It’s difficult to narrow this down but I would say that, more than anything, AAPL’s greatest benefit can be found in its ability to bring together like-minded industry professionals. It’s very powerful to encourage discussions amongst members of the private lending industry, and AAPL’s events/resources allow for this tenfold.

I learned about our membership after joining Toorak Capital Partners in 2020 and was encouraged by my co-workers to get involved and make use of our member benefits. The ability to listen to various panel discussions and learn about other experiences has been particularly helpful. The diverse backgrounds of the speakers (both their positions and companies), as well as discussion topics, always encourage problem solving and the expansion of knowledge.

Attending the Annual Conferences. I look forward to all in-person events hosted by AAPL. I’ve found these opportunities to make connections with other members both memorable and impactful. The ability to meet face-to-face and share a meal and personal conversations always leads to stronger relationships. There have been several events where I was able to get together with other credit managers and discuss trends and thoughts on both the direction of the market and performance drivers. These thought-provoking conversations allow me to be more proactive on unknowns that are around the corner.

Back in college, I started out working in construction. While I enjoyed the work, I felt as though something was missing and decided to pursue more of a finance angle in my career. When it comes to real estate, I particularly enjoy the fact that it’s based around a tangible asset. When working in finance more generally, it’s easy to lose sight of what is at hand, so the “touch and feel” aspect of real estate has kept me very interested in the space, and I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to blend both in my job at Toorak.

I am proud of my background/specialty in the multi-family real estate space. I enjoy having an integral role in building out better credit parameters for those in the market, as well as providing others, more generally, with a better understanding of the space.

My favorite book is “American Sniper” by former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle. Compared to other war books or military memoirs, American Sniper provides readers with an honest depiction of the brutality of war, and the impact that deployments have on service-people and their families afterwards. I also find the book grounding and humbling, as it provides an opportunity to reflect on and be grateful for the sacrifices made by our country’s service-people.