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Archives: Meet Our Team

Meet Our Team

Adriana Santiago

As the Head of Operations at Relevant Partners, Adriana Santiago is responsible for optimizing operational efficiencies, streamlining processes, and driving strategic initiatives to support the firm’s commercial real estate investments.

Scott Barrack

Scott

An accomplished real estate investment and development professional with over 20 years of real estate entrepreneurial experience in Asia and the US. Scott is the co-founder and managing partner for Relevant Partners and Leads Fundraising, Strategy, and Operations for the group.

Felix Kirby

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A seasoned professional with six years of experience in customer service, technical support, and real estate. , Felix supports Relevant by developing new client and partner relationships.

Trisha Banzon

Trisha

Experienced in website development support and customer service, Trisha manages the organization’s daily operations, playing a vital role in optimizing processes and enhancing organizational performance.

Dustin Smith

Dustin

Offering over 15 years of expertise in Southern California real estate development, Dustin has a background in multifamily and senior housing property asset acquisition, planning, entitlements, and construction.

Isabel Ronda

Isabel

An experienced project management leader, Isabel’s passion lies in the management of complex projects. She is known for delivering substantial cost savings and revenue growth through strategic planning and stakeholder management in high-pressure environments.

Grant King

Grant

Bringing over 20 years of international real estate development, finance, and investment experience, Grant has led the strategy and development behind some of Hollywood’s most iconic hospitality assets, including the Thompson Hotel, Tommie Hotel, Dream Hotel, and renowned restaurants like Mother Wolf, Tao LA, Beauty and Essex, Bar Lis, and more.

Adriana_Santiago

Adriana Santiago

Director of Operations

As an Operations Manager at Relevant Partners, Adriana Santiago is responsible for optimizing operational efficiencies, streamlining processes, and driving strategic initiatives to support the firm’s commercial real estate investments. She plays a critical role in overseeing fundraising operations, investor workflows, financial reporting, and technology integration to enhance decision-making and scalability.

With nearly a decade of experience, Adriana has led large-scale process improvements, introduced AI-driven automation, and developed data-driven strategies to enhance transparency and execution. Before joining Relevant Partners, she held leadership roles in operations and project management at notable Tech start-ups and software companies in the US and UK. 

Key Accomplishments

With a career spanning real estate operations, tech startups, and strategic consulting for startups, Adriana brings a wealth of experience in building and optimizing business operations. She has worked internationally in the United States and the UK, giving her a global perspective on business strategy and operational frameworks.

Her leadership extends to establishing Project Management Offices (PMOs), spearheading Agile transformations, building delivery service departments at tech companies, optimizing tech stacks, and creating technical training programs. She is also an experienced educator, developing curricula and teaching for project management bootcamps.

Beyond her corporate work, she is also actively involved in nonprofits and NGOs, focusing on human rights, education, and economic empowerment initiatives. . She founded an educational program in Costa Rica and continues to contribute to professional development through training programs.

Mikayla Menard

Operations Manager

As Operations Manager at Relevant Partners, Mikayla Menard is responsible for overseeing the execution and continuous improvement of operational processes across departments. She partners with teams to ensure efficient workflows, tooling optimization, and strong performance outcomes. Mikayla’s expertise in process mapping, project support, AI, and team collaboration ensures the smooth progress of both ongoing and quarterly initiatives.

She collaborates closely with marketing, fundraising, and leadership to roll out new and refined processes that enhance departmental productivity and effectiveness. In addition, Mikayla owns U.S. investor onboarding and relations, ensuring a seamless experience for all stakeholders and helping to drive the success of the firm’s investor relations program.

Mikayla’s career spans creative project management, operations, sales, marketing, and process optimization for notable start-ups across the U.S., where she has cultivated a deep understanding of how to balance strategic initiatives with day-to-day operations. Her experience in leading teams through process mapping, identifying operational gaps, and implementing best practices has made her an invaluable asset in improving efficiency and scalability across the company.

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Felix Kirby

Business Development Executive

A seasoned professional with six years of experience in customer service, technical support, and real estate. , Felix supports Relevant by developing new client and partner relationships.

Known for his ability to find solutions, Felix is committed to supporting the needs of our partners and investors with personalized service and problem-solving. Along with his dedication to driving business growth and ensuring client satisfaction, Felix helps Relevant identify and implement critical technologies into its workflows to streamline processes, drive transparency, and enhance the overall customer experience.

Trisha

Trisha Banzon

Operations Associate

Experienced in website development support and customer service, Trisha manages the organization’s daily operations, playing a vital role in optimizing processes and enhancing organizational performance.

Trisha brings a wealth of versatile experience that significantly contributes to the effectiveness of operations. Her background in customer service and technical support equips her with a unique problem-solving mindset and an innate ability to navigate complex challenges. This adaptable approach allows her to seamlessly tackle a wide range of operational issues, ensuring a smooth workflow and exceptional customer experiences.

Giancarlo

Giancarlo Pagani

Strategic Advisor, F&B and Nightlife

A second-generation restaurateur with over 20 years of experience in luxury hospitality, Giancarlo has worked with known brands like Michael Mina Restaurant Group, SBE, SLS Hotels, Jose Andres & Think Food Group, and the Related Companies.

Giancarlo Pagani, a seasoned figure in the hospitality industry, has more than two decades of experience in the lifestyle and luxury sectors, notably in Southern California and Miami. With a family background in restaurants, he developed a keen appreciation for the service, design, and ambiance of hospitality brands. Giancarlo’s career journey includes strategic partnership roles with prominent companies such as Michael Mina Restaurant Group, SBE, SLS Hotels, Jose Andres & Think Food Group, and the Related Companies.

In 2015, he established Pagani Projects, a brand development and management firm that streamlines business growth within the hospitality sector. This enables companies to focus on their core strengths while minimizing time and capital investment. In 2018, Giancarlo partnered with the Relevant Group and Ten Five Hospitality to create and operate several chef-driven lifestyle restaurants and nightlife concepts in Hollywood, including Mother Wolf, Ka’teen, Mes Amis, Bar Lis at the Thompson Hotel, and Desert Five Spot at the Tommie Hotel’s rooftop.

Kat

Kat Araneta

Director of Operations

An experienced leader with 18 years in business process outsourcing, focusing on corporate strategy, service delivery, and business development.

Seasoned leader with over 18 years of management experience across multiple industries and lines of business in the business process outsourcing industry, specializing in corporate strategy, end to end service delivery and business development. Her expertise spans multi-site operations, business continuity, risk management, people management, client services, implementing Six Sigma and project management methodologies.

Dustin

Dustin Smith

Director of Development

Offering over 15 years of expertise in Southern California real estate development, Dustin has a background in multifamily and senior housing property asset acquisition, planning, entitlements, and construction.

Dustin is the founder of DL Smith Company, a real estate consulting, investment, and development firm specializing in residential, multifamily, senior, and mixed-use projects that enhance neighborhood communities. The company operates in three main areas: managing its projects, collaborating on developments with private and institutional partners, and providing third-party development management and consulting services.

Dustin has successfully overseen the acquisition, investment, and development of high-quality urban infill properties with a combined value exceeding $3.5 billion. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management from Boise State University, a Master of Real Estate from the University of Denver, and he has also pursued graduate-level coursework at Cornell University. Additionally, Dustin is a licensed Real Estate Broker in the State of California.

Isabel

Isabel Ronda

Director of Construction

An experienced project management leader, Isabel’s passion lies in the management of complex projects. She is known for delivering substantial cost savings and revenue growth through strategic planning and stakeholder management in high-pressure environments.

Isabel loves intellectual challenges, debugging problems under pressure, and taking action to make effective decisions with a strong emphasis on teamwork. She is a project management thought leader with over seven years of experience, specializing in complex billion-dollar projects. Isabel excels in delivering value and innovation in areas such as cost control, planning and engineering, stakeholder management strategies, and global client relationships.

Scott

Scott Barrack

Managing Partner

An accomplished real estate investment and development professional with over 20 years of real estate entrepreneurial experience in Asia and the US. Scott is the co-founder and managing partner for Relevant Partners and Leads Fundraising, Strategy, and Operations for the group.

  • Fluent in Mandarin, Scott lived in Shanghai for 21 years from 1998 to 2019.
  • 20+ years of international real estate development and finance experience.
  • Raised over $1.5B+ for cross-border real estate and private equity transactions across 30 deals.
  • Headed Asia Fundraising for Colony Capital (NYSE: DBRG/ AUM $50B) for 9 years across 10 countries.
  • Specialization in developing and executing capital formation strategies.
  • Passionate about real estate sectors with positive social and environmental impact.
  • Asset Class Experience: digital infrastructure, hotels and resorts, multifamily, affordable housing, modular construction
  • MBA from Global School of Entrepreneurs. Undergrad - Arizona State, Beijing Language University, Dalian Language University,
  • Entrepreneur Organization Member Since 2002. Shanghai Chapter president t in 2013-2014. LA board member 2021-2023.
Other notable Asia Experience:
  • Funded and built Shanghai's first boutique Hotel in 2008 - – URBN Hotels and Resorts. China’s first carbon-neutral hotel brand.
  • Funded and repositioned 20+ scaled residential and commercial properties in Shanghai's Shanghai French Concession, many in league with several Shanghai government groups.
  • Sri Lanka - raised and exited multiple land investment funds.
Grant

Grant King

Managing Partner

Bringing over 20 years of international real estate development, finance, and investment experience, Grant has led the strategy and development behind some of Hollywood’s most iconic hospitality assets, including the Thompson Hotel, Tommie Hotel, Dream Hotel, and renowned restaurants like Mother Wolf, Tao LA, Beauty and Essex, Bar Lis, and more.

Grant King brings an impressive track record of over two decades of international real estate, finance, development, and investment to the table. His wealth of experience is a driving force behind the success of various iconic hospitality assets in Hollywood. Grant’s visionary leadership has left an indelible mark on the industry, having played a pivotal role in the development and strategic direction of renowned establishments such as Thompson, Tommie, and Dream hotels.

His contributions extend beyond hotel projects, encompassing an array of celebrated ventures, including Mother Wolf, Tao LA, Beauty & Essex, Desert 5 Spot, Bar Lis, Ka’teen, and many more. Grant’s expertise and strategic insights continue to shape the landscape of the hospitality and real estate sectors, making him a driving force behind some of Hollywood’s most iconic destinations.

Grant King

Bringing over 20 years of international real estate development, finance, and investment experience, Grant has led the strategy and development behind some of Hollywood’s most iconic hospitality assets, including the Thompson Hotel, Tommie Hotel, Dream Hotel, and renowned restaurants like Mother Wolf, Tao LA, Beauty and Essex, Bar Lis, and more.