I’m an associate on the conventional production team in New York, reporting to Nicole Goodman and Ian Monk. I work with originators on sizing and screening potential loan transactions and drafting loan submission packages, so I’m basically responsible for the journey of the loan from the initial request to sending it off to our underwriting team once the loan is secured.
Besides working alongside creative and knowledgeable colleagues, I really enjoy being involved in different types of deals, as no two are ever the same. We receive requests daily for those with specialized bar structures, repayment executions, affordability programs––the list goes on and on. This exposure has widened my understanding of the industry beyond what I ever expected. I’d argue that what we do is something of an art: we can review the financials to form a cohesive account of a property’s operating history, and make an educated inference on future performance as it relates to the senior loan transaction. I personally also enjoy putting together a package for a deal, because the storytelling is so fascinating.
Before I was hired three years ago, I interned during the fall of my senior year in college at Project Destined, a leading social impact platform that provides training in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and real estate to students worldwide. I’ve utilized the foundational industry skills that I learned there since my first day in the Lument bullpen. Now it’s kind of a full-circle moment, as I’m the team lead for our internal Project Destined partnership team. I’m continually impressed by Lument’s desire to aid future housing leaders via initiatives like this one, as well as our internal Associate Development Program, which I’m also involved in.
Lument’s exemplary work culture is what motivated me to join the company, and makes me excited to come to the office. It’s deeply collaborative and encouraging––I know I can always connect with someone, either on my team or outside of it, and work with them to sort out any challenge that I’m facing. Everyone is welcoming and generous with their insights here, and I’m never hesitant to reach out for help.
I’ve also found our corporate culture to be very inclusive–which is the opposite of what I expected to feel as a Hispanic woman, especially when I was searching for a job in commercial real estate after college. I almost started to believe that there wasn’t a place for me in this industry, but Lument quickly helped me realize that was the furthest thing from the truth. I’ve definitely been given the chance to prove myself here. Lument also fosters a safe environment that allows us to speak freely from our individual perspectives, and clearly values our respective opinions.
One of my proudest accomplishments at Lument so far is my work with Project Destined. Besides acting as team lead, I’ve also served as a mentor and judge during our fall internship program. The program is structured as a “Shark Tank”-style competition internship, in which participants present what they learn based on a commercial real estate case study. As a judge, I ask the participants questions and rate their presentations based on certain criteria. In these roles, I’ve been able to provide students with industry insight and knowledge that I had sought when I was an intern there.
Something that my colleagues may not know about me is my passion for solo travel. I’ve taken six solo trips since my first one in 2019, before I joined the company–primarily to Europe, and also to Jamaica, which I really enjoyed. I encourage everyone to travel alone at least once, whether it be a weekend trip an hour away or a six-hour flight across the world. I’ve not only been able to experience new cultures and landscapes, but I’ve learned more about myself than I ever had before.
