Arbor’s 2026 Project Destined Mentorship Programs Support Future CRE Leaders
Arbor Realty Trust colleagues mentored more than 50 students this spring during two Project Destined programs designed to provide young professionals with insight into the inner workings of commercial real estate.
Project Destined Career Pathways Program
As a long-term partner of Project Destined, Arbor is proud to have worked with the organization to develop new programs and collaborate with other CRE firms on mentoring aspiring leaders. The Project Destined Real Estate Finance & Advisory Career Pathways Bridge Program, in partnership with EisnerAmper, provided students with an opportunity to explore various areas of the real estate finance industry while learning about potential career paths.
Through weekly virtual, interactive speaker sessions; skills-building workshops; career-focused discussions; and an in-person visit, participants gained practical exposure to CRE and early-career opportunities as well as an academic scholarship stipend.
During the sessions, students heard from leaders at Arbor and EisnerAmper about how they navigate their work while combining technical expertise with critical soft skills. Howard Leiner, Executive Vice President, Chief Technology Officer, at Arbor, discussed why technology is a competitive advantage rather than a support function, and how the digital infrastructure and data behind Arbor’s lending platform helps us work efficiently and deliver streamlined experiences for clients.
Valerie Rubin, Senior Vice President, Senior Transactions Manager, at Arbor, shared with students that in more than 25 years at Arbor she has earned the opportunity to close deals across multiple credit cycles and build institutional knowledge. Rubin, who oversees legal operations for our collateralized loan securitization (CLO) transactions, explained how this responsibility requires precise coordination across Arbor’s Origination, Legal, Compliance, and Capital Markets departments.
“This year, our programs were focused on showing students and young professionals what sets Arbor apart, both as a company and through its employees,” said Leah Fisher, Managing Director, Special Projects, Governance, and Risk, at Arbor, who developed and has been spearheading the company’s Project Destined partnership. “We wanted the students to feel like they weren’t just learning about Arbor as an organization, but gaining a network of talented professionals available to them, to be a sounding board, to share advice, and to apply their vast and unique experiences to situations these young people might face as they begin their careers in real estate finance.”
Project Destined Commercial Real Estate Finance Bridge Program
Like the Career Pathways program, the Bridge program was customized to help students understand Arbor and to provide insight into how our different departments operate and collaborate to deliver results.
Following last year’s success, the 2026 Bridge program focused on the many facets of SFR financing and agency screening. During live, virtual sessions this spring, students heard from Arbor professionals representing our SFR Financing, Underwriting, Screening, Servicing Operations, and Portfolio Management departments. The program culminated in a site visit to Arbor’s New York City office to network and learn more about Arbor’s early-career roles.
Students heard from John Tarantino, Managing Director, Screening, SFR Underwriting, at Arbor, on Arbor’s SFR and build-to-rent (BTR) financing platform and why BTR requires a different lens than multifamily. Dustin Pevear, Managing Director, Director of Screening, and Gianni Ottaviano, Executive Vice President, Structured Finance Production, who have each held roles across several Arbor departments over decades of service, enlightened the students about fulfilling career trajectories and embracing the entrepreneurial mindset.
“I am so proud that Arbor’s partnership with Project Destined continues to grow,” said Fisher. “I believe that the programs that we’ve participated in and helped facilitate have helped students see why flexibility, open-mindedness, and patience are critical, not just when searching for a job, but in their career development. There are countless ways in which an individual can make an impact where they land professionally, and I think that’s important to remember.”
Since it was founded a decade ago, Project Destined has provided more than 15,000 diverse high school and college students worldwide with training in real estate, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. Arbor is proud to be an active partner of Project Destined as we shape the next generation of commercial real estate leaders together.
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