MSRED Advisory Board

Joshua M. Atlas, Esq.
Chief Legal Officer, Kaufman Lynn Construction

Joshua M. Atlas, Esq. brings over 15 years of legal and construction experience and serves as KL’s chief legal officer responsible for the company’s legal affairs in both Florida and North Carolina.

Atlas, who is Board Certified in Construction Law by the Florida Bar, was most recently a partner in the West Palm Beach office of Saul, Ewing, Arnstein & Lehr, LLP, and served as the Vice Chair of the firm’s Construction Practice Group. Throughout his career, Atlas has represented contractors and developers in both litigation and transactional matters, including trying construction claims in state and federal court and negotiating complex construction and design agreements for residential and commercial projects. Atlas received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Florida and a Juris Doctor from Tulane University Law School.

 

 

Jeff Burns
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Affiliated Development

Jeff Burns is the Founder and CEO of Affiliated Development, a real estate development company headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Mr. Burns has more than 15 years of experience in the acquisition, development and finance of a wide array of property types in markets across the United States. With an extensive background and longstanding relationships, Mr. Burns has a proven track record to see real estate opportunities from conception through to reality.

Burns has been involved in the development of over 2.5 million square feet of commercial and residential real estate with a combined cost of a half a billion dollars. Included in that is over 1,600 residential apartment units that serve a wide variation of tenants, from luxury market-rate occupants to low-income housing residents. Every project has been a public-private partnership and has incorporated a substantial public finance component, such as Tax Increment Financing (TIF), Tax Improvement District financing (TID), Neighborhood Improvement District financing (NID), Community Redevelopment Agency financing (CRA), Special Assessment financing, Tax Exempt Bonds, Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), Department of Housing & Urban Development financing (HUD), and local government general revenue bonds.

A Kansas City native, Burns got his start in the real estate industry as a commercial real estate lender with a role of project origination for BB Syndication Services, Inc., a national syndicate lender out of Wisconsin, where he originated, underwrote and funded construction loans for development projects across the country ranging in size from $11 million to $200 million in total cost.

In 2006, Burns left his role as a lender to partner on a development project named The Moderne, a 30-story high-rise residential tower located in downtown Milwaukee. Burns and his partners successfully closed on the financing of the $65 million project during the height of the US financial crisis in 2010 by utilizing local and federal government funding programs. The partnership completed The Moderne in 2012 and went on to develop other projects utilizing similar financing strategies.

Burns moved his family to Fort Lauderdale in 2010 and eventually shifted the company’s development focus to South Florida by partnering with Boston Capital to develop a 90-unit affordable housing project in downtown Miami, FL. He teamed with South Florida native, Nick Rojo, to expand Affiliated Development’s presence in Florida. As a result of the partnership, Affiliated Development has gone on to undertake numerous mixed-use multifamily projects in various Florida markets and has earned a reputation as one of South Florida’s most dynamic and impactful development firms.

Burns graduated from the University of Missouri Business School. He is actively involved in a number of local boards and charities and spends his free time with his wife and three daughters.

 

Alfonso Costa Jr., J.D.
Chief Operating Officer, Falcone Group LLC

Alfonso Costa Jr. serves as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Falcone Group, where he is responsible for overseeing the development of multi-family rental apartment communities and for-sale condominium projects, leading public-private partnership (P3) opportunities, and executing operational and strategic initiatives for the company.

Costa previously served in the Federal Government as Deputy Chief of Staff & Opportunity Zones lead for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A former 5th-grade teacher as a Teach for America (TFA) corps member, Mr. Costa is now an active social advocate through philanthropic & academic volunteer efforts on both the local and national levels.

In his home state of Florida, Costa is the Program Chair of ULI Florida’s Affordable & Workforce Housing Council (AWHC), Housing Affordability Committee Chair for SE Florida/Caribbean ULI Chapter, In Jacobs Shoes board member, and recent City of West Palm Beach Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) member.

Nationally, he serves as a board member of the Harvard Alumni Real Estate Board, National Housing Crisis Task Force, Housing Advisory Council of the Bipartisan Policy Center, Home Builders Institute (HBI), and Full Member of ULI.

Costa earned his law degree (JD) from Harvard University, master's degree (MSc) from the University of Oxford (United Kingdom), and bachelor's degree (BA) from Yale University. At Yale, he played both Division-I basketball and Division-I lacrosse.

 

Gloria Fernandez
Chief Operating Officer, HB Capital

Gloria Fernandez is Chief Operating Officer for HB Capital, a privately-held real estate owner, investor, and developer based in Miami, Florida. The firm focuses on the acquisition, asset management, and development of value-add real estate assets in primary and secondary markets in various markets throughout the United States. The company is involved, ranging from passive investment to active management, in various asset types (self-storage, hospitality, retail, multi-family, office, and small bay warehouse).

Previously Fernandez served in various capacities at South Florida based commercial real estate firms. She was Managing Director of Asset Management for Elion Partners, a real estate investment firm headquartered in Aventura, Florida. Elion provides real estate equity for best-in-class developers and experienced operators in various strategic markets throughout the United States.

Fernandez also served as Senior Vice President of Acquisitions and Finance at Ross Realty Investments, a commercial real estate developer and owner. In that role, she was active in the management, acquisitions, financial, and development operations of the company.

Prior to Ross Realty Investments, she was at Swerdlow Real Estate Group in a financial capacity. During her tenure, she was part of the team that established a private Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT).

Fernandez earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Miami. She is a former Trustee of Broward College and current member of the Broward College Foundation, and past board chair for Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory School. She is an ICSC (International Council of Shopping Centers) member and is licensed by the State of Florida as a Real Estate Broker. 

 

Evans Gedeon
Chief Financial Officer, Neucor Construction

Evans Gedeon is Chief Financial Officer of Neucor Construction. In his role he oversees accounting and finance. He also participates in the development, operations and structuring of finance for commercial real estate investment opportunities for the company.

His experience includes acquisitions, development, operations and commercial real estate lending. Evans has worked for the most highly regarded real companies as an executive. The companies that Evans has worked for include Codina Partners, Trez Capital, Altman Companies and Procacci Development.

During his 12+ year career, Evans has successfully participated in projects totaling over $1 billion dollars with various complexities and capital structures. Evans holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Florida Atlantic University. He also holds a master’s degree in real estate development from Nova Southeastern University.

 

 

Kona A. Gray
FASLA Principal, EDSA

Strong leadership and a sense of integrity are part of Gray’s DNA. As a firm leader with 30 years of experience in 30+ countries, his global design and management sense has positively shaped many environments. Gray envisions welcoming places that promote community and vitality in diverse neighborhoods around the world. Blending sensitivity, regional resources, and innovative design solutions, he unites a client’s vision with his own vanguard designs to produce invigorating environments with emotional purpose and presence.

A Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), Gray currently serves as ASLA President Elect. He recently served as the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board ASLA Representative. Gray is a Past President of the Landscape Architecture Foundation and active Urban Land Institute member. He serves on the University of Miami Architecture School and Nova Southeastern University Business School Real Estate Advisory Boards, as well as Virginia Tech Landscape Architecture and University of Georgia School of Environment + Design Advisory Councils. He is a registered Landscape Architect holding a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia and Commercial Real Estate Certificate from Cornell University.

At EDSA, Gray’s award-winning projects are inspired by a passion for creative design solutions that solve meaningful global issues. His portfolio ranges in multiple scales with emphasis on communities, parks, hospitality, urban public realms, mixed-use destinations, health care, and campus spaces. With an uncompromising dedication to quality, he consistently takes into consideration important factors like community, heritage, environment, and the constant pursuit of improving humanity through Landscape Architecture.

 

Steven Guasch
Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Defined Companies

Steven Guasch is a Co-Founder and Principal of Defined Companies. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Defined Companies is a full-service real estate investment company focusing on residential real estate development in South and West Florida.

Throughout his career, Guasch has managed over $400 million of capital investment into real estate projects, and has been responsible for managing the financial feasibility, entitlement, design, acquisition, construction, and disposition of multiple apartment developments across South Florida, Orlando, and Texas. His role ensures projects stay on schedule, on budget, and exceed investor expectations.

Guasch received his B.A. at Florida Atlantic University, where he majored in both Finance and International Business & Trade, graduating Cum Laude. Steven also holds a Master of Science in Real Estate Development (MSRED) from Nova Southeastern University where he was inducted into the International Honor Society, Sigma Beta Delta.

During his experience at NSU, Guasch met his business partner, Noah Leon, and received mentorship from Terry Stiles, who posthumously bestowed his mentorship role to Harry Posin. Guasch has been contributing and giving back to NSU since 2017 by being an active MSRED Advisory Board member and providing mentorship to students, both in the classroom, and in the field.

 

Erin Ladd
Director of Planning & Development, Brizaga, Inc.

Erin Ladd is the Director of Planning & Development at Brizaga, bringing her significant planning experience to the team and leading the growth of Brizaga’s resilient and sustainable development practice.

Her strong urban planning and real estate development background is highly sought after by landowners, investors, design teams, and communities in facing the challenges of the overall real estate development process – bringing these skills to the resilience and sustainability space.

Her prior project experience includes leading multi-disciplinary teams and clients through the technical aspects of design, entitlements, pro-forma modeling, construction management, contract negotiation, and community outreach for projects ranging from $3 million to $200+ million across all asset classes, including large-scale commercial, lifestyle mixed-use, vertical multi-family, hospitality, and industrial development projects. She has successfully received approvals for well over one million square feet of entitlements and counting. Erin previously worked for multi-disciplinary engineering, architecture, and development firms.

Ladd holds a Master of Science in Real Estate Development (MSRED) from Nova Southeastern University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Florida Atlantic University.

She is involved with the community and serves in appointed positions with the Management Committee for the Urban Land Institute’s Southeast Florida/Caribbean District and the Advisory Board for Nova Southeastern University’s MSRED program. She is also active with the Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce’s Real Estate & Construction Committee and the American Planning Association.

 

Dhaima Lindo
International Real Estate Developer, Zenith Investment Group

Facilitating real estate business sales valued at over $100 million and over 20 years of experience, Dhaima Lindo managed Fort Lauderdale-based Southeast Business Partners before launching her own firm, Zenith Realty Group. Since 2017, her investment firm Zenith Investment Group has acquired more than a dozen extraordinary projects across the US and internationally, building over 1,500 properties. Their current projects total $698 million in gross sales and $408 million in profits.

As a marketing professional, Lindo secured and managed campaigns for clients including Starbucks, Checkers, and the Miami Heat. Her experience in both sales and marketing is what makes the difference in getting the best outcome for her clients. She founded Credit Chess, which bridges the gap to get funding and improve business credit.

Business partners and clients say she has an outstanding “make it happen” reputation and describe Lindo as a strong communicator, negotiator. and problem solver. She is now a member of the Advisory Board at Nova Southeastern University's (M.S.R.E.D.) Program.

 

 

 

Jason Morjain
Principal, Dragonfly Investments

Prior to his work with Dragonfly Investments, Morjain worked with Beacon Investment Properties. During his 5-year tenure, he became the Acquisitions Manager where he spearheaded the purchase of more than 3 million square feet of office buildings across the country. He then took over as the asset manager of all Florida properties in Beacon’s portfolio.

Prior to his work with Beacon Investment Properties, he was a mortgage broker with City First Mortgage and an assistant property manager for Rok Enterprises. Morjain holds a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from the University of Maryland. He also holds a Florida Real Estate license and a Florida Mortgage Broker License.

 

 

 

 

Glen Mowatt
Co-Owner, Up, Up & Away ABA Therapy LLC

Glen Mowatt is the co-owner of Up, Up & Away ABA Therapy, a behavioral consulting agency that provides in-home & clinic-based applied behavior analysis (ABA) services for young children (15 months to 10 years of age) on the autism spectrum and related disabilities.

Before Up, Up & Away ABA Therapy, Mowatt was the Director of Acquisitions for Altis Cardinal LLC, a full-service real estate investment, development, and management firm based in Miami, Florida with $1.4+ billion in real estate assets. At Altis Cardinal LLC, he played a vital role in the acquisition, development, asset management, and disposition of the Altis Cardinal real estate portfolio. Mowatt's acquisition responsibilities were to perform financial analyses, prepare debt/equity memorandums, oversee the due diligence process, and assist in the closing of potential development and acquisition opportunities. He was also responsible for working with property managers, leasing brokers, and lenders to maximize returns for the portfolio.

Prior to joining Altis Cardinal, Mowatt was the Director of Acquisitions for TMSA Florida, a Canadian-based real estate private equity fund. In this role, he was responsible for sourcing and evaluating new real estate investment opportunities in the Florida market providing market research analyses, investment underwriting, and performing due diligence and asset management of the company's portfolio.

Prior to joining TMSA Florida, Mowatt worked as a senior analyst and market consultant at Integra Realty Resources. In this role, he provided research, analysis, and reporting to real estate investors and developers of various property types on market trends, opportunities, marketability of development projects. His experience includes assessing the market drivers, economic and demographic trends, supply and demand, and financial feasibility in South Florida. Other responsibilities involved conducting feasibility analyses and providing litigation support for a variety of clients and property types.

Mowatt earned a bachelor's degree in Real Estate from Florida State University and a master's degree in Real Estate Development from Nova Southeastern University. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), a member of the Economic Roundtable for the Miami-Dade Beacon Council, and has been appointed to serve as co-chair of the NSU MSRED Alumni Association.

 

Evgeny Munkov, CFA
Director of Investments, BBX Capital

Evgeny Munkov is the director of investments at BBX Capital, where he is responsible for the full lifecycle of investments across various asset classes throughout complex multiparty capital stacks and diverse investment configurations. Having held U.S.-based and international positions with BBX Capital, Walker & Dunlop, Societe Generale, and Uralsib, he is a seasoned investment specialist with 15+ years of domestic and international experience in investments, finance, and real estate, with a particular focus on mid-/large-scale investments in commercial real estate.

Munkov’s memberships, alumni, and volunteer organizations include CFA Institute (Board Member/Executive Treasurer/Programming and Events Co-Chair of the Miami Chapter), NAIOP, Urban Land Institute (Executive Committee member of YLG, alumni of Leadership Institute), Miami Finance Forum, ALPFA (co-founder of the NSU chapter and past president), Economics and Finance Association at Nova Southeastern University (founder and past president), Strategic Forum, and CRE Finance Council. Additionally, he is a Board Member at Canine Assisted Therapy, Inc., and a Board Member/Finance Committee member at Leadership Broward Foundation (as well as LB Class XLI Alumni).

Munkov is bilingual in English and Russian and has earned a CFA Charter, an MS in International Economics from South Ural State University, and an MBA in Finance/International Business from Nova Southeastern University.

 

Debbie Orshefsky, J.D.
Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig, and Partner, Holland & Knight

Debbie M. Orshefsky is a shareholder in Greenberg Traurig and a partner with Holland & Knight, operating out of offices in Fort Lauderdale and Washington, D.C. She practices in the areas of land development and environmental law with specific experience in planning, infrastructure planning, and financing, zoning, subdivision controls, and community redevelopment, as well as state, regional, and local roles in land use decision-making.

Orshefsky has represented private developers and government agencies as special counsel and has intimate knowledge of the land use planning process. In addition, she is a frequent speaker at state and national seminars on the land development process, as well as infrastructure planning and funding.

 

 

Harry Posin
Founder and President, Label & Co. Developments, Inc.

Harry L. Posin is the Founder and President of Label & Co. Developments, Inc. Prior to forming Label & Co., Posin served as President and Executive Vice President of Minto Communities, one of Florida’s largest private builders. He was also on the Canadian-based parent company’s Board of Directors.

Posin’s vision has been responsible for the development and building of over 20,000 units in every imaginable residential format including large-scale master-planned communities, single family, townhome, garden, mid-rise, and high-rise apartments.

Posin served on the Board of Directors for The Altman Company and is also on the Advisory Board of the Terry Stiles School of Real Estate at Nova Southeastern University. He was also Co-chair of American Friends of Ariel for 20 years.

 

 

Andrew Remick
Principal, Highline Real Estate Capital

Andrew Remick is a Principal at Highline Real Estate Capital which is a Florida based, value-focused real estate investment company that acquires and operates office and retail properties throughout the Southeast. Remick is responsible for acquisitions and asset management of properties owned by Highline and its Joint Venture partners. In this role he formulates and executes Highline's strategic initiatives including sourcing, underwriting, capital market activities, dispositions, and asset management. Remick has executed on more than $350,000,000 of acquisitions, representing more than 1.6 million square feet of office and retail assets during his career.

Prior to joining Highline, Remick was Senior Vice President of Acquisitions and Asset Management at Continental Real Estate Companies (CREC) where he focused on sourcing acquisitions and overseeing the asset management of CREC’s portfolio. Remick originally started at CREC in the brokerage department where he supported CREC’s third party brokerage department, specializing in multifamily and land. During this tenure he worked with the firm’s clients including Lubert Adler Real Estate Funds, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, 13th Floor, Melo Development, and Bank United among others, and closed on more than $375 million of brokerage and financing assignments.

Remick holds a Bachelor of Science in Business with a concentration of Finance from St. John’s University, and a Master of Science in Real Estate Development (MSRED) from Nova Southeastern University.

 

Kenneth Stiles
Chief Executive Officer, Stiles Corporation

Kenneth Stiles took the helm as CEO of Stiles Corporation in 2017 as Terry Stiles transitioned to Chairman. The move followed the company’s long-established leadership succession plan that paved the road for its long-term growth and sustainability. Prior to becoming CEO, Ken served for two years as Co-CEO with Terry.

As CEO, Stiles serves on the company's board of directors, executive committee, investment review committee, and business development committee. As part of his chief responsibilities, he manages the company's ongoing communication with financial services partners and works directly with the investment team to identify new business opportunities. As a board member, he works closely with the family and fellow members in the development and implementation of the company's 50-year sustainability and growth plans. In addition, he oversees the Stiles family office.

Stiles' passion for real estate began at an early age through years of watching his father Terry build the corporation from only two employees in 1951 to more than 300 today. With a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Elon University in North Carolina, Stiles began his career as an assistant development manager gaining experience on many of Stiles' most prominent office projects, including Lake Shore Plaza I in Sunrise. After advancing through several projects, he then shifted his focus toward the financial services and investments division.

An active participant in local charity, Stiles is Board Chair of the Museum of Discovery and Science and serves as an advisory board member of the NSU School of Real Estate. He is a graduate of the Leadership Broward Class XXXI and maintains an extensive history of involvement with the Broward Alliance and Young Presidents Organization, amongst others.

Stiles is a native of Fort Lauderdale and currently resides in the Las Olas area with his wife Brittany and two sons. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, fishing, and golfing.

 

David Udine
Director of Development, Cymbal DLT Companies

David Udine is a real estate developer and the Director of Development at Cymbal DLT Companies, a leading development and construction firm specializing in mixed-use and multifamily projects across Florida. With more than six years of industry experience, Udine has successfully overseen the development of more than 600,000 square feet of residential and commercial space, including notable projects such as Oasis Pointe Residences and Laguna Gardens. In addition to his development responsibilities, he leads new acquisitions for Cymbal DLT, sourcing new projects for the company.

Udine has been at the forefront of the Raintree Riverwalk Residences project, which involves the development of two high-rise towers comprising 680 multifamily units. He played an instrumental role in securing entitlements for this ambitious project. Udine is overseeing both the entitlement and design processes for the Nautica Hotel and Residences, a branded landmark development featuring three high-rise towers. This project includes 360 multifamily units, 200 condominium units, a 119-key hotel, and a state-of-the-art marina for 72 yachts beneath the condominium tower.

Udine holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Florida and an MBA in real estate from the University of Miami Herbert Business School. Beyond his professional accomplishments, he is deeply involved in education, frequently serving as a guest lecturer at various universities and mentoring young professionals entering the field. His passion for cultivating future leaders in real estate led him to join the Terry W. Stiles School of Real Estate Development at Nova Southeastern University, where he provides strategic guidance on curriculum development and fosters connections between students and industry professionals. Udine's leadership, industry expertise, and commitment to education make him a valuable asset to the college and an inspiring mentor to students aspiring to careers in real estate development.