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Alexander Antunez MBA Student 2026 |
Vice President, Alumni & External Relations |
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James Webb MBA Student 2026 |
Vice President, Finance & Operations |
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Steven Savage PM Student 2027 |
Vice President, Strategy & Innovation Steven M. Savage is currently serving as Vice President of Strategy and Innovation for the Graduate Real Estate Association at the University of Southern California. As an MBA candidate specializing in Finance and Real Estate (Class of 2027), Mr. Savage brings a forward-thinking approach to the intersection of capital markets and real estate strategy. With nearly a decade of experience at SmartStop Self Storage REIT, a firm that achieved a successful public offering in April 2025, Mr. Savage has demonstrated exceptional versatility and commitment. Rising through the ranks from the mailroom to operations and ultimately the finance team, he has developed a holistic understanding of organizational dynamics. In his current finance role, Mr. Savage plays an integral part in driving SmartStop’s financial planning, budgeting, acquisition analysis, and regulatory filings. |
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Nicholas Christensen MBA Student 2026 |
Vice President, Alumni & External Relations Nick is a 2026 MBA candidate in the Marshall Full-Time MBA program. Before pursuing his MBA, he worked in project management within commercial construction, leveraging his civil engineering background to deliver real assets to a wide range of clients. At Marshall, he serves as the the Vice President of Alumni Relations for the Graduate Real Estate Association (GREA), Vice President of Cross-Industry Strategy for the Marshall Consulting & Strategy Club (MCSC), and is a Marshall Leadership Fellow. This summer, he will intern at CBRE Investment Management in the Los Angeles office. He enjoys spending time outdoors with his family, friends, and two dogs—whether snowboarding, hiking, or relaxing on a sunny patio! |
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Mariel Jones MBA Student 2026 |
Vice President, ESG & Sustainable Investment Initiatives |
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Faisel Ata MBA Student 2026 |
Vice President, Corporate & Industry Partnerships Faisel is a 2026 MBA candidate in the Marshall Full-Time MBA program. Before coming to Marshall, he spent 8 years working in public accounting and financial reporting. He began his career in audit at EY, followed by accounting roles at Goldman Sachs and Toyota. In his second year, Faisel will serve as VP of Finance for the Marshall Consulting & Strategy Club and VP of Industry Relations for the Graduate Real Estate Association. This summer, he will be interning with the finance consulting practice at EY in the Los Angeles office. Outside of school, Faisel is passionate about basketball, enjoys hiking with his dog, Gigi, and loves cooking at home. |
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David Shanfeld Other 2026 |
President I am currently an MBA candidate at USC Marshall School of Business, specializing in real estate finance. Having recently earned my law degree from Loyola Law School with a concentration in corporate law, I bring a dual perspective—integrating legal precision with strategic financial analysis—to effectively navigate complex commercial real estate transactions. My professional background has deepened my passion for strategically identifying overlooked, undervalued, or distressed investment opportunities. I’m particularly drawn to adaptive reuse projects in urban cores, distressed commercial assets, value-add opportunities, and sophisticated financial structures such as CMOs, distressed debt, and private credit transactions. Given today’s complex and evolving market dynamics, I strongly believe a flexible, opportunistic investment approach grounded in disciplined risk management and nuanced fundamental analysis is essential. My goal is always to leverage these insights to capture upside, manage downside risks, and generate consistent, attractive risk-adjusted returns, whether within REITs, family offices, or private equity real estate funds. |