Torchlight has a deep bench of professionals with valued insight and perspectives in commercial real estate, financial structuring, tax, and capital markets. The senior personnel of Torchlight average over 20 years of professional experience. The professionals at Torchlight share in a culture of accountability, integrity and excellence that form the foundation of our core values.
Our Team

VADIM BLIKSHTEYN
Managing Partner, Chief Financial Officer

VADIM BLIKSHTEYN
Managing Partner, Chief Financial Officer
Vadim is a Managing Partner and Chief Financial Officer as well as a member of the Management Committee. He has 16 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Vadim worked at Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP and Holtz Rubenstein Reminick, LLP. Vadim is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of New York and holds a BS from Brooklyn College – City University of New York.

SAMUEL CHANG
Managing Partner, Portfolio Management

SAMUEL CHANG
Managing Partner, Portfolio Management
Sam is the Managing Partner of the portfolio management group as well as a member of the Investment and Management Committees. He has 27 years of professional experience. Sam holds a BS from Columbia University.

ROBINSON CHIN
Senior Vice President

ROBINSON CHIN
Senior Vice President
Robinson is a Senior Vice President in the credit group. He has 18 years of professional experience. Robinson holds a BBA from the University of Michigan.

WILLIAM CLARKSON
Managing Partner, Special Servicing and Workout Services

WILLIAM CLARKSON
Managing Partner, Special Servicing and Workout Services
Bill is the Managing Partner of the special servicing and workout services group as well as a member of the Management Committee. He has 21 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Bill worked at Auction.com, LNR Partners, Rockwood Real Estate Advisors, and First Potomac Realty Trust. Bill holds an MBA from the University of Florida and a BBA from Roanoke College.

ALEXANDRA CRAWLEY
Senior Vice President

ALEXANDRA CRAWLEY
Senior Vice President
Alex is a Senior Vice President in the credit group. She has 14 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Alex worked at Antheus Capital, Guggenheim Partners, and Stonebeck Capital. Alex holds a BA from Columbia University.

IRINA DEVANE
Partner, Fund Operations

IRINA DEVANE
Partner, Fund Operations
Irina is a Partner in the operations group. She has 20 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Irina worked at Ride Safely. Irina holds a BA from Touro College.

FELIPE DORREGARAY
Managing Partner, Chief Operating Officer

FELIPE DORREGARAY
Managing Partner, Chief Operating Officer
Felipe is a Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer as well as a member of the Management Committee. He has 29 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Felipe worked at The Carlyle Group / Metropolitan Real Estate Equity Management, LLC, ABN AMRO, Inc., and Salomon Smith Barney, Inc. Felipe holds an MBA from The American University and a BS from the University of Miami.

BRADLEY ERLICH
Senior Vice President

BRADLEY ERLICH
Senior Vice President
Brad is a Senior Vice President in the credit group. He has 18 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Brad worked at Bear Stearns. Brad holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania.

KAITLYN FUREY
Senior Vice President

KAITLYN FUREY
Senior Vice President
Kait is a Senior Vice President in the investor relations group. She has 17 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Kait worked at Angelo Gordon and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Kait is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of New York and holds a BS from Villanova University.

WAYNE GAVIOLI
Managing Partner, Special Situations

WAYNE GAVIOLI
Managing Partner, Special Situations
Wayne is the Managing Partner of the special situations and investment strategy group as well as a member of the Management Committee. He has 17 years of professional experience. Wayne is a CFA Charterholder and holds an AB from Harvard University.

DMITRY GERTS
Senior Vice President, Head of Fund Accounting

DMITRY GERTS
Senior Vice President, Head of Fund Accounting
Dmitry is a Senior Vice President and Head of Fund Accounting. He has 19 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Dmitry worked at Citco Fund Services and Rothstein Kass. Dmitry holds a BBA from Pace University.

MARAT GOLDENBERG
Senior Vice President

MARAT GOLDENBERG
Senior Vice President
Marat is a Senior Vice President in the portfolio management group. He has 12 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Marat worked at FactSet Research Systems. Marat is a CFA Charterholder and holds an MA from Northeastern University.

DANIEL GREENHOLTZ
Managing Partner, Asset Management and Credit

DANIEL GREENHOLTZ
Managing Partner, Asset Management and Credit
Dan is the Managing Partner of the asset management and credit groups as well as a member of the Investment and Management Committees. He has 21 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Daniel worked at CWCapital and SNS Property Finance. Daniel holds a BA from the University of Maryland.

DANIEL HEFLIN
Managing Partner, Investments, Chief Investment Officer

DANIEL HEFLIN
Managing Partner, Investments, Chief Investment Officer
Dan is a Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer as well as a member of the Investment and Management Committees. Dan founded Torchlight and has 38 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Dan worked at Ocwen Financial Corporation, Credit Suisse, and Arthur Andersen. While with Arthur Andersen, Dan received his Certified Public Accountant license in the State of New York. He holds an MS from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a BBA from Texas Christian University.

TAMIR KAZAZ
Managing Partner, Investments

TAMIR KAZAZ
Managing Partner, Investments
Tamir is a Managing Partner as well as a member of the Investment and Management Committees. He has 29 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Tamir worked at Meridian Capital Group, Clal Insurance, Africa Israel USA (AFI), Rosetta Genomics, Disco-O-Tech Medical Technologies, and KPMG (Israel). Tamir is a Certified Public Accountant in Israel and holds an MBA from Tel Aviv University and a BA from The College of Management Academic Studies (Israel).

JASON KERR
Managing Partner, Chief Compliance Officer and General Counsel

JASON KERR
Managing Partner, Chief Compliance Officer and General Counsel
Jason is a Managing Partner, Chief Compliance Officer and General Counsel as well as a member of the Management Committee. He has 23 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Jason worked at Robinson Bradshaw, Axiom, The Carlyle Group / Metropolitan Real Estate Equity Management, LLC, Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc., and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. Jason holds a JD from Columbia University and a BA from University of California, Berkeley.

ABBEY KOSAKOWSKI
Partner, Deal Structuring

ABBEY KOSAKOWSKI
Partner, Deal Structuring
Abbey is a Partner in the credit group. She has 30 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Abbey worked at JPMorgan and Lehman Brothers as a practicing attorney. Abbey holds a JD and BS from the University of Florida.

DANIEL LOCKWOOD
Managing Partner, Private Acquisitions

DANIEL LOCKWOOD
Managing Partner, Private Acquisitions
Daniel is the Managing Partner of the acquisitions group as well as a member of the Investment and Management Committees. He has 28 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Daniel worked at World Class Capital Group, Guggenheim Partners, Zurich Alternative Management, and Credit Suisse. Daniel holds a BA from Pennsylvania State University.

CLAIRE MCINTYRE
Managing Partner, Investor Relations

CLAIRE MCINTYRE
Managing Partner, Investor Relations
Claire is the Managing Partner of the investor relations group as well as a member of the Management Committee. She has 28 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Claire worked at Oxford Properties Group. Claire holds an MBA from The University of Western Ontario and a BA from Toronto Metropolitan University.

GIANLUCA MONTALTI
Managing Partner, Investment Strategy

GIANLUCA MONTALTI
Managing Partner, Investment Strategy
Luca is a Managing Partner in the investment strategy and asset management groups as well as a member of the Investment and Management Committees. He has 28 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Luca worked at Investcorp International, Greenstreet Real Estate Partners, and LaSalle Investment Management. Luca holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a BBA from the University of Michigan.

JOHN PITTENGER
Senior Vice President

JOHN PITTENGER
Senior Vice President
John is a Senior Vice President in the credit group. He has 19 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, John worked at BlackRock. John holds an MBA from Rutgers University and a BA from Franklin & Marshall College.

JORGE RODRIGUEZ
Senior Vice President

JORGE RODRIGUEZ
Senior Vice President
Jorge is a Senior Vice President in the special servicing and workout services group. He has 20 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Jorge worked at LNR Partners and American Real Estate Capital. Jorge holds a MS and BS from Florida International University.

BRIAN SEDWITZ
Senior Vice President

BRIAN SEDWITZ
Senior Vice President
Brian is a Senior Vice President in the portfolio management group. He has 16 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Brian worked at K2 Advisors. Brian is a CFA Charterholder and holds a BS from Georgetown University.

JONATHAN STEIN
Managing Partner, Investments

JONATHAN STEIN
Managing Partner, Investments
Jon is a Managing Partner in the acquisitions group as well as a member of the Investment and Management Committees. He has 24 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Jon worked at Allegiant Real Estate Capital, Realty Finance Trust, Brookfield Asset Management, and Credit Suisse. Jon holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, a JD from Georgetown University and an AB from Harvard University.

RYAN WALTERS
Senior Vice President

RYAN WALTERS
Senior Vice President
Ryan is a Senior Vice President in the asset management group. He has 15 years of professional experience. Prior to Torchlight, Ryan worked at Ernst & Young LLP and Cushman & Wakefield. Ryan holds a BA from Lehigh University.