Jennifer is elated to be a part of the USC Ross Program in Real Estate and is keen to gain the critical finance knowledge and skills to support her evolution to Real Estate Developer.
Jennifer graduated from the University of Southern California with a B.S in Public Policy. She is a very active member of her community and currently serves as a Board member of LA Pride/Christopher Street West organization.
J’ean Christopher Eason is a Real Estate Broker for Main Source Real Estate (MSRE), a boutique firm that J’ean created based in Oakland. MSRE’s focuses on both Commercial and Residential with an emphasis on Value add properties. Prior to MSRE, J’ean worked for a couple of Independent Real Estate Brokerages. J’ean also worked as a Case Mentor for The Mentoring Center in Oakland, CA. that provides services for both at risk youth and adults.
J’ean got started in Real Estate by accident. After originally purchasing vacant parcel in Oakland, with the intent to build a Recording Studio, J’ean took on the challenge to develop the parcel into a seven (7) unit Condominium project. He considers this experience as the primary factor in why he is still in the business. After receiving Entitlements and Approved CD’s for the project the Economy tanked, and he was not able to secure the financing for the project. This experience led J’ean to return to school to learn the fundaments for Real Estate and finish the requirements for a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies/Socio Economic Development from Cal State East Bay. He soon after received a Masters Degree, Constructive Urban Development, with the intent to eventually open up his own Real Estate firm.
J’ean is excited about attending the Ross Minority Program in Real Estate to learn what the Pro’s do and continue on with his goal of participating in the Redevelopment in his hometown of Oakland, CA.
An associate member of the American Institute of Architects, Neo Garibay -as he is known by his colleagues- leads design and marketing at David Mi & Partners, a real estate development firm.
As an integral part of the development team, Neo is deeply involved in every aspect of real estate development. From site selection to demographics, land acquisition, entitlements, finance, and investor relations. Prior to joining David Mi & Partners, Neo's experience includes construction of luxury single-family homes in Los Angeles, and commercial construction and design in the San Francisco Bay Area. Neo received his Bachelor of Architecture from the Southern California Institute of Architecture and is in the process of earning his architectural license with the California Architects Board.
Always goal oriented and a seeker of innovative solutions, Neo's passion balances design with the socio-economics that fuel real estate in California. Neo extends his skills by engaging in design projects to increase property value and life-quality on his spare time, as well as investment opportunities and philanthropy. He proudly joins the Ross Minority Program in Real Estate with expectations to significantly contribute to emerging communities and developers.
Deba Harper is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CHAMP Community Foundation, Inc. The CHAMP mission is to house homeless and at risk youth, ages 18 to 25, in healing homes where supportive intervention methods can change the trajectory of at risk youth toward productive adulthood. Developing supportive housing creates safe havens as platforms for personal development, which encourages stakeholder participation to transform communities from distress to success…One ‘Common-Unity’ at a Time.
Innovative solutions are required to close the gap on affordable housing. Deba is no stranger to pioneering innovative approaches to solving complex problems. Prior to engaging the efforts to end homelessness, she worked with various multinational corporations as a specialist advancing digital technology. She integrated systems and teams to improve efficacy in producing goods and services. Deba was a key contributor on the Warner Brother Home Video development team that launched the DVD industry. She uses her analytical insight to created practical solutions for improving the human condition.
As the Chairperson of the Antelope Valley Alliance to End Homelessness (AVAEH), she lead community volunteers to conduct the regional demographic survey for the national 2013 100K Homes Registry Week. Using the primary data gathered she wrote a literary review, “Los Angeles Homeless and Ethnic Disparities.” The quantitative data analysis of the study identified key factors contributing to long term homelessness. As a Project Manager contracted by Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority (LAHSA), she led the 2016 Unsheltered Homeless Demographic Survey for Antelope Valley. The results of both surveys indicate that in order to reduce the growing homelessness in Los Angeles County, it is imperative to expand the development of supportive and affordable housing solutions.
Deba Harper is eager to attend the USC Ross Minority Program to become a certified contributor to community and housing developments in low-income urban/rural communities. As a 2016 graduate from California State University Northridge with a B.A. in Liberal Studies Interdisciplinary in Art and Urban Planning, she is on course to be a licensed real estate agent and to pursue a Masters degree in Urban Planning. Deba explains her motivation and commitment to ending homelessness, “I have looked in the face of homelessness, and there for the grace of God goes I.” The measure of a strong sustainable community is how we care for the weakest and most vulnerable among us, our youth.
Ricardo Hernandez is a Program Specialist with the Los Angeles County Housing Authority since 2015. He oversees as well as manages the profiles for a large group of homeless and low income families within the County of Los Angeles. Prior to working at the Housing Authority, Ricardo worked as a Fraud Analyst for East West Bank Corp and previous to that as a Customer Service Representative. During that time he gathered a deep understanding of both personal and corporate finance which he used to better serve his clients through the institution.
Ricardo began his career as he began his studies at a local community college where he further focused his interest in Finance and Business. He took courses in Accounting, Business Law, Personal Finance as well as Real Estate. He transferred to the University of Phoenix where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He further continued his studies at UCLA where he earned a Green Belt Six Sigma Certification. Currently Ricardo is completing a Project Management Certification at Cal State Fullerton as well as completed his Real Estate Salesperson educational requirements.
Ricardo’s short term goal is to complete the USC Ross Minority Program in Real Estate as well as earn his real estate license. Perhaps in the future he plans on earning a Master’s in Real Estate Development, become a Project Manager and launch his own Real Estate Development firm focused on Minority centered Communities.
Jason brings close to a decade of finance and banking experience, worked in banking management, investment, as well as NSAD registered Program Manager dually-employed by a publicly-traded bank and a premium financial institute in the United States. Moving beyond the finance world Jason’s early entrepreneurial involvements include fund-raising for startup companies, business ownership, and his role as Business Director in a $40M private equity funded EV venture in China. An entrepreneur at heart, Jason founded BTMA Investment Consulting that led many large and small foreign investments into the United States that included acquisition of corporations and real estate. Jason now leads BT Corporate Development Center, with it’s own investment and incubator arms set up in Shanghai China. With his multi-cultural business background, he also oversees real estate investments with foreign capital partners here in Southern California.
Jason graduated from the University of Southern California, with a B.A. in Economics, and received his MBA from the California State University, Los Angeles with a degree in Entrepreneurship. He also currently serves on the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Economic Development in the city of El Monte.