ADDRESS

1815 Griffin Road, Suite 403 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33004


SEMREF logo.
SEMREF Logo.
our team

PROVEN INVESTMENT EXCELLENCE

At SEMREF, our team of experienced professionals excels in multifamily real estate investment and management. With deep expertise in acquisition, asset management, and finance, we collaboratively identify and seize investment opportunities. 

JONATHAN LEVY
JONATHAN LEVY
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Jonathan Levy is Executive Director of the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Sovereign Wealth Fund and is responsible for the Seminole Tribe’s real estate holdings. He has 20 years of experience in real estate and finance. Prior to joining the Tribe, Jonathan was SVP of Asset Management at Fifteen Group where he was responsible for the asset management of 2,500 multifamily units across the country as well as acquisitions, dispositions, and capital markets. Prior to that, Jonathan spent eight years as Director of Asset Management at Rialto Capital, an opportunistic real estate fund where he managed a billion-dollar portfolio of equity and debt across the country and was responsible for portfolio dispositions. Previously, Jonathan was VP Acquisitions at Triple Five Worldwide, a multinational diversified conglomerate where he oversaw real estate acquisitions, leasing and asset management of a portfolio of multifamily, retail and office assets. Jonathan began his career at KPMG’s Financial Institutions and Real Estate (FIRE) group in Toronto, where he advised governments and REITs on tax related issues. He graduated from Yeshiva University with a degree in Economics and holds a JD from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, Canada.
JONATHAN LEVY
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
STEPHEN BRAUN
STEPHEN BRAUN
CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER
Stephen is the Chief Investment Officer for the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Sovereign Wealth Fund and is responsible for its acquisitions, asset management and financings. He has over 25 years of experience in real estate and finance. Prior to joining the Fund, he was Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Fifteen Group, where refinanced over $300 million of property level debt, and oversaw the disposition of in excess of $100 million in real estate assets. From 2000 to 2018, he served as Senior Vice President of J.I. Kislak, Inc. (“Kislak”) a multifaceted operating and holding company that invests solely on the behalf of the Kislak family. In his role at Kislak, he oversaw real estate and other strategic investments for the 115-year-old Family Office including the acquisition of over $650 million of multifamily and other real estate assets throughout the United States, as well as the disposition of more than $400 million in assets, and the origination and refinancing of more than $500 million in property-level debt. Prior to joining Kislak, he worked at Kirkland Investors, KPMG and JMB Realty Corporation. Stephen served on the Board of FSU Center for Real Estate Education and Research and currently serves on the Board of Managers of Nautilus Capital Partners and on the Board of Directors of its varied operating companies.
STEPHEN BRAUN
CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER
KRIS YI, CFA
KRIS YI, CFA
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Kris is the Managing Director of Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Sovereign Wealth Fund and is responsible for its acquisitions and asset management. He has 10+ years of experience in real estate and capital markets. Prior to joining the Tribe, Kris was responsible for overseeing the US real estate portfolio of Leste Global Investments where he analyzed all new investment opportunities across five real estate private equity funds dedicated to multifamily, hospitality, healthcare, and residential development. Prior to that, Kris served as Vice President of Acquisitions at Fifteen Group where he oversaw the firm’s acquisitions team and lead all new investments from sourcing through closing. Previously, Kris was Vice President of Asset Management at Rialto Capital, an opportunistic real estate fund, where he managed a portfolio of distressed assets, underwrote the acquisition of CMBS and distressed loan portfolio investments, and supported the firm’s bridge lending platform. Kris began his career working in the capital markets group of Peachtree Financial, a specialty finance company, where he executed over $1.1B of credit facilities and securitizations. Kris graduated from Saint Louis University with a B.S. in Business Administration and Finance and from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign with a M.S. in Finance. He has also earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and is a member of the CFA Society of Miami.
KRIS YI, CFA
MANAGING DIRECTOR
TOUSSAINT PIERRE
TOUSSAINT PIERRE
VICE PRESIDENT
Toussaint is the Vice President of the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Sovereign Wealth Fund. He is responsible for multifamily acquisitions and oversight of the Sovereign Wealth Fund’s development projects. Toussaint has 7+ years of experience in commercial real estate and capital markets. Prior to joining the Tribe, Toussaint was responsible for site acquisition and development at Courtelis Company. In his role at Courtelis he analyzed and underwrote ground up market rate apartment and retail development opportunities. He has experience with over $100M in ground up development. Toussaint also handled all capital market functions related to the placement of debt on new projects, refinance of existing assets and loan workouts for distressed assets within the Courtelis portfolio. Prior to working at Courtelis Company, Toussaint served as a Senior Acquisition Analyst at The Kislak Organization where he was directly involved in the acquisition and disposition of over $270M of core and value-add multifamily assets. Toussaint also previously served as an analyst at Auction.com where he provided valuation and advisory services for over 1,200 assets on a national basis with value in excess of $1.5B across a variety of asset types including multifamily, retail, office, industrial and hotels. Toussaint is a graduate of Southern University A&M College where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Southern University Law Center where he earned a Juris Doctor, and the University of Miami School of Law where he earned an LL.M. in Real Property Development. Toussaint is also a licensed member of the Florida Bar.
TOUSSAINT PIERRE
VICE PRESIDENT
PETE OSCEOLA III
PETE OSCEOLA III
ASSOCIATE
Pete serves as both an Analyst and the Tribal Member Liaison for the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Sovereign Wealth Fund. He conducts various levels of market analysis and is actively involved in transactional due diligence. As Tribal Member Liaison, he shares his first-hand knowledge of our investments and strategies with members of the Tribal community. Prior to joining SemREF, Pete participated in the Hard Rock Casino Management Training Program as well as employed in multiple tribal departments including Tribal Community Development, Education, Native Learning Center and Recreation. Since 2013, Pete has built a personal real estate portfolio of 10 income producing properties throughout South Florida. Pete is a Creek Seminole, who is member of the Panther Clan family and resides on the Brighton Reservation.
PETE OSCEOLA III
ASSOCIATE
CHRISTINE PAGAN
CHRISTINE PAGAN
VICE PRESIDENT OF PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
Christine Pagan is the Vice President of Portfolio Management for the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Sovereign Wealth Fund. She is responsible for oversight of all multifamily assets in the fund. In her 35 year career, Christine has managed all multi-family asset classes including new construction, renovation and value add from both a fee managed and owner managed perspective. She has worked for notable companies such as Trammell Crow Residential, Lincoln Property Company, IMT Residential, Pinnacle, Highmark Residential and ZRS Management. While in a fee management capacity, some of her clients included Northwestern Mutual, Nuveen, Prudential, GFI Capital and other institutional and private investors. Christine attended Northern Illinois University and holds her CAM designation.
CHRISTINE PAGAN
VICE PRESIDENT OF PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
NINETTE MINGUEZ
NINETTE MINGUEZ
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Ninette Minguez serves as the Executive Assistant for the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Sovereign Wealth Fund, bringing over a decade of experience in high-level administrative support to C-suite executives and senior management teams. Known for her exceptional organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail, Ninette adeptly manages complex schedules, coordinates high-stakes meetings, and ensures smooth communication across all levels of the organization. Before assuming her role as Executive Assistant, Ninette built a solid foundation as an Office Administrator, where she oversaw daily office operations, including staff management, budgeting, and facilities coordination. This role sharpened her skills in creating and implementing effective processes, managing resources efficiently, and cultivating a productive work environment. Ninette holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Florida International University and is a certified Public Notary in the State of Florida.
NINETTE MINGUEZ
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
STEPHEN BRAUN
STEPHEN BRAUN
CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER
Stephen is the Chief Investment Officer for the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Sovereign Wealth Fund and is responsible for its acquisitions, asset management and financings. He has over 25 years of experience in real estate and finance. Prior to joining the Fund, he was Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Fifteen Group, where refinanced over $300 million of property level debt, and oversaw the disposition of in excess of $100 million in real estate assets. From 2000 to 2018, he served as Senior Vice President of J.I. Kislak, Inc. (“Kislak”) a multifaceted operating and holding company that invests solely on the behalf of the Kislak family. In his role at Kislak, he oversaw real estate and other strategic investments for the 115-year-old Family Office including the acquisition of over $650 million of multifamily and other real estate assets throughout the United States, as well as the disposition of more than $400 million in assets, and the origination and refinancing of more than $500 million in property-level debt. Prior to joining Kislak, he worked at Kirkland Investors, KPMG and JMB Realty Corporation. Stephen served on the Board of FSU Center for Real Estate Education and Research and currently serves on the Board of Managers of Nautilus Capital Partners and on the Board of Directors of its varied operating companies.
STEPHEN BRAUN
CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER
JONATHAN LEVY
JONATHAN LEVY
PRESIDENT
Jonathan Levy is President of the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Sovereign Wealth Fund and is responsible for the Seminole Tribe’s real estate holdings. He has 20 years of experience in real estate and finance. Prior to joining the Tribe, Jonathan was SVP of Asset Management at Fifteen Group where he was responsible for the asset management of 2,500 multifamily units across the country as well as acquisitions, dispositions, and capital markets. Prior to that, Jonathan spent eight years as Director of Asset Management at Rialto Capital, an opportunistic real estate fund where he managed a billion-dollar portfolio of equity and debt across the country and was responsible for portfolio dispositions. Previously, Jonathan was VP Acquisitions at Triple Five Worldwide, a multinational diversified conglomerate where he oversaw real estate acquisitions, leasing and asset management of a portfolio of multifamily, retail and office assets. Jonathan began his career at KPMG’s Financial Institutions and Real Estate (FIRE) group in Toronto, where he advised governments and REITs on tax related issues. He graduated from Yeshiva University with a degree in Economics and holds a JD from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, Canada.
JONATHAN LEVY
PRESIDENT
KRIS YI, CFA
KRIS YI, CFA
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Kris is the Managing Director of Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Sovereign Wealth Fund and is responsible for its acquisitions and asset management. He has 10+ years of experience in real estate and capital markets. Prior to joining the Tribe, Kris was responsible for overseeing the US real estate portfolio of Leste Global Investments where he analyzed all new investment opportunities across five real estate private equity funds dedicated to multifamily, hospitality, healthcare, and residential development. Prior to that, Kris served as Vice President of Acquisitions at Fifteen Group where he oversaw the firm’s acquisitions team and lead all new investments from sourcing through closing. Previously, Kris was Vice President of Asset Management at Rialto Capital, an opportunistic real estate fund, where he managed a portfolio of distressed assets, underwrote the acquisition of CMBS and distressed loan portfolio investments, and supported the firm’s bridge lending platform. Kris began his career working in the capital markets group of Peachtree Financial, a specialty finance company, where he executed over $1.1B of credit facilities and securitizations. Kris graduated from Saint Louis University with a B.S. in Business Administration and Finance and from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign with a M.S. in Finance. He has also earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and is a member of the CFA Society of Miami.
KRIS YI, CFA
MANAGING DIRECTOR
TOUSSAINT PIERRE
TOUSSAINT PIERRE
VICE PRESIDENT
Toussaint is the Vice President of the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Sovereign Wealth Fund. He is responsible for multifamily acquisitions and oversight of the Sovereign Wealth Fund’s development projects. Toussaint has 7+ years of experience in commercial real estate and capital markets. Prior to joining the Tribe, Toussaint was responsible for site acquisition and development at Courtelis Company. In his role at Courtelis he analyzed and underwrote ground up market rate apartment and retail development opportunities. He has experience with over $100M in ground up development. Toussaint also handled all capital market functions related to the placement of debt on new projects, refinance of existing assets and loan workouts for distressed assets within the Courtelis portfolio. Prior to working at Courtelis Company, Toussaint served as a Senior Acquisition Analyst at The Kislak Organization where he was directly involved in the acquisition and disposition of over $270M of core and value-add multifamily assets. Toussaint also previously served as an analyst at Auction.com where he provided valuation and advisory services for over 1,200 assets on a national basis with value in excess of $1.5B across a variety of asset types including multifamily, retail, office, industrial and hotels. Toussaint is a graduate of Southern University A&M College where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Southern University Law Center where he earned a Juris Doctor, and the University of Miami School of Law where he earned an LL.M. in Real Property Development. Toussaint is also a licensed member of the Florida Bar.
TOUSSAINT PIERRE
VICE PRESIDENT
PETE OSCEOLA III
PETE OSCEOLA III
ASSOCIATE
Pete serves as both an Analyst and the Tribal Member Liaison for the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Sovereign Wealth Fund. He conducts various levels of market analysis and is actively involved in transactional due diligence. As Tribal Member Liaison, he shares his first-hand knowledge of our investments and strategies with members of the Tribal community. Prior to joining SemREF, Pete participated in the Hard Rock Casino Management Training Program as well as employed in multiple tribal departments including Tribal Community Development, Education, Native Learning Center and Recreation. Since 2013, Pete has built a personal real estate portfolio of 10 income producing properties throughout South Florida. Pete is a Creek Seminole, who is member of the Panther Clan family and resides on the Brighton Reservation.
PETE OSCEOLA III
ASSOCIATE
CHRISTINE PAGAN
CHRISTINE PAGAN
VICE PRESIDENT OF PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
Christine Pagan is the Vice President of Portfolio Management for the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Sovereign Wealth Fund. She is responsible for oversight of all multifamily assets in the fund. In her 35 year career, Christine has managed all multi-family asset classes including new construction, renovation and value add from both a fee managed and owner managed perspective. She has worked for notable companies such as Trammell Crow Residential, Lincoln Property Company, IMT Residential, Pinnacle, Highmark Residential and ZRS Management. While in a fee management capacity, some of her clients included Northwestern Mutual, Nuveen, Prudential, GFI Capital and other institutional and private investors. Christine attended Northern Illinois University and holds her CAM designation.
CHRISTINE PAGAN
VICE PRESIDENT OF PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
NINETTE MINGUEZ
NINETTE MINGUEZ
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Ninette Minguez serves as the Executive Assistant for the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Sovereign Wealth Fund, bringing over a decade of experience in high-level administrative support to C-suite executives and senior management teams. Known for her exceptional organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail, Ninette adeptly manages complex schedules, coordinates high-stakes meetings, and ensures smooth communication across all levels of the organization. Before assuming her role as Executive Assistant, Ninette built a solid foundation as an Office Administrator, where she oversaw daily office operations, including staff management, budgeting, and facilities coordination. This role sharpened her skills in creating and implementing effective processes, managing resources efficiently, and cultivating a productive work environment. Ninette holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Florida International University and is a certified Public Notary in the State of Florida.
NINETTE MINGUEZ
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
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