internships

Meeting More of the PCSD Team

August 6, 2024 by PCSD

Who did you meet with today?

Today, I had the opportunity to meet with Stephanie Guerrero, a project manager, Jennifer Afdahl Rice, an executive director, Mary Grace Houlihan, a project director, Anna Johnson, a director of finance, and Akil Manley, a regional director.

Where do they work? What does the company do?

Everyone previously mentioned works at PCSD, which is a non-profit organization that helps charter schools find and develop facilities. PCSD is really unique because they are one of the few organizations that recycle their money. They help schools with low interest loans to which schools eventually pay PCSD back over time.

What did you learn today? What were some highlights?

Today I got to learn about the background of some of the PCSD employees and their journey of how they got here. Anna had a law degree and had always worked within charter schools which led her to becoming a project manager, but after some time, she switched to become a finance director. On the other hand, Jennifer always knew that she liked math and wanted to help the community so she did so a couple years traveling in Africa where she worked on many loans for a while and she eventually found PCSD, which incorporated her desire for helping the community. Next, Mary Grace used to work in the public sector, transit to be specific, and now she is a Project Director which is less stressful than her previous job. In fact, she mentioned that this would be her retirement job because of how great it is. Next is Akil, and he actually graduated with a political science degree and told us his story about working with charter schools for 10 years. Then he taught us about the factors that PCSD looks at before deciding on a location for a school.

Some highlights of the day included the advice that the PCSD team gave us. For example, Anna said, “people find their path in a lot of different ways”; which means that everyone’s path isn’t just one straight line and people have to manage their way through obstacles that get in their way. Similar to Anna, Akil said when “you’re not ok, it’s not over “ and “it’s your grind.” This means that it’s all about the work that you decide to put in. These specific quotes resonated with me because it goes to show that it doesn’t matter where you got your degree from or where you are from because both Anna and Akil studied something different from what they are currently working in, which goes to show that they are still growing and learning.

What insights did you gain into the field of real estate development?

One of the key insights I gained was understanding what Akil takes into account when trying to find a new building for a school. For example, if it is convenient for both teachers and students, which involves looking at traffic and public transportation. That was only an example but there are many more factors that Akil and the PCSD team take into account.

Did you become more interested in the field after today?

After today’s experience, I found myself more interested and motivated in pursuing real estate after high school because of the exposure from today and the encouraging words that the team shared.

Real Estate Lending and Pathways

August 1, 2024 by PCSD

Who did you meet with today?

Today, my fellow interns and I got the opportunity to speak with Eric Sussman, a Pacific Charter School Development (PCSD) Board Member and UCLA Professor. Later that same day, we got the chance to speak to three employees of City National Bank (CNB), one of the many banks that lend money for PCSD.

Where do they work? What does the company do?

Both Eric and City National Bank (CNB) work with Pacific Charter School Development (PCSD), a non-profit focused on real estate. Eric Sussman is a board member of PCSD and is a professor at UCLA for Real Estate and Accounting along with being a business owner. City National Bank is one of the main lenders of money for commercial acquisition and construction projects. With the investment, PCSD is able to fund projects that otherwise wouldn’t be possible.

What did you learn today? What were some highlights?

Today, I learned about how real estate properties differ in price depending on their surroundings and conditions that make them less likely to have demand. From both of our conversations, the topic of Covid-19 was common, as both speakers expressed their challenges and changes caused by the pandemic. From office buildings becoming vacant to industrial properties becoming more expensive and in demand. Some highlights from today were hearing about Eric’s journey to becoming a professor, from finding out his boss was committing fraud to losing his job and using his connections and talent for teaching to work at UCLA. Another highlight from today was getting to decide on which properties we would invest in, as in the City National Bank presentation we were presented multiple properties with many different positives and negatives.

What insights did you gain into the field of real estate development?

One of the many insights I gained into the field of real estate development was how the price and evaluation of a property changes as a result of the land or the surroundings changing for the better or worse. As an area becomes less populated and business starts moving out the surrounding properties and business decreases and slows down. I also got some great advice about purchasing homes and the difference between single family, duplex, and fourplex. Like not buying a house near a big street with a street light because of the traffic to search for a place in a safe area with little or no crime.

Did you become more interested in the field after today?

After today, I have become more interested in real estate, specifically in the many different conditions that make the properties themselves increase or decrease in value and the things lenders look for in order to decide to lend to someone or not. I didn’t know about how important it is to know that nearby properties affect other properties and their value reflects on how popular an area is or is in demand. I feel like I have discovered an interest for finding out all the details about a property and its land as it is very cool how it changes and that it is visible if you look into it.

Eric Sussman showing his Venn diagram for careers

Simon from CNB talking about commercial lending

A Day Spent with a Contractor

July 26, 2024 by PCSD

Who did you meet with today?

I had the privilege of meeting with Gary Blackwell, a creative contractor, at one of their charter school construction sites, KIPP Santa Fe. There we also encountered Adolfo, a trusted site supervisor, who has been part of Gary’s team for many years.

Where do they work? What does the company do?

Through hard work, he established his own firm, Blackwell Construction, before acquiring EPI Construction, and eventually his third company, BDI Construction. Most of his construction projects are aimed at providing educational facilities for charter schools and private schools. EPI Construction extends further to include fitness centers, office buildings, retail spaces, site development, food processing facilities, and light industrial projects. All three of his companies are commercial construction companies known for their expertise in delivering high-quality projects.

What did you learn today? What were some highlights?

As our guide, Gary walked us through the construction process, highlighting significant parts of the structure, such as a subterranean parking garage, dedicated for teachers and staff. The school was estimated to be 70% completed, so we were able to thoroughly explore the various rooms and get insight into the development of the school from design to budgeting, ensuring how the project is to be delivered on time, and that the school is both functionally and cost efficient. We also learned that the construction process might look differently in other states where PCSD is, such as Texas and Washington. Overall, there are different construction processes and each is a lengthy process as there are many things that slow the construction process whether it’s coordinating with the city of L.A. or ensuring that materials and electricity are obtainable on time and on budget.

What insights did you gain into the field of real estate development?

Following the tour, Gary generously shared his love for fishing as well as his personal career journey, inspiring us to pursue something we enjoy. Studying to pursue a career in pre-med, an internship at a hospital led him to reevaluate his decisions. Following suit, he explored other paths and discovered his passion for construction. The dedication in constructing an educational facility was shown as Gary toured and talked to us about the upcoming charter school that is set to create a positive impact to the community. Gary also mentioned and added emphasis to collaborating early on with architects to ensure that the drawings for structure are not over budget and don’t have to be thrown out. To Gary, collaboration is essential and by sharing with us about his various projects he demonstrated that early collaboration is key to help ensure that the construction process runs smoothly and efficiently.

Did you become more interested in the field after today?

Since the beginning of the internship I’ve been interested in the real estate development field and each day the more value I gain from the program the more interested I become in the field. Being acquainted with several talented and unique individuals who share the same passion as Gary has been enlightening. Hearing Gary’s insights and seeing his dedication to providing educational facilities that would enrich the lives of children, educators, and many other individuals was truly inspiring. I enjoyed the exposure I got from visiting the construction site and observing the work and effort that is being put towards completing a project.

Getting info on the site before starting the tour

Talking about the ins and outs of the site

Learning the Structure and Involvement of Commercial Bank of California and the Importance of Insurance

July 24, 2024 by PCSD

Who did you meet with today?

On July 18th, my fellow interns and I met with a variety of different people, each with different roles and careers within Commercial Bank of California. We gained insightful economic and financial knowledge from: Kevin Gonzalez, Tammy Jung, Thomas E. McCullough, Christopher Colella, Richard Cheng, Annie Knyazyan, and Derek (Jongseok) Jeon. Later that day, we also met and had lunch with Greg Martin, PCSD’s insurance agent from High Ground Insurance.

Where do they work? What does the company do?

Commercial Bank of California works closely with business and real-estate. It has many departments with focuses on bank lending, generating revenue or income, maintaining the stability of the bank, and assisting projects or clients to attain their goals while also ensuring the bank economically thrives and does well.

What did you learn today? What were some highlights?

We learned that there are a lot of risks that can occur in banks that can lead to them going bankrupt if the wrong investment or loan is made. As a result, there are lots of rules and regulations in place to prevent that, such as having compliance officers evaluate customers to minimize any risks.

Greg Martin further added to this idea with his career in assisting companies like PCSD to get trustworthy, quality insurance for any potential problem.

Some of the highlights today were gaining new information and general life advice from the people we’ve met. For example, learning about the Community Reinvestment Act from Richard Cheng, a CRA manager at Commercial Bank of California, helped us see that banks do more than just lending or gaining profit. They help the public and meet community needs around the area through this program. It helped us learn that giving back is an important part of life and the community’s overall well-being.

What insights did you gain into the field of real estate development?

My fellow interns and I were able to see the structure of how banks work and why each person and their role is important to making a project or idea work, similarly to the development and process of creating schools. Every role in both business and real-estate development is complicated and intricate, however, the end product is always something to be proud of. We could see that it takes a lot of diligence, hard-work, and passion that’s needed in careers to create a well functioning society.

Did you become more interested in the field after today?

After today, I did become more interested in the real-estate field because it is very diverse with what you could be involved in, whether that’s financially or not. It was a great experience getting to meet with new people and understanding a bit more about what other careers are out there.

Tom McCullough and Kevin Gonzalez with all of the PCSD interns

Chris Colella presenting about his work and career

The Art of Listening in Order to Design: A Visit to Berliner Architects

July 18, 2024 by PCSD

Who did you meet with today?

On July 16th we met with Berliner Architects and received presentations from Ian Fitzpatrick, Abby Katcher, Danai Sougkara, Tannaz Mohtasebi, Lautaro Galvez, Tony Armer – all from Berliner. We also met with Ed Melo from Brandow Johnson, Matt Skokan from Saiful Bouquet, and Kelly Schall from Budlong.

Where do they work? What does the company do?

We went to visit Berliner Architects, an architecture firm founded by Mr. Richard Berliner himself, which is located near Culver City. It was a nice, compact, yet cozy office full of working staff at their computers who were busy working on their projects. We were able to witness them at work as well as receive a presentation from Richardhimself regarding two schools that they were in charge of working with; Immaculate Heart, a Catholic school, as well as Citizens of the World, a charter school.

What did you learn today? What were some highlights?

We were able to learn more about what an architect actually does. It is not just drawing and designing a house but there are many other intricate details involved in the process as well. One of the main lessons emphasized was that it is imperative to work alongside your fellow engineers, contractors and clients as well as anyone else in order to coordinate and get the job done. One important skill you must have is the ability to listen.

What insights did you gain into the field of real estate development?

I learned about PCSD’s role alongside Berliner. To put it simply, PCSD works alongside the architects when it comes to budgeting, in order to ensure the charter school is able to afford the school being built. The architects themselves are responsible for the design and aesthetic aspect of the building when it comes to real estate development.

Did you become more interested in the field after today?

I was for sure already interested in architecture as I will be going to UC Berkeley to study Architecture, however this only gave me insight I had previously not had and what to expect if I do go into this field.

Dannai and Tannaz presenting a school design.

Richard, Abby, and Ian presenting a design concept.

The Role of Public Finance in Charter School Facility Projects

July 16, 2024 by PCSD

Who did you meet with today?

Today, my fellow interns and I had the pleasure of meeting John Kim, Managing Director of Stifel’s Charter School Practice Group. We also got the chance to meet and connect with Tina Lin, VP of Finance at PCSD, and with John’s team of banking interns: Kenji Swun, Rachel Fox, Austin Chan, Miguel Grillo, Edric Viazon, and Arias Najmabadi.

Where do they work? What does the company do?

Stifel has a few main aspects that they are known for including Corporate Finance, which helps companies invest their money wisely to grow; Public Finance, which helps raise capital for public agencies or nonprofits; Asset Management, which helps individuals reach their financial goals; and Commercial Banking, which is financial services to corporations such as accepting deposits and lending money. Stifel’s Public Financing team helps support various nonprofits such as PCSD to create new projects/operations like schools through grants, loans, and bonds.

What did you learn today? What were some highlights?

Getting to speak with John, I learned how much of a crucial role public financing plays in everything around us. Whether it is the schools we attend, the buses that provide us transportation, or the utility infrastructure that provides essential services to our communities. Public Finance does this by helping to raise capital for governments and nonprofits primarily through selling bonds which is essentially debt. Additionally, I was able to learn how the financial system is accessible to everyone but the cost may differ. Stifel helps nonprofits such as PCSD fund the facilities needed to create these incredible charter schools. Equally important, I found it interesting to hear John talk about the high level of importance that trust and communication play in Public Finance Investment Banking. Because without these skills, people will not feel secure enough to invest their money.

Furthermore, some highlights of our conversation with John were getting to hear about his background and how he worked under his father at a young age. There he learned how to communicate with all types of people to create a welcoming environment and how to take pride in his work/service, no matter how small. John also explained how soft skills are just as important as hard skills and that they may be even more important. Lastly, my fellow interns and I enjoyed getting the opportunity to talk one-on-one with each of the interns at Stifel.

What insights did you gain into the field of real estate development?

From our meeting with John, I gained several insights into how public finance is crucial for real estate development. I learned that public finance professionals, like those at Stifel, help raise capital for important community projects through bonds. These projects include things like building schools, roads, and utilities, which are essential for real estate development. For example, when a city issues bonds to build new schools or improve roads, it makes more people want to live there and attracts more businesses to invest in. This can increase the value of the area and encourage more development to occur.

Did you become more interested in the field after today?

After our meeting today, I have grown much more interested in the financial aspects of real estate and public finance. Learning about how public finance directly supports and drives real estate projects has given me a new appreciation for the intricacies and opportunities within the industry. Understanding how bonds and other financial tools are used to fund essential infrastructure projects, like schools and roads, highlights the critical role of strategic financial planning in creating thriving communities. This knowledge has made me more eager to explore how financial strategies and public-private partnerships can shape and enhance real estate development.