Mentor Program

The mission of the ULI New York Mentor Program is to foster an exchange of ideas between experienced executives and young real estate professionals. Mentors have the opportunity to gain a fresh perspective and additional experience as an advisor, supporter, and coach, while mentees forge relationships and gain wisdom from experienced industry players.

Mentor Program

Mission

The mission of the ULI New York Mentor Program is to foster an exchange of professional ideas and mentorship between experienced executives in the industry (“Mentors”) and young real estate professionals (“Mentees”) under the age of 40. Mentees will have the chance to learn from experienced industry players and bounce career-related ideas off someone they might not have otherwise met. In order to gain the most out of this program, it is crucial that Mentees approach the program as an opportunity to learn from a seasoned professional, not as an opportunity to land your next job. Mentors volunteer their time to make a connection with the younger generation and there is an expectation that the relationship will be respected accordingly.

One of ULI’s primary functions is to promote the highest level of professionalism and as we head toward greater specialization in our industry this program will give Mentees the opportunity for a broader range of professional experience than offered in their current positions. This program also offers Mentors the opportunity to strengthen ties with future leaders of the local real estate community and the opportunity to gain a fresh perspective on real estate while gaining additional experience as an advisor, supporter, and coach.

Program Duration – October to June

The program application window opens annually in early August, closes in early September, and applicants are notified of selection shortly thereafter.

*Note – Mentees may apply to be a part of the Mentor Program for a maximum of three consecutive years, at which point they will be ineligible to participate for one year before reapplying for admission to the program.

Commitment

Every participant must be committed to the Mentorship Program in order to create the atmosphere necessary for success. Missing more than one meeting may disqualify you from further participation.

Getting Involved

For more information about the Mentor Program or if you are interested in becoming a Mentee or Mentor please contact Sam Mullins via e-mail at sam.mullins@uli.org

Mentor Program Co-Chairs

lola_beliniLola Bellini, Vice President of Acquisitions
Wafra Investment Advisory Group, Inc.

Ms. Bellini joined the Acquisitions Group within Wafra’s Real Estate Division in 2015 with more than 20 years of experience working in the real estate sector. During her career, she has closed acquisitions and joint ventures with a gross value of over $ 4 billion. Prior to joining Wafra, Ms. Bellini founded her own boutique investment and advisory businesses. Ms. Bellini was a Vice President and Senior Acquisitions Officer at JP Morgan Investment Management for eight years and, prior to that, she was with ING Clarion Partners. Ms. Bellini began her career in Real E1) the acquisition, financing, day-to-day management, leasing, and disposition of a 1.3 million square foot office portfolio in New Jersey and; (2) financing, pre-development, and implementation of the development of a 64-unit assisted living project in Danbury, CT. In December of 2005, 7 of the 8 buildings in the NJ portfolio were sold with the final building selling in May of 2006. The returns to the investors and the summary of the transactions listed are under success stories at www.appianrealestate.com. From mid-1998state Asset Management at Jones Lang Wootten Realty Advisors and, subsequently, at The Blackstone Group. Ms. Bellini holds a dual B.S. in Finance and International Business from NYU Stern. She is a member of WX (Women Executives in Real Estate) and Co-chair of the ULI Mentoring Program.

scott_sambadeScott Sambade, President
Appian Real Estate, LLC

Prior to forming Appian Real Estate in January of 2006, Mr. Sambade joined Allegiance Realty Corporation as a Director in early 2004 focusing on acquisitions and finance and made the transition from investment banker to investment principal. In that two-year period, he was involved in two transactions, ( through early 2004, Mr. Sambade was an investment banker for Carlton Advisory Services and APC Realty Advisors. During this period, he was responsible for originating transactions for the two firms as well as raising debt and equity on over $500 million in real estate assets. From 1997 through mid-1998, Mr. Sambade was a manager in the Construction & Real Estate Division of Itochu International, Inc., a Japanese trading company, where he was responsible for the origination of mezzanine debt on a variety of institutional property types. From 1992 through 1997, Mr. Sambade worked as a senior underwriter for Cantor Fitzgerald in their Institutional Property Group, a consultant for Deloitte & Touche, and on an independent basis where he evaluated over $2.0 billion in transactions. It was during that time where he met Christopher Smith, President & CEO of Allegiance, and Greg Smith, currently President & CEO of Maplewood Communities. With these two partners he closed three deals with the two brothers including the acquisition of 65 Willowbrook Avenue in Wayne, NJ. Mr. Sambade received his undergraduate degree in Liberal Arts from the University of Massachusetts in 1990.