About Us
The students in the capstone studio class come from varied
and diverse fields. Students have worked in jobs such
as neighborhood planning, city government, and real estate
finance.
Capstone 2006 Class: Michael Alexander, James Amendola,
Conor Coakley, Lisa Days, Yi Ding, Adam Freck, Anne Jackson,
Kelly Larosa, Brian Lee, Mark McDermott, Brendan Pillar,
Ebony Ricks, Kevin Smith, Zach Starnik.
Instructors: Robert Simons, James Kastelic
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Michael B. Alexander
Michael B. Alexander recently began a position as a Financial
Analyst for Fairmount Properties LLC, a Residential and Commercial
Real Estate Developer in Cleveland Ohio. He is a graduate of
Cleveland State University (2004: B.A. in Urban Studies) and
also holds a Graduate Certificate in Real Estate Development
and Finance from Cleveland State University (2005).
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James Amendola
James Amendola is currently an environmental technician with
Amendola Engineering Inc. James' primary responsibilities involve
managing point source and environmental monitoring data, conducting
environmental sampling and surveys in the field, and assisting
with preparation of engineering and technical reports. James
is a graduate of both The College of Wooster (2004) and St.
Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio. He can be contacted
at 216-598-0848 or
jamendola@gmail.com
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Conor Coakley
Conor Coakley is currently a senior associate with Colliers
Ostendorf-Morris, involved in their government sector and corporate
services groups. Prior to his move to Colliers, he served as
the executive assistant to the Chief of Staff in Mayor Campbell's
administration. Conor is a graduate of both Fordham University
(2001: Urban Planning/ History) and St. Ignatius High School
in Cleveland, Ohio.
Contact Info: Conor M. Coakley
Colliers Ostendorf-Morris
Senior Associate
Government Affairs/ Corporate Services
1100 Superior Avenue, Suite 800
Cleveland, OH 44114
Phone: 216-861-7200 Direct: 216-861-5399 Fax: 216-861-4672
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Lisa Days
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Yi Ding
Yi Ding recently began an intern position in Fairfax Renaissance
Development Corporation. He has formally interned at the City
of Shaker Heights. Mr. Ding will receive both his Masters degree
in Urban Planning, Design, and Development and Graduate Certificate
in Urban GIS from Cleveland State University in May 2006. He
has a Bachelors degree in Electronic Engnieering from the University
of Electronic Science and Technology of China. Contact Yi Ding
via email at jonding@hotmail.com
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Adam Freck
Adam Freck will receive his Master of Urban Planning, Design,
& Development degree in May 2006. He has served as a graduate
assistant for the Norther Ohio Data & Information Service
for the past two years. While attending Cleveland State University,
he served as a Regional Representative on the APA SRC Executive
committee and was the Student Representative on the CSU University
Strategic Planning Committee. He also has a Bachelor of Science
degree in Urban & Regional Planning from Michigan State
University.
Contact Adam Freck at:
517.648.0538 or
adamfreckcsu@msn.com
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Anne M. Jackson
Anne M. Jackson has recently accepted a position with the Department
of Veteran's Affairs as a Loan Assistant in the Loan Guaranty
department. Her primary responsibilities include monitoring
program compliance and conducting in-house lender quality control
reviews within the mortgage lending industry. Anne received
her B.A. in Urban Studies with a minor in Environmental Studies
from the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs (2004)
and holds a Certificate in Urban Geographic Information Systems.
Contact information: annejackson33@hotmail.com or annemjackson1@yahoo.com
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Kelly Larosa
Kelly La Rosa is a Senior Project Manager for a not-for-profit
affordable housing developer in Lorain County. Prior to that,
Ms. La Rosa worked as City Planner in the City of Elyria and
as Assistant to the Planning and Economic Development Directors
in the City of Oberlin. In 2001, Ms. La Rosa
earned a Masters in Business Administration Degree from Tiffin
University and is graduating in May with a Masters in Urban
Planning, Design andDevelopment from Cleveland State University.
Contact information: klarosa@hotmail.com.
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Brian Lee
Brian Lee will receive both his law degree and masters in urban
planning in December 2006. He currently clerks at the law firm
of Reminger & Reminger, L.P.A., working primarily in the
civil litigation area. Brian is a graduate of the University
of Colorado and Walsh Jesuit High School.
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Mark McDermott
Mark McDermott is Vice President and Central Region Director
for Enterprise Community Partners. Prior to joining Enterprise
in 1998 Mr. McDermott served as executive director of the Cleveland
Housing Network and worked for the Center for Neighborhood Development
at Cleveland States Levin College. He lives in Cleveland
with his wife, Bobbi Reichtell, who works at Neighborhood Progress
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Brendan Pillar
Brendan Pillar is currently finishing a Graduate Assistantship
managing the "Brownfields Job Training Program" for
the City of Cleveland Division of Workforce Development. Upon
graduation he will be moving to Brooklyn, New York to start
an urban planning job with the City of New York Department of
Planning. Brendan graduated from University School in 2000,
and in 2004, earned a
bachelors degree in Urban Studies from Hobart College in Geneva,
New York. Contact Brendan Pillar via email at brendanpillar@gmail.com
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Ebony Ricks
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Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith recently started an internship at Allegro Realty
Advisors. He has formally interned at the City of Shaker Heights.
He is expected to graduate with a Masters in Urban Planning,
Design, and Development with a Real Estate Development and Finance
certificate from Cleveland State University in December 2006.
He graduated from Hudson High School in 1998 and has a Bachelors
degree in Information Systems and Real Estate from the University
of Cincinnati (2002). Contact Kevin Smith via phone at (216)
509-3573 or email at smithkp@gmail.com
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Zach Starnik
Zach Starnik will be entering his final semester at the Levin
College of Urban Affairs this August. He graduated with a bachelor's
degree in philosophy from St. John's College in Annapolis, MD.
Zach can be contacted at zstarnik@adelphia.net, or (216) 965-5237.
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Instructor: Mr. James Kastelic
Mr. Kastelic has over 30 years of experience in city planning,
land use regulation, public management, environmental resource
assessment, and site analysis. He currently works with Cleveland
Metroparks in Planning, Design, and Natural Resources. He received
his Bachelors degree from the University of Kansas and his Masters
from Kent State University, with majors in Urban Geography.
He is an adjunct faculty member at the College of Urban Affairs.
Mr. Kastelic currently serves on several planning committees
and nonprofit boards, including the Cuyahoga Valley Community
Council, Cleveland Lakefront Advisory Committee, Ohio Coastal
Resource Management Project, Scenic Ohio, Ohio Coastal Resource
Advisory Council, and Ohio Canal and Towpath Committee.
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Instructor: Dr. Robert Simons
Robert A. Simons is a Professor of Urban Planning and Real
Estate Development at the Levin College of Urban Affairs. Dr.
Simons received his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill in City and Regional Planning, with an emphasis
in real estate. He also holds a Master of Science in Regional
Planning and a Master of Science in Economics, both from U.N.C.
Dr. Simons teaches courses in real estate development, market
analysis and finance, public economics, environmental finance,
a planning capstone studio.
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