Staff Directory

William Cirino is the Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, William oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents. William has been working with Columbia University for the last 14 years.

Wendy Ortiz is a Leasing Assistant, providing administrative support for the Columbia Residential Leasing team. She distributes faculty housing renewal packages, handles statutory resident succession cases and manages rent stabilized processing. With almost a decade of experience, she is in tune with resident needs and provides a high level of support. Wendy enjoys spending her free time with her husband and two beautiful daughters.

Tom Cyganovich serves as Executive Director of Columbia Residential Operations and oversees all operational aspects of the Columbia University residential portfolio which includes 149 buildings (6.5 million GSF), over 5,700 residential apartments and a team of over 260 employees in total. 

Tom is responsible for the financial performance of the portfolio, property maintenance and resident satisfaction. He determines and ensures that annual budgets for the portfolio are met, that operating plans are effectively and efficiently monitored and that capital improvement projects are accomplished.   

Tom joined Columbia Residential in 2019 and has over 20 years experience working in multifamily residential operations. Working with some of the largest real estate companies in the country, Tom has developed significant strengths in leadership, team building, customer service, operations and financial management.

Taccara Barrier is a Leasing Coordinator with Columbia Residential, focusing on customer service. 

Svetomir Obradovic is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, Svetomir oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

Susan Saar is Manager of OCHA, the Off-Campus Housing office in Columbia Residential. She also oversees faculty subletting for Columbia Residential. Susan has helped numerous affiliates navigate the NYC apartment rental market since 2000. She gives workshops and webinars, provides one-on-one advising, and oversees Columbia Residential's online off-campus housing search database. Susan is a singer of jazz standards who performs with a trio (piano, upright bass, and drums) at nightclubs and private events in NYC and Westchester.

Stefanie Petersen is an Administrative Assistant, providing administrative support to building staff, the Executive Director and Assistant Vice President of Residential for the last 5 years. She is also the lead on projects and training for new staff on her team. Stefanie is featured in a Humans of New York book and used to manage A-list TV Show Creators. 

Sorayda Jermyn is a Residential Services Representative for Columbia Residential. Her attention to detail administering the process of housing agreements, renewals and extensions is highly valued. Possessing a high level of knowledge of system processes, her ability to work with various school and departmental liaisons and over 30 years of dedicated service to the University community has made her an instrumental part of the Residential Leasing team.

Sanjeev Oommen is Project Manager for Residential Construction. Sanjeev has a BS in mechanical engineering, along with years of industry experience managing construction projects with a concentration on MEP systems.

Sandhya Leonard is Associate Project Manager for Residential Construction.

Rohan Kalapnauth is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, Rohan oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

Robert Raspaldo is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team since 2016, Robert oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents. Robert started his career at Columbia as a handyman and soon accomplished one of his goals -- to become a superintendent. Robert enjoys problem solving for his team, his residents in the Columbia community.

Robert Cruz is the Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team for over 14 years, Robert oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

Robert Bowers is Director of Construction for Columbia Residential.

Rocardo Santamaria is a Resident Manager for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team for over 3 years, Ricardo oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

Raymond Cuevas is the Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, Raymond supervises the upkeep of residential and commercial buildings. Raymond is known for his effective communication, strong decision-making skills, leadership and passion for education.

Rachael Lubetkin is Manager of Operations and Customer Service for Columbia Residential. She joins us from Columbia Business School, where she was the Housing Liaison for the last several years. Rachael jumped at the opportunity to join the housing team at Columbia Residential full time, and now manages the day to day of leasing operations. Her role is to develop and implement strategies for fair and efficient processes and to ensure optimal satisfaction with policies, leases, contracts and billing.

Rachael has spent the last 23 years working in Social Services and Education. She loves travel, the arts, making and consuming good food, spending time in the outdoors, podcasts, puzzles and exploring the world with her husband and two sons.

Preyaa Manohar is Administrative Assistant for Residential Services. Preyaa and her team work diligently to ensure a safe, efficient and clean environment for all residents.

Pashko Gojcaj is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, Pashko oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

Nicole Thompson is Director of Asset Management for Columbia Residential. Nicole and her team of administrators and building staff are responsible for the efficient management of 23 buildings that faculty, staff, postdocs and students call home.

With over 27 years of service, Nelson Falcon is Director of Asset Management for Columbia Residential. Nelson and his team of administrators and building staff are responsible for the efficient management of 40 buildings that faculty, staff, postdocs and students call home.

Nathalie Neptune is the Assistant Director of Leasing Operations for Columbia Residential. She has been a proud Columbia community member for over 15 years, both as a student and staff member. Prior to joining Columbia Residential, Nathalie worked in student services for the Department of Political Science. Since joining the team in 2013, Nathalie has established herself as a creative problem-solver and a thoughtful communicator. She has worked diligently and enthusiastically to streamline communications, standardize processes, develop collaborative relationships with University partners, and contribute to what makes Columbia Residential a great place to live and work.

When Nathalie isn’t working, she enjoys being creative in any way she can. She loves cooking and baking, traveling, listening to audio books, watching terrible reality television, and exploring New York City and beyond on her bike.

Narin Sappakit is a project manager for the Faculty and Senior Faculty Residential Construction Department. He primarily oversees interior renovation projects in the University’s faculty residential portfolio and will support other department initiatives as needed. Narin started started working at Columbia in January 2020 and joined us most recently from a design-build development firm in New York City, where he designed and managed high-end residential projects throughout the city. Narin has also worked at various architectural firms such as Gensler, TPG, and IDG designing offices, retail, medical and education projects. Narin is also a licensed architect and real estate broker. During his free time, Narin enjoys spending time with his two kids.

Monica Kuth is the Director of Leasing Services for Columbia Residential. Monica oversees the department's Landlord/Tenant legal matters with outside counsel and manages issues involving the portfolio’s statutory resident population. She and her team provide a wide range of client services - from assistance for at risk or elderly residents and guidance with off-campus housing searches, to trouble shooting of utility disconnects and nuisance complaints. She has worn several hats during her long tenure with the University, but is best known for her work on legal and social service concerns, including management of responses to hoarding and other mental illness issues affecting the Residential portfolio. A long time contributor to Columbia Community Service, she believes strongly in our connection with the greater Morningside Heights community. In her spare time Monica dances with an afro-jazz group and sings in an uptown choir.
 

Mitch Berisha is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, Mitch oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

Mike Vujnovic is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, Mike oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

Miguel Martinez is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, Miguel oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

As the Assistant Manager of Customer Service, Melissa Joyner is responsible for ensuring quality customer service with graduate and undergraduate students, as well as other residents and affiliates. She is primarily involved with counseling students, communicating Columbia Residential policies, and connecting them to the many resources available here at Columbia University.

Matthew Bright is the Superintendent for Columbia Residential. Matthew feels blessed to have the opportunity to work for Columbia University and to be surrounded by peers who are supportive, knowledgeable and dependable. As a working superintendent, you can find Matthew doing anything from changing all types of plumbing parts to make repairs, replacing light fixtures, switches and receptacles, doing locksmith repairs, maintaining the interior and exterior of his buildings, and keeping up a pipe steam system.

On a personal note, Matthew loves music, swimming, fishing, reading a good book, watching movies with his children, and all other outdoor activities. His favorite sports teams are the Baltimore Ravens, the Brooklyn Nets and the Baltimore Orioles. 

Marco A Giraldo is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team for over 28 years, Marco oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

Marco Garcia is a Resident Manager for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team for over 13 years, Marco oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

Marah Arbaje is Portfolio Manager for Columbia Residential. She and her team of administrators and building staff are responsible for the efficient management of 27 buildings that faculty, staff, postdocs and students call home. Marah has been a member of the Columbia community since 1995, with her responsibilities increasing each year. Marah holds a Law degree from Dominican Republic and an Executive Master in Public Administration from Columbia University.

Luis Ribeiro is a Portfolio Manager for Columbia Residential. Luis and his team of administrators and building staff are responsible for the efficient management of 19 buildings that faculty, staff, postdocs and students call home.

Luis Ramirez is a Superintendent Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team for over 16 years, Luis oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

Luis Gonzalez is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, Luis oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

Luis DeJesus is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. Luis began his career at Columbia Residential as a handyman, and through the years has worked his way up to becoming a Working Superintendent and Resident Manager. Luis is a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, and he and his staff of 1 handyman, 4 door attendants and 3 porters work hard daily to provide great service to their residents.

Leilani Reynolds is the Director of Leasing Operations for Columbia Residential. For over 10 years, Leilani has been an integral part of the Columbia Residential team. She has been instrumental in transforming student and postdoc housing policies and procedures, improving communication and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, all resulting in an improved experience for residents, staff and partners within the University. Leilani’s extensive experience in university housing operations and her proven record of leadership, collaboration, and efficiency help her play a key role in guiding Residential's continued success. 

Laura Ramirez is an Administrative Assistant, providing administrative support to building operations staff. Laura brings to Columbia a wealth of experience and knowledge, having previously worked as an Administrative & Marketing Assistant at ADR Shade Up. She successfully managed various administrative tasks while also maintaining their website and customer records. Laura holds a BA in Journalism/Creative Writing from Baruch College.

Kwesi Alleyne is a demonstrated achiever with knowledge of the Columbia Residential housing system. With over 15 years of experience in both the Undergraduate and Graduate Housing systems, Kwesi has a friendly demeanor, and takes pride in providing excellent customer service and a memorable housing experience for residents. He is a strong believer in the power of positive thinking in the workplace and thus prides himself on being a great teammate.

Korab Ndregjoni is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team for over 16 years, Korab oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

Keyly Valenzuela is Associate Project Manager for Residential Construction. Keyly comes to Columbia with a BS from Stony Brook University, along with industry experience in construction oversight on mechanical projects, which includes project completions, regulatory permitting and sign-offs and end user deliverables. Keyly works with Columbia Residential performing field oversight on construction projects within the Residential portfolio. 

Keyly’s interests include cooking and outdoor activities, and she was an active rugby player.

Juan Ramos is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. Juan started his career at Columbia University in 1988, left for two years, then returned in 1994. Juan has a total of 28 years of experience at Columbia, starting his career as a door attendant, working his way up to porter, handyman, and now superintendent. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, Juan works hard daily to provide great service to his residents.

Joseph Nieves is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team for over 16 years, Joe oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

Jose Gomez is an Assistant Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, Jose supports the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide great service to his residents.

Jose Cruz is the Resident Manager for Columbia Residential. Jose Cruz is a relatively new Residential Manager for Columbia Residential. He started his career with Columbia in 2020. Jose supervises and runs one of Columbia University’s newest apartment buildings. Since he joined the Columbia Residential team, he has been focused on improving efficiency in the operation of his buildings. Jose is a fair, understanding, patient and hardworking individual. He does everything in his power to keep his residents safe and happy in their homes. 

Jorge Alvarado is the Resident Manager for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team with over 25 years of service, Jorge oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

As Associate Director of Residential MEP, Johan Alarcon oversees operation of mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. In his role he provides engineering expertise for optimal operation and enhancement of our building support systems.

Before coming to Columbia. Johan was an engineering consultant with various roles employing project management, validation, and acceptance for diverse types of private, state and federal facilities in the US and abroad. Through many projects consisting of renovations and ground-up constructions his experience covers a multitude of engineering disciplines essential for critical building infrastructure operation. Johan holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and is an ARMY Veteran.

Jennifer Santoro is Portfolio Manager for Columbia Residential. Jennifer and her team of administrators and building staff are responsible for the efficient management of 46 buildings that faculty, staff, postdocs and students call home.

Jae Eun Kwak (she/her) is Assistant Manager of Leasing Operations for Columbia Residential. Jae Eun provides operational and customer support to student residents and other residents of Columbia Residential to assist residents in navigating the housing cycle and surrounding policies.

Jae Eun holds a Master of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology from New York University. During her time at NYU, Jae Eun served as a Resource Center Assistant for the Office of Residential Life and Housing Services where she provided three years of administrative and community development support to first-year undergraduate residents.

Jack Herdman (he/him/his) is a Residential Housing Specialist. He provides support to our residential community members through an operational and case management lens. Jack graduated from NYU with a masters in Higher Education and Student Affairs, and he also worked at the Juilliard school in student affairs. Jack has lived in and worked for residential education programs since 2018 and is excited to bring those experiences to best support the Columbia student community.

Ingrid Reyes is Associate Project Manager of Residential Construction.

Hugo Mero is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, Hugo oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

Hector Rodriguez is a Resident Manager for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, Hector oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

Gumersindo Figueroa is a Resident Manager for Columbia Residential. His responsibility as Resident Manager is to make sure that the buildings he oversees run efficiently, so residents are safe and comfortable in their homes. Gumersindo is extremely dedicated to his residents, and he does his best to be reachable for any of their concerns. Gumersindo has been employed by the University for over 21 years, as a door attendant, porter, handyman and now a resident manager. Gumersindo enjoys fishing and camping and is a motorcycle enthusiast.

Geri Duka is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, Geri oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

Geovany Freire is an Assistant Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, Geovany supports the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide great service to his residents.

George Perdomo is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. George has been a superintendent at The Fairholm, a residential building for students in the School of General Studies, for over 7 years, and a Columbia staff member for over 15 years. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, George works hard daily to provide great service to his residents.

Gaspar Rivera is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, Gaspar oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

Gary Cassiliano is the Resident Manager for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, Gary oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

Franklin Jimenez is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. Franklin has been with Columbia for over 23 years, 14 of which have been in buildings that primarily Law students call home. Franklin loves taking command. Getting things done is his priority, but above all is making sure his residents feel comfortable in their homes.

Fabbiola is a Senior Associate of Faculty Housing. Although new to the faculty team, Fabbiola has been part of Columbia Residential for almost a decade, and she has spearheaded and supported meaningful change during her time in student leasing operations. 

She currently oversees client services and leasing operations for junior faculty, postdocs and fellows. 

In her time outside of work, she loves to travel with her husband and daughter, spend time with family and friends in CA and NY, and enjoy the outdoors with her dog Emmy. 

Eustace Mejias is a Resident Manager for Columbia Residential. Eustace has been a Columbia family member since 1970. His long journey working with residents has been challenging, interesting and extremely rewarding, and he is committed to providing great service to his residents.

Erika Blackman is Project Manager for Residential Construction.

Emilio Trejo is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. Emilio has been a superintendent for Columbia Residential for over 10 years. His role includes but is not limited to overseeing the buildings' administrative, maintenance and mechanical operation. His goal is to enhance the quality of life for his buildings and residents, provide an effective customer service, and collaborate with other superintendents to efficiently operate the buildings in the University portfolio. Emilio is very passionate about his professional growth and loves spending quality time with his family.

Elvin Rodriguez is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. Elvin has been working in Residential buildings since 1998. As a Superintendent, his focus is customer service and leadership, and he is committed to lead by example. Elvin started his career at Columbia Residential as a doorman, working his way up to a porter and now superintendent. Elvin is a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, and he works hard daily to provide great service to his residents.

Elona Dushi is Project Manager for Residential Construction. Elona holds a BS in civil engineering, along with years of experience working on residential construction in the higher education sector.

Duane Alexander is Portfolio Manager for Columbia Residential. Duane and his team of administrators and building staff are responsible for the efficient management of 23 buildings that faculty, staff, postdocs and students call home.

Dragos Sisu is a Resident Manager for Columbia Residential. Dragos has been a member of the Columbia Residential team for over 21 years. His responsibilities include overseeing a staff of 9, and as a team, they maintain, clean, secure, and provide great customer service to their residents. Dragos has been Resident Manager for the Arbor since it was under construction. Dragos and his team gave life to what were empty spaces by furnishing and staging the apartments, and welcoming new residents who chose to be part of the Arbor community in Riverdale. Dragos and his team aim to keep their residents and colleagues at peace, and hopefully get a smile in return.

Douglas Jermyn is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, Doug oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents. With over 30 years of service as a superintendent, Doug is friendly, knowledgeable, and quick to serve his residents.

Dorentina Lekocaj is a Leasing Coordinator with Columbia Residential. Dorentina joined the Leasing Operations team in 2022, with a focus on customer service. Dorentina joins us from Fordham University, where she worked in residential life and received her BA in Communications and Culture. Dorentina’s background and experience in customer service is a great asset to Residential's strong customer service team, which manages 10,000+ chats, 30,000+ emails and 3000+ calls annually.

Diego Rivera serves as Associate Vice President to Columbia Residential and oversees all operational aspects of the Columbia University residential portfolio which includes 149 buildings (6.5 million GSF) and over 5,700 residential apartments. 

As the Associate Vice President of Columbia Residential, Diego is responsible for the financial performance of the portfolio, property maintenance, the entire leasing process and residents’ satisfaction. He determines and ensures that annual budgets for the portfolio are met, that operating plans are effectively and efficiently monitored and that capital improvement projects are accomplished.   

Diego's extensive knowledge and experience comes from holding executive positions on some of the largest Real Estate Investment Trusts (REIT) in the country, such as AvalonBay Communities, Equity Residential, Archstone-Smith and LCOR. With over 20 years of experience in Multifamily Real Estate, Diego has developed significant strengths in leadership and team building, marketing and promotions, as well as in customer relationship management, new business development, operations and profit and loss management. Diego holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the Universidad Mayor de San Simon, Bolivia.

Dhurim "Mim" Ahmetaj is the Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, Mim oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

Denis Kore is a Resident Manager for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, Denis oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

Deirdre Chong is Portfolio Manager for Columbia Residential. Deirdre and her team of administrators and building staff are responsible for the efficient management of 20 buildings that faculty, staff, postdocs and students call home. Deirdre is a new member to the Residential team (as of 2021), but she is not new to Columbia University. She started as a tenant representative in 2001, moved to the Service Center at its inception in 2005, and then transferred to Client Services in 2008. Deirdre is also an alumnus of Columbia University School of General Studies, where she majored in Sociology. While her formal studies were in Sociology, she has decades of experience in customer service related to building systems and facility maintenance. In her new role as the Assistant Director for faculty and graduate student housing, she will now add property management to her portfolio of expertise. Deirdre is excited to reunite with many colleagues she has had the pleasure of working with during her 21 year tenure with Columbia University Facilities & Operations.

David Stephens is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. David Stephens has been part of the Columbia Residential team since 1990, starting out as a porter, then a handyman, and now Superintendent. His responsibilities include boiler maintenance, standpipe gravity tank operation, building maintenance and overseeing a team of three. David and his team pride themselves on providing excellent customer service to their residents. 

A member of the Columbia community for over 10 years, Darnell Hicks is the Associate Director for Residential Operations.

Daniel Lopez is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, Daniel oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents.

Christian Hidalgo is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. As a dedicated member of the Columbia Residential team, Christian oversees the efficient operations of his buildings and works daily to provide support and great service to his residents. 

Chih Chen is a Portfolio Manager for Columbia Residential. Chih and her team of administrators and building staff are responsible for the efficient management of 17 buildings that faculty, staff, postdocs and students call home.

Chadwick Hardaway is a dedicated professional with over twenty-five years of managerial experience in higher education institutions. He joined the small leasing group of Columbia University Institutional Real Estate in May of 2001, initially as a Leasing Assistant. He became a Student Housing Coordinator in 2004, taking on a broader student services role, working diligently to meet an ever-increasing demand for customer service via email. In 2007, Chadwick became the Manager of Information Services, overseeing a growing team of Housing Specialists and assisting the Interim Director of Leasing Services. Working with the Facilities and Operations Strategic Communications team, he took part in creating and maintaining a new web site for the department. Currently a manager in the Leasing Services Team of Columbia Residential, he supports his team and director in a variety of capacities, as well as the larger Columbia Residential team in to meet departmental administrative needs. Chadwick resides in Astoria, Queens, with his much better half as well as the world’s meanest cat. He collects records, books, Christmas tree decorations, and neglected houseplants.

Cathleen Ryder is Director of Asset Management for Columbia Residential. Cathleen and her team of administrators and building staff are responsible for the efficient management of 20 buildings that faculty, staff, postdocs and students call home.

Bruce Parker is a Resident Manager for Columbia Residential. Bruce manages a team of 20 staff members who coordinate and facilitate the needs of their residents and buildings, to maintain a comfortable and safe environment for all. He is a Gulf War veteran who enjoys riding his motorcycle when he isn't working.

Betty has been on the Columbia Residential team since 2020, serving as an administrative assistant in Residential Operations.

As Director of Faculty Housing, Besmira oversees all aspects of leasing operations, marketing, strategic planning, department initiatives, and apartment renovation processes pertaining to faculty and postdoc residents. In addition to these responsibilities, Besmira liaises with University’s Deans of Schools, Provost Office and school liaisons to anticipate needs, manage expectations, and deliver satisfaction. During her tenure with Columbia Residential, Besmira has employed various best practices for leasing activities and implemented strategies to efficiently improve the housing assignment process.

Fun fact: Besmira is an avid snowboarder. 

Benjamin Kimura is Senior Analyst for Leasing Operations at Columbia Residential. Originally from Kauai, Hawaii, Benjamin completed a Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sports Science at the University of Utah. He went on to finish a Master of Business Administration from Western Governors University.

Drawing upon years of experience working in FinTech, Benjamin strives to deliver data-driven insights that aid management and other stakeholders in making strategic decisions. He excels in data management and transformation.

Benjamin Antwi is Associate Project Manager for Residential Construction.

Ashly Medina Velazquez is the Analyst for the Residential Construction team. She assists the Construction team in data collection & analytics, including evaluating legacy information and current cost trends to forecast and plan capital expenditures for the properties in the Residential portfolio.

Ashly started working for Columbia Residential in January 2023, but her affiliation with the University goes back even further. As a graduate of the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, she is a proud Columbia alum with a Bachelor’s of Science in Industrial Engineering and a Minor in Economics.

Her focus on creating data-driven solutions and the optimization of systems & processes aids the Construction team in developing cohesive and efficient strategies & decisions for the planning and execution of the housing infrastructure that will be used to attract and maintain quality faculty and students.

Alberto Lopez is a Superintendent for Columbia Residential. Alberto has been working at Columbia University since 1982, starting as a porter and working his way up to superintendent. His favorite part of his job is meeting new people every day and solving their problems. His aim is always to make his residents' day brighter.