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Patricia Shelton
Executive Vice President of Property Operations 
404.978.1188
patricia.shelton@cortlandpartners.com

Patricia Shelton is the executive vice president of property operations for Cortland Partners. She brings over 20 years of experience in real estate, with a reputation for developing and inspiring high performing teams, defining strategy, and executing action plans to meet business objectives. Her expertise spans property acquisition and development, construction, renovation, leasing, and disposition.  

Before joining Cortland, Shelton was a company officer and vice president of operations for Archstone. With profit/loss and operating responsibility for the Southeastern region, she was instrumental in the acquisition of 1,500 units and disposition of 7,000 units. Shelton also managed 3,000 stabilized units in Georgia and Florida; the construction of 500 units in Florida; 2,000 planned units in Southeastern Florida; plus the renovation of 300 units in Boca Raton and high-rise/garden units in Philadelphia and Boston.

A recipient of the Archstone Operations Award, Shelton created the leasing bonus program and helped create Archstone’s customer service platform. Previously, she held management roles with Trammel Crow Residential and Summit Properties (now Camden). Shelton is a University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire graduate and a long-time Habitat for Humanity volunteer. 

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D. Curt Mann
Director of Energy and Sustainability
404.276.0084
curt.mann@cortlandpartners.com

Curt Mann is the director of energy and sustainability for Cortland Partners. Mann brings more than two decades of experience in real estate including management, ownership and marketing of multifamily, retail, office and industrial properties.

Before joining Cortland, Mann was a real estate consultant on topics of sustainability and cost reduction strategies. He consulted on facility projects with JP Morgan, Gables and Wood Partners. He also is a past president of Alexander Properties Group, where he led an operations team of 250 associates managing more than 8,000 multifamily units and commercial buildings. Mann previously held executive leadership positions with Dick Felker Group, Hill Properties Group and Johnstown American/Lincoln Properties/Equitec.

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Michael Johnson
Director of Employee Learning & Development
404.978.1219
michael.johnson@cortlandpartners.com

Michael Johnson is Cortland’s director of learning and development. He is responsible for driving performance, productivity, and skill development by developing the Cortland team professionally and personally. 

Before joining Cortland, Johnson spent seven years with Archstone Communities; most recently, as a regional training and software training manager. In that role, Johnson organized and conducted on-boarding programs for new general managers, community managers, assistant community managers and leasing consultants for communities located in the Southeast region. He also conducted new-hire training and ongoing software and sales training for all office associates. Archstone recognized Johnson as Support Associate of the Year, Dream Team of the Year, and for overall job performance.

Johnson started with Archstone in 2005 as a leasing consultant. He was later promoted to assistant community manager/leasing coach position before earning his regional training and software training position. Previously, he worked for Terminix and Kappa Graphic Board USA. Johnson attended Gwinnett Technical College and is pursuing a business administration/business management degree from Colorado State University - Global.

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Laura Grunwald, PHR
Human Resources Director
404-965-3988
laura.grunwald@cortlandpartners.com

Laura Grunwald is the corporate human resources director for Cortland Partners. She brings to Cortland more than a decade of experience in the areas of workforce relations, recruiting and training, human resources processes and workforce benefits management.
 
Prior to Cortland, Grunwald served 12 years in human resources with Ted’s Montana Grill Restaurant Support Center. She helped establish the company’s human resources department, and build and lead the team for the upscale restaurant group, which expanded from six to 2,000 employees across 44 restaurants in just over a decade. Most recently as human resources director, Grunwald shaped the human resources strategy and structure to support business growth initiatives and prepare the company for healthcare reform mandates. Previously, Grunwald was a staffing consultant with Digital People and also Millenium Staffing, a division of Accountants on Call.
 
Grunwald earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Tulane University. She has achieved certification as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR).

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Yvette Snow
Director of Information Technology
404.978.1233
yvette.snow@cortlandpartners.com

Yvette Snow is director of information technology for Cortland Partners. She leads technology planning and execution to best meet customer requirements and support Cortland’s IT infrastructure and applications. She brings to Cortland two decades of technology project management, implementations, support and training experience serving various multifamily real estate environments and constituents.
 
Prior to joining Cortland, Snow managed technology projects for Behringer Harvard for six years. In her role as a business analyst, she focused on implementing technology to increase business operational efficiency for the corporate management functions as well as property management functions. She also spent nearly 17 years with AMLI Residential. At AMLI Residential, she served as an IT business analyst and project manager and successfully led the implementation of a web-based screening application across 70 properties in five states in less than two months. She began her career with AMLI Residential as a leasing consultant/assistant manager. She also served a community manager overseeing up to four properties for six years. Snow is the past president and current treasurer of From the Dust prison ministries. She attended Oklahoma Christian University.
 

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Jaime Miles
Director of Property Initiatives, Transitions, & Due Diligence
404.978.1187
jaime.miles@cortlandpartners.com

Jaime Miles currently serves as Director of Initiatives, Due Diligence and Acquisitions with Cortland Partners.  Some of her responsibilities include directing and overseeing Cortland’s C3 team in due diligence activities, as well as onboarding newly acquired properties and assisting with development and execution of new initiatives and business development as they pertain to property management and onsite operations.

Miles brings over a decade of extensive experience in managing student housing, tax credit, high rise and conventional assets. Previously, Miles was the Director and Regional Vice President of Multifamily Management for Drucker and Falk, LLC. In her role, she oversaw 22 properties, representing 4,000 units located across the Southeastern region. She also helped to oversee the acquisition of more than 2,000 units and increased occupancy levels during her tenure. Miles has also held past management positions with Bell Partners, Lane Company, Gables Residential and Ram Partners LLC. She has worked in prime multifamily markets, including Atlanta and Charlotte as well as Florida, Maryland, Kentucky, Virginia and Connecticut. positions for the past decade. She brings extensive experience in managing student housing, tax credit, high rise and conventional assets.

Miles holds the Housing Credit Certified Professional (HCCP®) designation, which was created by the National Association of Home Builders and endorsed by the Institute of Real Estate Management. She has also served as President of the Athens Apartment Association in Athens, GA. Miles majored in business management at the University of Georgia.

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Didier Nkiere
Senior Operations Analyst
404.978.1229
didier.nkiere@cortlandpartners.com

Didier Nkiere is a senior operations analyst with the Cortland Partners operations team. He brings more than a decade of experience in financial analysis, asset management and real estate investment to his role with Cortland. His experience also includes portfolio risk analysis, asset valuations, underwriting, due diligence, and deal structuring for multiple defeasance transactions.

Prior to joining Cortland, Nkiere served as a senior associate with Trimont Real Estate Advisors. At Trimont, Nkiere performed asset-level surveillance on a commercial mortgage-backed security portfolio representing a total value in excess of $375M. Previously, Nkiere served as risk management account manager for SITEL Worldwide Corporation, a business process outsourcing provider of customer care and complementary back-office processes.  
 
Nkiere is a member of the Urban Land Institute and he also is active with Habitat for Humanity. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business management from Alabama A&M University and his master’s of business administration degree with a concentration in finance from Georgia State University.

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Abbey Brown
Manager of Due Diligence and Acquisitions
404.965.3988
abbey.brown@cortlandpartners.com

Abbey Brown is a team lead for Cortland’s command crew group, known as C3. The C3 group focuses on executing comprehensive due diligence related to every asset acquisition or development initiative across the Southern region. The specialized C3 group also serves as local “first responders” to implement Cortland best practices within the existing operational environment of any new site. Brown brings to Cortland a decade of experience in all facets of multifamily management including administration, leasing, asset on-boarding, due diligence and customer service.
 
Brown came to Cortland from Levine Properties, a multifamily and commercial development and management firm. At Levine, she held an administrative position within the multi-family development segment of Levine Properties. Her role included developing the new multifamily division through market research, financial analytics, project management, as well as policy and procedure development and implementation. Brown also held a variety of positions during an eight-year period with Drucker & Falk, LLC, a third-party fee management company. She conducted on-site and group corporate training classes, property assumptions and on-boarding, asset due diligence, property audit reconciliation and feedback, pro-forma and budget preparation, marketing and financial reporting. 

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Brian Baker
Regional Manager
404.978.1192
brian.baker@cortlandpartners.com

Brian Baker is regional manager of various Cortland Partner properties in Atlanta. His responsibilities include physical and financial operations, as well as resident relations. He brings to his role more than 15 years of experience in property management, business operations and sales.

Before joining Cortland, Baker served as a regional property manager for AIMCO. He was responsible for day-to-day operations of a portfolio of 14 communities (3,020 units) in Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. During his tenure, he helped increase operating income by 14%, increase revenue by 6% and decrease expenses by 8% in three years. Baker previously served as a general manager for Cox Auto Trader as well as an area sales manager for Enterprise Rent-a-Car.

He earned his bachelor's in business administration with a concentration in finance from the University of Georgia.

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Julie Bemiss
Regional Manager
404.978.1238
julie.bemiss@cortlandpartners.com

Julie Bemiss is a regional manager for Cortland Partners and brings nearly 20 years of property operations experience to her role.
 
Before joining Cortland, Bemiss spent more than 15 years with Archstone in various leadership positions. Most recently, she served as operations manager for a diverse portfolio of more than 2,000 units that included luxury mid-rise, retail mixed-use and third-party managed assets in Atlanta and Orlando. She also led growth and staff development -- efforts that earned her the company’s annual achievement award for customer loyalty. Bemiss previously spent six years as director of training for Archstone overseeing all staff development for the Southeast region, a position that earned her recognition for support person of the year.
 
She was a community manager for six years after starting with Archstone as a regional marketing manager. Bemiss also has worked for C.L.A.S.S.  She earned her bachelor’s degree in education from The University of Georgia and her master’s degree in education from Georgia State University.

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Jon Cooke
Regional Manager
404.978.1237
jon.cooke@cortlandpartners.com

Jon Cooke is a regional manager of Cortland Partners’ communities in Georgia. His responsibilities include physical and financial operations, as well as resident relations.


Before joining Cortland, Cooke served four years as a regional property manager with Equity Residential where he managed more than 3,000 units in the metro Atlanta area. At Equity, he led hiring and training of new managers, budget implementation and managed the performance of properties and staff. During his tenure, he helped Equity achieve the highest-ever performance metrics for the Southeast region for NOI, improved customer loyalty scores, employee engagement scores, and turnover expense metrics. Previously he served in both a technology trainer and regional property manager position with Lane Company. He was also a district manager for CNC Investments.


Cooke earned his master’s degree in business administration from Kennesaw State University. He earned his bachelor's degree in political science and criminal justice from The University of Georgia.

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Sabra Johnson
Regional Manager
404.978.1190
sabra.johnson@cortlandpartners.com

Sabra Johnson is regional manager of Cortland Partner properties in Louisiana and Atlanta. Her responsibilities include physical and financial operations, as well as resident relations. She brings nearly two decades of experience in property management.

Previously, Johnson served as vice president of management operations and regional property manager for Archer Properties, a company she helped start. She oversaw Archer's 986 student housing beds. Prior to her role with Archer, she was vice president of management operations/regional vice president for PRISM Realty Management, responsible for a 2,000 unit portfolio. Johnson has served as a regional property manager with Lane Company, and as a property manager with Ambling Management Company, Gables Residential and Alexander Properties.

Johnson is a certified apartment manager and a member of the National Apartment Association. She earned her bachelor's degree in health and science from Northeast Louisiana University.

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Joyce Kitzmiller
Regional Manager
404.978.1189
joyce.kitzmiller@cortlandpartners.com

Joyce Kitzmiller is regional manager of various Cortland Partners properties in Atlanta. Her responsibilities include physical and financial operations, as well as resident relations. Kitzmiller brings to her role nearly two decades experience in real estate markets across the Southeast.

Previously, Joyce was a regional manager for Hercules Real Estate Services, Inc. In that role, she was responsible for the overall management of a portfolio of three class A conventional/affordable, and five tax credit communities totaling 1,800 units, inclusive of two rehab lease ups. She led efforts related to operational and capital budget, compliance auditing, staff development, marketing and vendor relations.

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Scott McChesney
Regional Manager
404.978.1210
scott.mcchesney@cortlandparnters.com

Scott McChesney is regional manager of various Cortland Partners properties in Atlanta. His responsibilities include physical and financial operations as well as resident relations. He brings to his role 16 years of experience in property management, business operations, sales and staff leadership.

Before joining Cortland, McChesney served as a regional property manager and general manager for five years at AIMCO. At AIMCO, he led a team of 20 employees and was responsible for daily operations of a portfolio of four communities in Georgia. During his tenure, he helped boost average effective market rates from $650 to $1,020 per unit. McChesney previously served as a business development manager for Centex/MLN and Lehman Brothers, where he cultivated a $2.9M funded loan volume each month. Prior to Centex, he held an area sales manager position with Enterprise Rent-A-Car for eight years.

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Janice Quigley
Regional Manager
713.569.3686
janice.quigley@cortlandpartners.com

Janice Quigley is a regional manager of Cortland Partner properties in Texas and Louisiana. Her responsibilities include physical and financial operations, as well as resident relations. She brings to her role more than two decades of experience in property management, business operations, sales, and staff leadership.

Before joining Cortland, Quigley served as a regional manager with First Communities Management Group. At FCM, she oversaw six community managers and a portfolio of eight Class A communities totaling 2,257 units across Texas. Since 1991, Quigley also has held asset management, regional management and property management positions with LEDIC Management Group, AMLI Residential, CLK Multifamily Management, Archstone Smith, Alexander Property Group, AIMCO and Lane Company. She has received numerous company- and industry-related awards for revenue growth, expense control, team building, curb appeal and attention to detail.

Quigley is a past member of the Ohio Air National Guard. She served from 1985-1991, received an honorable discharge, and was awarded a humanitarian services medal of honor. She earned her bachelor's degree in human resources and business management from Franklin University. Quigley also earned an associate’s degree in information resource management from Columbus State Community College.

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Jonathan Tucker
Regional Manager
404.978.1234
jonathan.tucker@cortlandpartners.com

Tucker joined Cortland with over 15 years' experience in the commercial and residential sectors.  Throughout his career, he has managed office, retail, condominium, tax credit, and conventional multi-family assets. Additionally, he has served as a consultant in the student housing arena.



Prior to joining Cortland, he served as Vice President of Property Management for Boylan Companies, Director of Property Management for Novare Group and Senior RegionalManager for both Greystar and Lincoln Property Company.  He has managed over $1 billion of multi-family assets across the southeast and holds his CAM, CAPS, and CPM designations.  He is a licensed broker in North Carolina and Georgia and graduated, with honors, from Saint Leo University with a degree in business administration specializing in management.  Jonathan is also a proud veteran of the United States Navy.