Our Team

Tony CappellFounding Partner

As a debt investor with over 10 years of experience in the specialty finance space, Tony has completed over 150 deals comprising over $5B in total credit. Prior to founding Chicago Atlantic, Tony was a Managing Director and Head of Underwriting at Stonegate Capital, a private credit investment firm focused on lower middle market businesses and emerging brands. At Stonegate, he was responsible for credit, underwriting and the growth strategy of the loan portfolio. Previously, he was a Senior Underwriter at First Midwest Bank and at Gibraltar Business Capital where he worked on a number of specialty finance transactions including technology, software, turnaround/distressed and re-discount loans. He began his career at Wells Fargo Capital Finance focused on a wide array of industries and loan structures.

MBA, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
BA, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

Recent Observations

John MazarakisFounding Partner

John brings over 20 years of entrepreneurial, operational, and managerial experience to Chicago Atlantic. Over the last two decades, he has launched successful ventures in real estate, retail, hospitality, and personal fitness. He has built a 30+ restaurant chain with more than 1,200 employees. In addition, John has built a real estate portfolio of over 30 properties, developed over 1 million square feet of commercial real estate, and completed multiple real estate financing transactions. He has invested in and served as an advisor to multiple successful startups.

MBA, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
BA, University of Delaware

Recent Observations

Andreas BodmeierFounding Partner

Andreas has been working at the intersection of finance and analytics for over 10 years. Prior to founding Chicago Atlantic, Andreas co-founded a boutique technology and consulting firm focused on FX and commodity risk management for multi-national corporations as well as advising on capital structure decisions and investor relations. He was also a co-founder of an SEC-registered online investment adviser for 401(k) or 403(b) retirement accounts. As Chief Investment Officer and Chief Compliance Officer, Andreas built the firm’s investment methodology and compliance program. Andreas has also served as a consultant for hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, commercial and consumer lenders, and pharmaceutical companies. His academic research at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business focused on capital market anomalies, portfolio allocation, and risk management.

Ph.D. in Finance and MBA, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
MSc (Statistics), Humboldt University Berlin, Germany
BSc (Mathematics), Freie University Berlin, Germany
BSc (Physics), Freie University Berlin, Germany
BSc (Business Economics), University of Hagen, Germany

Recent Observations

Michael EizengaManaging Director & Head of Real Estate

Michael is Managing Director & Head of Real Estate at Chicago Atlantic. Michael brings over 15 years of real estate investment and development experience to Chicago Atlantic.  As a Principal at The Jaffe Companies, one of the Midwest’s preeminent mixed-use development firms, Michael’s responsibilities have included acquisitions, development, financing, and leasing activities within the company’s portfolio. Most recently, Michael developed The Arboretum of South Barrington, a $100 million upscale lifestyle center that was sold to Starwood Capital Group, as well as the Edens Collection, a $60 million Target-anchored retail project in the City of Chicago.

Prior to joining The Jaffe Companies in 2007, Michael was Vice President at The Binswanger Company where he consulted with national corporate clients on their real estate holdings. In his early career, Michael worked in Paris, Milan, Brussels, and Frankfurt in Seimen’s global finance group.

Michael actively supports the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Kovler Diabetes Center at The University of Chicago, and is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers.

MBA, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
BS, Indiana University Kelley School of Business

Peter SackManaging Director & REIT Co-President

Peter is a Managing Director at Chicago Atlantic and serves as Co-President of Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc., our affiliated mortgage REIT. Peter is a credit investor and portfolio manager with experience investing across the capital structure. Prior to joining Chicago Atlantic, Peter was a Principal at BC Partners Credit where he sourced and underwrote across the firm’s opportunistic and senior lending strategies in a wide array of industries. Peter managed the portfolio of BC Partners Lending Corporation, a private business development company with assets of over $100 million deployed in middle-market private loans. Peter also founded the firm’s cannabis vertical and has underwritten over $130 million in related transactions. Previously, Peter was an Associate at Atlas Holdings LLC, a private-equity firm focused on supporting distressed manufacturing and distribution companies globally. Peter speaks Mandarin Chinese and Spanish.

MBA, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
BA, Yale University, graduated cum laude
Fulbright Scholar, Sun Yat-sen University China, US Department of State

David KiteManaging Director & COO

David is a Managing Director at Chicago Atlantic and serves as COO of Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc., our affiliated mortgage REIT. David began his career as a commodities trader with Commodities Corp where legendary traders Paul Tutor Jones, Bruce Kovner and Louis Bacon launched their careers. Soon after, David founded K&K Capital Management, where he created a proprietary trading strategy which at its peak managed in excess of $250 million and generated average annual net returns of 19% for nearly a decade.  After, David became the Managing Partner of Lionheart, a multi-strategy fund of hedge funds. In 2013, David transitioned to real estate as Principal and COO of Free Market Ventures where he oversaw all aspects of the company including deal structure, capital raising, due diligence, acquisitions, asset management and dispositions.

MBA, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
BA in Economics, University of Illinois

Andrew LovittGeneral Counsel

Andrew is General Counsel at Chicago Atlantic. Prior to joining Chicago Atlantic, Andrew was an attorney in the Private Credit group at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, where he advised lenders and borrowers in numerous finance transactions, including cash flow and asset-based transactions, leveraged buyouts, refinancings, recapitalizations, and loan repayments.

JD, University of Pennsylvania Law School
BA, Purdue University

Phil SilvermanInterim Chief Financial Officer

Phil is Interim Chief Financial Officer of Chicago Atlantic and serves as the Controller of Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc., our affiliated mortgage REIT. Phil brings over 10 years of finance and accounting experience to Chicago Atlantic. Prior to joining Chicago Atlantic, Phil spent more than 8 years with BDO, where he most recently was a Senior Manager in the Financial Services and Private Equity group, responsible for end to end execution of audits of investment companies (BDCs/SBIC/PE/VC) and asset managers. Phil holds the CPA designation.

BS (Finance), Indiana University – Kelly School of Business

Recent Observations

Ryan MuranakaManaging Director, Digital Mining

Ryan is a Managing Director at Chicago Atlantic and leads our Real Estate Credit strategy. With over 20 years of experience in commercial real estate bridge financing, Ryan has completed over $2 billion of directly originated secured real estate loans across all asset classes. Prior to joining Chicago Atlantic, Ryan has led the loan origination and asset management teams for family offices and large public companies. Most recently, he was responsible for loan originations at Yam Capital, one of the largest national family office bridge lenders focusing on senior-secured income-producing commercial mortgage lending. Previously, he worked for IMH Financial Corporation for over 15 years, a public reporting bridge lending company, where he led the underwriting, origination, and asset management teams.

BS, Business & Communications, Arizona State University

David EnrightManaging Director, Credit

As a debt investor with over 21 years of experience in the specialty finance space, David has completed over 300 deals comprising over $7.5 billion in total credit. Prior to joining Chicago Atlantic, David was a SVP and responsible for the strategy of Specialty Finance and C&I lending at S&T Bank (NASDAQ: STBA). Previously, he was National Head of Sales at First Midwest Bank and Co-founder of Specialty Finance for First Financial Business Capital, a division of First Financial Bank. While at both First Midwest and First Financial Business Capital, David worked on a number of specialty finance transactions including mezzanine loans, unitranche in almost every industry sector, asset-based lending, technology, software, turnaround, rediscount and many more. He began his career at National City Bank focused on a wide array of industries and loan structures.

BA in Economics,  Kenyon College.

Jack FlahertyManaging Director

Jack joins after 14 years at GAM in New York City as Investment Director and co-head of credit strategies firmwide and also was co-manager of GAM’s unconstrained/absolute return bond strategy responsible for credit positions ranging from investment grade to high yield debt including both asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities allocations. In addition, he has extensive experience in structured credit, trade finance, lending strategies and insurance linked securities. He was previously global co-head of credit fixed income and global head of emerging markets at UBS and worked as a managing director at Barclays Capital in charge of credit fixed income. Jack Flaherty holds a BA in Economics from the University of Illinois, an MBA in Finance and Accounting from the University of Chicago and the Series 7, 63 and 24 qualifications. He is currently living in Los Angeles.

Thomas GeoffroyHead of Accounting and Finance

Thomas Geoffroy serves as the Principal Financial and Accounting Officer & Head of Accounting and Finance for Chicago Atlantic Group. Mr. Geoffroy has 20 years of accounting and finance experience with expertise in financial reporting, operations and internal controls for the financial services industry including extensive investment fund experience. Before joining Chicago Atlantic, Mr. Geoffroy was Chief Financial Officer of a NASDAQ listed mortgage REIT, a publicly traded credit-focused asset management firm, and family office. Prior to that he was Finance and Operations Principal (CFO), General Securities Principal and Chief Compliance Officer for United Capital Markets, a registered broker-dealer specializing in structured finance products. Mr. Geoffroy worked as Controller at Ares Management, and before that he served as Vice President of Fund Administration and Financial Reporting at S.A.C. Capital Advisors. Mr. Geoffroy spent 9 years as a CPA with Ernst & Young where he was a Senior Manager in the Financial Services Organization’s hedge fund audit practice. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant and member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Matt HairManaging Director

Matt is a Managing Director of Accounting and Finance at Chicago Atlantic and brings over 10 years of finance and accounting experience in the financial services industry to Chicago Atlantic. Prior to joining Chicago Atlantic, he spent over 7 years at Golub Capital, a market-leading direct lender and credit asset manager, where he was Controller for their business development companies (“BDCs”) which includes Golub Capital BDC Inc. (NASDAQ: GBDC). Matt started his career in financial services at Performance Trust, a Chicago-based investment bank and boutique fixed income asset manager. Matt holds the CPA designation (inactive).

BS (Accounting), DePaul University

Hayden KellySenior Director, Investor Relations

Hayden is Senior Director, Investor Relations at Chicago Atlantic with a background in capital raising and investor relations. Before joining Chicago Atlantic, Hayden spent 2 years working in the orthopedic space. While getting his bachelor’s degree he worked with Novo Nordisk. Following graduation, he was one of five partners responsible for growing and maintaining a $14.5M orthopedic sales territory for Stryker Orthopedics in Brooklyn, NY. Hayden’s primary responsibilities as Senior Director include developing new client relationships and strengthening the existing client base at the firm. Currently, Hayden manages investor relations while covering RIAs, family offices and institutions for Chicago Atlantic’s private fund. He is currently enrolled at the University of Chicago.

BS in Agriculture and Natural Resources – Marketing and Management, University of Delaware.

Alan SchuchnerDirector, Head of Underwriting

Alan is a Vice President at Chicago Atlantic focusing on underwriting and portfolio management. Prior to joining Chicago Atlantic, Alan spent 5 years of his career in management consulting, having worked with multiple clients focusing on strategy and operations across various industries, including financial services, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, and others. During his consulting career, Alan conducted multiple assessments of the business operating model of important national players and provided strategic recommendations to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs through digitalization, automation, and resource management. Alan has also worked as an underwriting analyst for Stonegate Capital, a Chicago-based ABL firm, performing financial analysis, implementing a portfolio management system, and making recommendations on loan pricing and terms.

MBA, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
BSc (Industrial Engineering), ITBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Recent Observations

Tom MilesVice President, Originations

Tom is a Vice President at Chicago Atlantic focusing on loan originations. Tom brings over 5 years of debt investing and advising experience to Chicago Atlantic. Before joining Chicago Atlantic, Tom spent over 3 years as a Vice President within PNC Bank, originating and executing senior secured loans in support of private equity-led buyouts, recapitalizations, and restructurings. Prior to PNC, Tom worked within FTI Consulting’s transaction advisory group, advising lenders on a variety of different debt issuances.

Tom’s primary focus within Chicago Atlantic is the origination and execution of debt investments to the cannabis industry.

BS (Finance), University of Miami

Alex RigosVice President

Alex is a Vice President at Chicago Atlantic focusing on underwriting and portfolio management of private debt investments in cannabis and non-cannabis companies. Prior to joining Chicago Atlantic, Alex spent 4 years in private credit, most recently at LBC Credit Partners, focusing on underwriting direct lending investments to private equity sponsor-backed companies in a variety of industries. Alex spent the first 5 years of his career at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in underwriting, portfolio management, and origination roles across the commercial banking and specialty lending platforms. In his last few years at Bank of America, he performed as the senior underwriter in a specialty lending group focused on complex recurring-revenue debt structures.

BS, University of Dayton

John HennesseyDirector, Investor Relations

John is Director, Investor Relations at Chicago Atlantic and brings over 10 years of experience in capital formation and investor relations. Prior to joining Chicago Atlantic, John was a Vice President with Merit Hill Capital, a private equity real estate firm where he led capital raising efforts through the RIA, family office and institutional channels. Previously, he worked for Cadre and Nuveen in similar roles. He was a Division I collegiate golfer and currently resides in Dallas, TX.

Hugo Della MottaDirector, Investor Relations

Hugo is the Director of Investor Relations at Chicago Atlantic Group and has more than 12 years of experience in international investor relations and fund-raising strategies. Throughout his career, Hugo had developed fruitful business connections with RIAs, family offices, financial advisors and wealth managers. In his current role at Chicago Atlantic, he will be developing international client relationships with allocators in the Latin America, and Caribbean regions. Prior to join Chicago Atlantic, Hugo was Associate Director at Participant Capital Advisors a registered investment adviser with domestic and offshore investment vehicles. He holds a degree of Business Administration from University of Economic Sciences, Cordoba, Argentina; he loves soccer, and resides in Miami, FL.

Jeffrey GillisVice President, Investor Relations

Jeffrey is a Vice President, Investor Relations at Chicago Atlantic. He works in Business Development at Chicago Atlantic with a background in sales and marketing management. While obtaining his Bachelor’s degree, Jeffrey worked for State Farm where he was responsible for utilizing analytical data to develop strategies for new business opportunities. Following graduation, Jeff played collegiate baseball while obtaining a Master’s degree. Prior to joining Chicago Atlantic he worked in business development for Profile Magazine, a marketing and publication firm. Jeff has significant experience in renegotiating contracts for various high growth businesses and integrating field insights from corporate strategy to improve execution.

MBA, Goldey-Beacom College
BA, Marketing / Marketing Management, Goldey-Beacom College

Hector GonzalezVice President, Investor Relations

Hector is a Vice President, Investor Relations at Chicago Atlantic. He brings over 5 years of experience in private banking, investments and client servicing. Prior to joining Chicago Atlantic, Hector was a Second Vice President and an Associate Portfolio Advisor at Northern Trust. He worked on a Wealth Advisory team responsible for over $4 Billion in Assets Under Management. He collaborated with Investment Advisors to understand the overall investment strategy and may provide input for revisions as goals and objectives change and in the context of client needs working closely and proactively with the broader client service team to identify and execute on areas of opportunity.

Hector holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Hector currently resides in Miami, FL. He enjoys playing tennis, golf, padel and watersports such as wakeboarding. During the Winter, he is an avid snowboarder/skier.

Matt BradyVice President, Real Estate Credit

Matt Brady is a Vice President, Real Estate Credit at Chicago Atlantic. He is responsible for analyzing commercial real estate lending opportunities, assessing risk, building financial models and evaluating borrower and guarantor financial strength. Matt brings 20 years of commercial real estate lending experience to the team. Prior to joining Chicago Atlantic, Matt was responsible for underwriting loans for YAM Capital, one of the largest national family office bridge lenders focused on bridge loans for commercial real estate. Previously he was with IMH Financial Corporation, a public reporting commercial real estate bridge lender, for 16 years where he played an integral role in the firm’s funding and management of over $1 billion in debt and equity investments.

MBA, Arizona State University
BS, Arizona State University

Steven ErnestVice President

A longtime advocate and investor in cannabis, Steve has worked in the cannabis space since 2015. He first began his journey as an angel investor and then, in 2016, became a serial entrepreneur as a key founding member for two cannabis investment bank advisories, Mazakali and Sharp Capital. Before moving into cannabis, Steve worked as a wealth management advisor at J.P. Morgan, managing a book worth more than half a billion dollars for his clients. Regardless of industry, Steve has spent the entirety of his career focused on building community. He is passionate about building relationships, advising brands, and consulting with companies looking to navigate the capital markets. He views himself as and strives to be a connector of dots in the cannabis landscape. In his spare time, he sits on the finance committee for Students for Sensible Drug Policy, the largest global youth-led network dedicated to ending the War on Drugs. An avid researcher and writer, Steve has appeared on multiple cannabis podcasts and written editorials and informative articles for industry leading publications like MJBiz.

BS Risk Management and Finance,  Illinois State University

Dennis HsuStrategy & Operations Manager

Dennis Hsu is the Strategy & Operations Manager at Chicago Atlantic overseeing the loan administration team other operation’s functions. Prior to joining Chicago Atlantic, Dennis spent 7 years in at Morningstar Investment Management as a trader and portfolio administrator focusing on technology implementation and scaling operations of the trading team. In addition, Dennis was the principal trader and administrator on portfolios worth a total AUM of $7 billion.

MBA, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
BA, Economics, Northwestern University

Aneeqa AzharSenior Operations Associate

Aneeqa Azhar serves as Senior Operations Associate assisting Chicago Atlantic’s Operations and Accounting Departments and brings over five years of Financial Services experience to Chicago Atlantic. Prior to joining Chicago Atlantic, she worked as an Operations Analyst at Optiver on the Back Office and Engineering Team and as an Analyst at Performance Trust Capital Partners and at Northern Trust Corporation.

Bachelor of Science in Finance, University of Illinois at Chicago

Christian KennedySenior Operations Associate

Christian is a Senior Operations Associate at Chicago Atlantic and brings 4 years of finance and operations experience in the alternative loan market and broadly syndicated loan market. Prior to joining Chicago Atlantic, he spent 3 years at First Eagle Investments within their alternative credit business, where he was a Senior Operations Analyst for their Asset Operations team. Christian started his career in financial services and Cortland Capital Markets (now Alter Domus), a middle market solution provider for alternative investment managers.

BS (Economics), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Kristi KeeleyController, Private Funds

Kristi serves as Controller, Private Funds at Chicago Atlantic and is responsible for financial accounting and reporting of Chicago Atlantic’s private investment vehicles.

Prior to joining Chicago Atlantic, she worked as a Manager at KPMG, gathering over 6 years of experience in accounting and taxation. During her tenure at KPMG, she focused on private credit and private equity fund clients, gaining exposure to many facets within the industry and region.

Kristi holds the CPA designation and is a CFA charter holder.

BS (Accounting and Finance), DePaul University

Erin WolkeFund Accounting Manager

Erin serves as Fund Accounting Manager at Chicago Atlantic and brings over 4 years of finance and accounting experience. Prior to joining Chicago Atlantic, Erin was a Fund Accountant at Victory Park Capital, where she assisted with accounting, finance, reporting and treasury related activities for various funds, including working with the third-party fund administrator to prepare the fund financial and investor statements, compiling internal and external reporting, and assisting with audits of the funds. Erin began her career at Deloitte & Touche LLP, where she was a Senior Associate in the Audit & Assurance practice, specializing in the Investment Management industry. Erin holds the CPA designation

Masters in Accounting, University of Wisconsin – Madison
BBA in Accounting & Information Systems, University of Wisconsin – Madison

Stephen TaylorFinancial Reporting Manager

Stephen serves as Financial Reporting Manager of Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc., our affiliated mortgage REIT. Stephen brings over 10 years of finance and accounting experience to Chicago Atlantic. Prior to joining Chicago Atlantic, Stephen was the Assistant Controller at Amsted Rail Company, Inc., where he managed the financial statement consolidation, prepared financial analysis of operations, and assisted in structuring complex transactions (acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, strategic alliances, and capital financing). Stephen began his career at KPMG, LLP, where he was a Senior Associate in the Audit & Assurance practice, responsible for end-to-end execution of integrated audits of publicly traded companies, primarily in the technology and software industries. Stephen holds the CPA designation.

BSBA (Accounting & Finance), University of Colorado – Leeds School of Business

Elizabeth QuinlivanVice President, Credit

Andrew KaufmanAssociate, Underwriting

Andrew Kaufman is an Associate at Chicago Atlantic focusing on underwriting and portfolio management. Prior to joining Chicago Atlantic, Andrew was a Credit Analyst at Fitch Ratings covering a both public and private issuers in the Industrials and Transportation sectors. He began his career as an analyst at Neuberger Berman covering fixed income.

MS, DePaul University
BS, Louisiana State University

Jennifer CarterSenior Accounting Analyst

Jennifer is a Senior Accounting Analyst at Chicago Atlantic focusing on financial reporting for our funds and their investors. Jennifer brings 4 years of accounting and tax experience to Chicago Atlantic. Before joining Chicago Atlantic, Jennifer was a senior fund accountant at Blue Vista Capital Management, a Chicago-based real estate private equity firm. Prior to that, Jennifer spent 3 years at Plante Moran providing tax compliance services.

BS (Accounting), Illinois Wesleyan University

Cole ThompsonBusiness Development

Cole works in Business Development at Chicago Atlantic directly supporting the Originations and Credit teams. Cole brings over 8 years of consulting, corporate finance, and wealth management experience to the firm. Most recently, Cole served as a Director for a boutique registered investment advisor where he focused on strategy and relationship management. Prior to that role, Cole worked at Ares Management and BDO where he was responsible for corporate planning and performing third party opinion valuations on various business enterprises.

BSBA (Finance & Entrepreneurship), University of Arizona – Eller College of Management

Temaz FergusonSenior Credit Analyst

Temaz is a Senior Credit Analyst focusing on credit underwriting and portfolio management.  Prior to joining Chicago Atlantic, Temaz was a Credit Analyst at Citi Commercial Bank covering private and public companies in the Industrials sector.

BS, Babson College

Audrey SchlenkerInvestor Services Associate

Audrey is an Investor Services Associate at Chicago Atlantic providing support to the Investor Relations and Accounting departments. After three years managing Chicago’s Michelin-starred restaurant Temporis, naturally, Audrey went into property tax law as a commercial real estate Tax Consultant at Flanagan Bilton LLC. She was with the law firm for three years before joining the Chicago Atlantic team.

BS (Business Management), University of Illinois Chicago

Briget BrewHR & Operations Manager

Briget serves as HR & Operations Manager at Chicago Atlantic Group in the Chicago office. 

Prior to joining Chicago Atlantic, she worked as a Facilities & Office Manager at Monroe Capital for over 10 plus years, focusing on the day-to-day operations of several offices throughout the US.