44 — May 2026 — M id A tlantic Real Estate Journal
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P eople on the M ove
HILADELPHIA, PA — JLL Capital Markets announced Firm adds Ashley Celinski and Ian Ouwerkerk JLL’s agency lending platform expands with senior additions P agency lending. This represents a strategic shift for JREC, from educating producers to enabling
NAI James E. Hanson adds Smith to Institutional Services Group
Smith will work alongside se- nior managing directors Jor- dan Avanzato, SIOR, and Christopher D. Todd, SIOR ; managing director William Ericksen, SIOR, CCIM ; and analyst Philip Park . “I’m excited to join the Institutional Services Group and leverage the foundation I’ve developed since join- ing NAI James E. Hanson,” Smith said. “Success in the Tri-State industrial market requires an experienced, spe- cialized team, and I’m looking forward to bringing a data- driven approach to my role.” Avanzato added, “The ad- dition of another dedicated analyst reflects our continued investment in building a best- in-class Capital Markets & Leasing platform focused on servicing the growing demands of institutional capital through- out the market.” MAREJ As an architectural design- er, Brach brings over two decades of experience in the design of affordable housing developments as well as a long-standing relationship with Walters. To date, he has contributed to the design and completion of nearly 20 com- munities for the firm. Brach currently leads design ef- forts on two Walters projects underway in Cranbury and Hamilton, New Jersey. “One of the most rewarding aspects of my work is turning even the most challenging sites into successful develop- ments,” said Brach. “Designing to LEED standards pushes us beyond traditional develop- ment practices, requiring a holistic approach where mate- rials, systems and construction techniques work together to lower energy use and minimize environmental impact.” MAREJ
TETERBORO, NJ — NAI James E. Hanson announced that Russell “Pepe” Smith
has joined the firm’s Insti- tutional Ser- vices Group as an analyst. In his new role, Smith will support the team with a focus on un- derwriting,
instrumental as we embed credit intelligence at the front end of our loan origination process,” Sansosti added. Ouwerkerk joins JLL with 18 years of experience at Freddie Mac, where he most recently served as senior vice president, multifamily un- derwriting & credit. During his tenure, Ouwerkerk was a key contributor and leader across the Southeast region and the Conventional multi- family platform nationwide, bringing deep expertise in scaling credit underwriting operations, leadership and risk management. “Ian’s experience scaling credit operations will be criti- cal as we build a best-in-class agency lending platform de- fined by sustainable operations and strong stakeholder part- nerships,” senior managing dir. Brian Ranallo said. MAREJ and drive growth across the region. Outside of his profes- sional work, Covington is a de- voted father and often speaks about his daughter as a central source of pride and motivation. Covington is actively in- volved in numerous industry and community organizations. These include serving on the executive committee of the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) Mid-Atlantic Region and contributing to the Asso- ciation of Medical Facility Professionals (AMFP) Phil- adelphia Chapter’s DE&I initiatives . MAREJ
them through embedded credit exper- tise and real- time decision support.” Ce l inski brings 16 years of ex- perience at
that Ashley Ce l insk i and Ian Ou- werkerk will join the firm as co-heads of agency lend- ing produc- tion. The ap- pointments
Russell “Pepe” Smith
valuation, and market analysis, while also supporting broker- age and transaction execution for industrial assets throughout the Tri-State region. Smith joined NAI James E. Hanson in November 2025 as an associate, specializing in the leasing and sales of office and industrial proper - ties across Northern NJ. In his new capacity with the Institutional Services Group,
Ian Ouwerkerk
Ashley Celinski
Fannie Mae, most recently serving as vice president of customer engagement. Prior to that role, she spent eight years in Fannie Mae’s Credit Under- writing organization from 2010 to 2018. Celinski has a strong track record of developing tal- ent, applying strategic thinking and delivering creative, result- driven solutions. “Ashley’s deep understand- ing of agency operations and customer engagement will be
mark a significant expansion of JLL’s agency lending ca- pabilities as the firm shifts toward a more competitive and scalable operating model. “We’re pleased to welcome Ashley and Ian to our agency lending platform,” said execu- tive managing director Gerard Sansosti , to whom both ex- ecutives will report. “Their com- bined experience and leadership materially strengthen our abil- ity to scale, compete and lead in
Brach joins Walters Architecture
HADDONFIELD, NJ — Fred Brach , an architectural designer with 25 years of ex-
PHILADELPHIA, PA — DIGroup Architecture (DIG) has announced that An- DIG names Covington director of business development Covington will support busi- ness development efforts across a range of sectors, including K-12 and higher education, healthcare, community and civic spaces and senior living, helping to expand DIG’s pres- ence and strengthen its position in the region.
perience in architecture, planning, and design, has joined Walters Ar- chitecture to lead the design of Walters’ af-
thony Cov- ington has been named director of business de- velopment, Philadelphia region. In this role, the life- long Phila-
Fred Brach
fordable housing communities. “Brach’s depth of experience in sustainable design will enhance our growing afford- able housing portfolio,” said Joe Del Duca, partner and director of affordable housing for Walters. “Our team takes great pride in developing high- quality communities that not only meet rigorous construc- tion standards but also reflect our long-term commitment to environmental stewardship.”
Covington brings extensive experience in business develop- ment and client-relationship management within the archi- tecture, real estate, engineer- ing and construction industry. For the past nine years, he has focused on the archi- tectural space, continuing to strengthen relationships his role at Gale, he will provide technical project leadership and management for storm- water infrastructure and per- mitting, drainage design, and watershed analysis projects. His expertise supports the con- tinued growth of Gale’s Civil Engineering practice across Florida and our multiple East Coast offices. Rodriguez’s career spans over 28 years, beginning with a technical foundation as a chemical engineer design- ing and constructing water treatment facilities. He later earned a civil engineering degree to specialize in storm- water management. He has extensive experience in drain-
Anthony Covington
delphia native will focus on cul- tivating awareness of the firm, building new relationships and maintaining existing client partnerships throughout the greater Philadelphia market.
ROCKLAND, MA — Gale Associates, Inc. , a consulting engineering firm, announced age studies, stormwater sys- tem mapping, GIS database development, and stormwater pond and storm sewer system design, as well as hydrologic and hydraulic modeling for major watersheds and large- scale development projects. He brings deep experience work- ing with Florida regulatory agencies, including the Florida Department of Transporta- tion (FDOT), the St. Johns River, South Florida, South- west Florida, and Northwest Florida Water Management Districts. He has a strong track record of delivering suc- cessful permitting and com- pliance outcomes for complex projects. MAREJ Gale Associates broadens stormwater engineering expertise that Johan Rodriguez, PE, CFM has joined the firm’s Civil En- gineering Group. Ro- driguez is an expert stormwater engineer with a distinctive background in both civil and chemical engineering and over two decades of proj- ect management experience delivering complex water and stormwater solutions across Florida and multiple states. In Anthony Covington
ALLY Construction Services hires Keenan as director of business development
20 years of experience in construction management and business development, with a strong focus on phar- maceutical and life sci- ences, industrial, corporate facilities, and technically complex environments. His background includes collabo- rating closely with owners, facilities, engineering, and real estate teams to support early planning, budgeting, and execution strategies in regulated and mission critical settings. MAREJ
MOUNT LAUREL, NJ — ALLY Construction Ser- vices announced that Bri-
an Keenan has joined the firm as director of business de- velopment, where he will support stra- tegic growth and client re-
Brian Keenan
lationships across the Mid‑At- lantic and Northeast regions. Keenan brings more than
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