Leadership

Mahbod Nia is Veris Residential’s Chief Executive Officer and has served as a member of the Board of Directors since June 2020. Under Mr. Nia’s leadership, Veris Residential has advanced its strategic transformation to a pure-play multifamily REIT—simplifying and focusing its business, strengthening its balance sheet, and enhancing its operational platform in pursuit of the company’s new strategic direction.

Mr. Nia has over 20 years of real estate industry experience across multifamily and office investment, management, financing and advisory roles. Throughout his career, he has held several leadership roles, successfully executing over $12 billion of multifamily transactions, and led company evolutions that resulted in substantial value creation for investors. Notable transactions include the restructuring of LEG Immobilien GmbH, a 91,000-unit multifamily company acquired by Goldman Sachs managed funds, with a focus on optimizing operations to maximize FFO in preparation for a public listing at a more than ~$6 billion valuation and the ~$6.7 billion financing of Viterra Gruppe and Deutsche Annington Immobilien’s merger, the largest transaction in German history at the time. 

Before joining Veris Residential, Mr. Nia was CEO of NorthStar Realty Europe Corp. (NRE), a NYSE-listed REIT focused on European properties, where he served as a member of NRE’s investment committee and board of directors. During his tenure at NRE, Mr. Nia led the strategic transformation that drove per share NAV growth of over 40% through a series of value enhancing property level and corporate initiatives. These initiatives included a major simplification of the business to focus on Class A office properties in large city centers, a reduction in leverage from 58% to 40% loan to value, significant G&A expense savings, and substantial leasing activity across the portfolio, which culminated in the successful sale of NRE to AXA Investment Managers and the realization of a 16% IRR and 1.5x equity multiple for shareholders.

In parallel, he also served as Managing Director, Head of European Investments of NorthStar Asset Management Group (subsequently Colony Capital), where he worked to establish the company’s European investment platform, rapidly growing it to $2.6 billion in assets under management across nine countries and five asset classes before spinning the platform off to create NRE in 2015.

Previously Mr. Nia held various positions within real estate groups at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup Inc. (formerly Salomon Brothers), where he began his career. 
Mr. Nia holds a degree in Economics for Business from the University of Westminster (UK) and a master’s degree in Economics & Finance from the University of Warwick (UK).

Ms. Lombard serves as chief financial officer. Before joining Veris Residential in 2022, Ms. Lombard served as chief financial officer of publicly-traded REIT Seritage Growth Properties where she was responsible for finance, investor relations, accounting, financial reporting, tax, information technology, and treasury. Prior to that, she was chief accounting officer at Seritage. Earlier she spent more than eight years at Gramercy Property Trust, most recently as chief accounting officer, where she led accounting and reporting aspects for a number of value creating transactions that aided in the company’s transformation from a $300m diversified REIT to an $8bn industrial REIT during her tenure.

Ms. Lombard began her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. She is a C.P.A. and earned a B.A. in Economics from the University of Michigan and a Master in Accounting from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.

Taryn Fielder serves as general counsel and secretary of Veris Residential. Ms. Fielder has significant experience providing legal counsel for capital market transactions, as well as securities, corporate governance, and regulatory compliance matters. She is responsible for corporate governance, supervising outside legal counsel, overseeing risk management, ensuring environmental and legal compliance, the preparation for required disclosure documents, and legal oversight of all Company lease transactions.

Prior to joining the company, Ms. Fielder served as General Counsel at WashREIT, Senior Vice President and General Counsel for ASB Real Estate Investments, and Assistant General Counsel for publicly-traded REIT DiamondRock Hospitality Company. Earlier in her career, she worked in at the Real Estate Group at Hogan Lovells, and practiced corporate and real estate law with Simpson, Thacher and Bartlett LLP. Ms. Fielder earned a BA summa cum laude from Eckerd College and her JD from Harvard Law School.

Anna Malhari serves as chief operating officer. She directly supports the chief executive officer and is responsible for Veris Residential’s operations. Ms. Malhari leads the firm’s ESG efforts and has spearheaded a number of initiatives at the property and corporate levels. Under Ms. Malhari’s leadership, Veris Residential became the first U.S. real estate company to endorse the Climate Group’s EV100 initiative and became a signatory to the UN Global Compact and other initiatives.

Prior to joining Veris Residential in 2021, Ms. Malhari was a vice president at Colony Capital, Inc., where she was responsible for NorthStar Realty Europe’s capital markets activity and was closely involved in the company’s investment and management activities. Prior to this role, Ms. Malhari held various investment positions at NorthStar and Peakside Capital. During her tenure at NorthStar, Ms. Malhari was involved in the company’s ESG disclosure and other sustainability initiatives.

Ms. Malhari holds the AIEMA environmental certification and has a CEMS Master in International Management degree from the Business University in Prague and the University of Cologne.

Jeff Turkanis serves as Chief Investment Officer for the company. Mr. Turkanis’ extensive real estate investment experience includes over $15 billion in transactions concluded primarily across the office and residential sectors. He is the former Head of U.S. Residential at Oxford Properties Group and was focused specifically on the residential sector (predominantly multifamily) for the past 8 years, closing over $4 billion in transactions during this time. Prior to his more than decade-long tenure at Oxford Properties Group, Mr. Turkanis held roles at Putnam Investments and Fortress Investment Group. 

As Chief Investment Officer, he is responsible for overseeing the sale of non-strategic assets, identifying potential value enhancement opportunities within Veris Residential’s existing portfolio, and sourcing potential new investment opportunities. He earned a BBA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MBA, Real Estate from Columbia Business School.

Bob Cappy serves as chief financial officer of Veris Residential. He joined the company in 1992. Mr. Cappy is responsible for financial reporting, including audits and tax returns on Veris’s standing assets, development properties and corporate entities.

Prior to joining the company, Mr. Cappy was regional controller for Lincoln Property Company’s Northeast Region and worked in the audit division of Arthur Anderson.

Mr. Cappy has a degree from Ohio University.

Karen Cusmano serves as Senior Vice President, Head of Sustainability & Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG). In this role, Karen works to continually advance Veris Residential’s recognition as a responsible and sustainability-focused company – with an emphasis on Properties, People and Planet through Embrace by Veris Residential. She collaborates closely with the CEO, COO, and various department heads to expand environmental sustainability initiatives, diversity, equity & inclusion programs, and philanthropy efforts. 

Furthermore, Karen stays apprised of the ever-evolving expectations of corporate responsibility and sustainability among various stakeholders such as shareholders, ESG rating firms, governments and non-government organizations. Internally, Karen acts as Veris Residential’s program liaison with the National Minority Supplier Development Council and is a member of the DE&I Council’s executive committee. Karen also is a founding member of the company’s ESG Committee along with Board members of the company. 

Along with these responsibilities, Karen is responsible for annual assurance audits, annual CSR Report, CDP, GRESB and other reporting submissions, as well as renewable energy plans and employee/supplier engagement.

Ms. Cusmano began her career with Veris Residential in 2001. Prior to joining the company, she was an accounting manager at The Gale Company in Florham Park, New Jersey, asset manager at DRA Advisors Inc., in New York City and financial services auditor at Kenneth Leventhal & Company in New York City.

Ms. Cusmano is a certified public accountant and received her degree of Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the State University of New York at Binghamton.

Jay V. Minchilli serves as Senior Vice President of Operations of Veris Residential. Mr. Minchilli is responsible for overseeing the operations of the residential portfolio.

Most recently, Mr. Minchilli served as Principal and Founder of LSM RE Inc., a manufactured housing portfolio, which was established in 2017. Prior to that, he spent two years at the private equity firm Carmel Partners where he served as Vice President of Asset Management overseeing the Firm’s Northeast portfolio. Prior to joining Carmel Partners, Jay spent 19 years at JP Morgan Investment Management, 13 of which were spent in Real Estate Asset Management executing business plans across property types, primarily focusing on multifamily and mixed-use assets. Jay managed assets across the risk spectrum – from development projects to stabilized assets.

Mr. Minchilli attended Fordham University and went on to obtain an MBA from Iona College. He also completed the Real Estate Certificate program at NYU.

Nicole Jones serves as senior vice president of marketing for Veris Residential. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing marketing for the entire portfolio of multifamily, office, and retail. With more than 18 years of real estate branding and marketing experience – with a focus on multifamily assets – Ms. Jones brings a wealth of knowledge and deep expertise to the team.

Most recently, she spent three years at Brookfield Properties overseeing the marketing of new multifamily developments in the northeast, as well as the office and retail portfolio in NYC, including 660 5th Ave, Lever House, Manhattan West & Brookfield Place. Prior to joining Brookfield, Ms. Jones spent seven years with Forest City, where she was responsible for the marketing of all stabilized assets as well as branding and lease-up of all new developments across the country. Ms. Jones spent the first part of her career with Kettler, developing the brands and marketing strategies for the condo portfolio before moving to the management part of the company.

Ms. Jones has a degree in marketing management and an MBA from Virginia Tech, where she was a 4-year starter for the women’s basketball team.

Susan Epstein serves as senior vice president, legal for the company. She joined Veris in 1997 as director of legal affairs and risk manager. Ms. Epstein works closely with the General Counsel on corporate governance and other corporate matters, and on all acquisition, disposition and financing transactions. She is also the company’s risk manager overseeing Veris’s insurance program.

Prior to joining the company, Ms. Epstein was a senior paralegal in the real estate departments at the law firms of Dreyer and Traub and Pryor Cashman Sherman & Flynn in New York City.

Ms. Epstein received a Bachelor of Science in Paralegal Studies from Saint John’s University, Queens, New York.

Lori Jean Milo serves as Senior Vice President of Human Resources for the company.

Prior to her start at Veris in 2006, Ms. Milo worked as a Human Resources Manager for Liz Claiborne Corporate Retail Division as well as Human Resources Manager for New Jersey and New York Fed Ex Corporate Division

Ms. Milo holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree and Master’s Degree in Education from Seton Hall University.

Brian Primost serves as Senior Vice President of Investments for the company.  He is responsible for managing capital transactions including the acquisition and disposition of the company’s real estate assets.

Prior to joining Veris Residential as an Investment Analyst in 2006, Mr. Primost was involved in entrepreneurial real estate activities, managing real estate assets for trust accounts in a regional bank in Washington, D.C., and analyzing public company financial statements as an equity analyst in a boutique research firm.

Mr. Primost received his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance from American University and completed his Master’s in Real Estate at New York University.

As Senior Vice President of Finance & Investments, Eric Roehnelt manages corporate and project-level analytics for Veris Residential’s multifamily portfolio.  Eric’s responsibilities include identifying and analyzing development, acquisition and disposition opportunities as well as securing debt and equity commitments for new investments. Since joining the company in 2007, Eric has played a key role in the development and acquisition of nearly $3 billion worth of developments and acquisitions representing approximately 6,500 multifamily units. 

Mr. Roehnelt received his B.S. in Economics from Muhlenberg College and M.S. in Real Estate Finance and Investment from New York University.

PJ Lefort serves as Senior Vice President of Operations for Veris Residential.  Mr. Lefort has been with the company for eighteen years and is jointly responsible for overseeing the operations of the residential portfolio.

During his eighteen years at Veris, Mr. Lefort has held various leadership positions within the company and has overseen properties in several states such as Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and Washington, DC.  He gained valuable experience overseeing redevelopment properties, lease-ups, full-scale renovation projects, and repositioning during this time.  Over the years, he has also worked closely with the development team in Massachusetts to assist with pre-development and construction projects from the ground up.

Mr. Lefort received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology along with a minor in Business Management from Montclair State University.  He was also active with the Massachusetts Apartment Association as a member of the Board of Directors for several years, and currently holds a Real Estate Salesperson License in Massachusetts.

Cindy Mai serves as Chief Accounting Officer for the company. Ms. Mai is responsible for directing accounting, financial reporting, and internal controls.

Prior to joining Veris Residential, Ms. Mai served as a senior finance director at CBRE Group, Inc., where she was responsible for accounting and finance for global M&A transactions, as well as group financial reporting and technical accounting. Previously, she spent fourteen years in the real estate assurance practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), most recently as a director, and her clients included public and private REITs, large institutional real estate investment advisors and funds, hotel operators and commercial developers. During her time at PwC, Ms. Mai completed a tour as a director in the National Quality Organization – Accounting Services Group, where she assisted clients with complex topics including leasing, financings, derivatives, as well as various business and accounting issues related to the real estate industry.

Ms. Mai earned an MBA in Finance from Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business, is a Certified Public Accountant both in the US and China and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) designation.