Profile

As a vertically integrated real estate platform, Ascendant is led by a managing partnership comprised of CEO Russell Gimelstob, Co-President & CIO Alex Halpern, and Co-President & COO Eric Calder, which has collectively acquired and developed more than $20 billion of real estate assets. Founded on the basis of creating a more investor-friendly and specialized format of real estate investing, the firm has built a team of sector-level specialists across its three operating verticals, and relies on continuous, cross-pollenating dialogue with its limited partners.

Russell Gimelstob
Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Prior to founding Ascendant Capital Partners, Russell Gimelstob was Head of Acquisitions, Partner, Managing Director and Member of the Investment Committee of Dune Real Estate Partners, a manager of real estate private equity funds. Russell previously represented Ascendant on the board of Watermark Lodging Trust.

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Alex Halpern
Co-Founder, Co-President, and Chief Investment Officer

Alex Halpern is responsible for the oversight of Ascendant's investment activities, as well as the day-to-day management of the platform's hospitality, and select residential investments. Alex represented Ascendant on the board of Watermark Lodging Trust, is an active board member of Sentral, and is a board observer of DC Blox.

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Eric Calder
Partner, Co-President, and Chief Operating Officer

Prior to joining Ascendant Capital Partners, Eric Calder was the Co-Chief Investment Officer of Dune Real Estate Partners, a New York City-based real estate investment firm. At Dune, he was a member of the firm’s Investment Committee and led over $6 billion in transactions across the residential, retail, industrial, office and hospitality sectors.

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Ascendant has put together a world-class team of diverse individuals, each with an impressive background and knowledge base. Through close collaboration, we are able to continue to expand our services into new markets and locations across the globe.

Jason Goldberg

Chief Financial Officer

Lara Kiefer

Vice President

Zach Gallin

Chief of Staff, Investor Relations

Dajana Cvijanovic

Executive Assistant

Jessica Bowen
Treasury Manager

Jessica Bowen joined Ascendant Capital Partners in 2023 and currently serves as the Treasury Manager. Jessica is primarily responsible for overseeing the cash management process.

Prior to joining Ascendant Capital Partners, Jessica worked at the University of New Mexico as the Senior Operations Manager for the Office of General Counsel. In her role, Jessica was responsible for annual budget and forecasting, quarterly cash reporting, and creating new policies and procedures to meet growing department needs. Jessica also led a cross-functional working group with accounting and billing teams from across the University Hospital system to streamline the execution and cash management of new doctor and traveling nurse contracts.

Prior to joining the University of New Mexico, Jessica worked at Goldman Sachs in New York City as a Vice President in Foreign Exchange Derivative Operations. Jessica oversaw a global team responsible for proper trade execution, external banking relationship management, and timely cash payments according to individual currency cut off times. In her role, Jessica also chaired regulatory reform efforts for the FX department reviewing Dodd Frank and EMIR documentation and ensuring the firms compliance with an ever-changing regulatory landscape.

Jessica graduated with honors from the University of New Mexico and received a B.A. in Finance.