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

_____________________________________________________________________________

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).

_____________________________________________________________________________

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Lisa Days

_____________________________________________________________________________

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

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.

_____________________________________________________________________________

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.
_____________________________________________________________________________

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 State’s Levin College. He lives in Cleveland with his wife, Bobbi Reichtell, who works at Neighborhood Progress

_____________________________________________________________________________

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Ebony Ricks

_____________________________________________________________________________

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________________________________________

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.

_____________________________________________________________________________