Founding Partner/Chief Executive Officer

Ari S. Heckman is CEO and co- founding partner of ASH NYC. Ari is responsible for the positioning of the firm as an innovative and market-leading real estate development, hotel management, and design company and oversees the various divisions that make up the company. Under Ari’s leadership, ASH NYC has been recognized by Architectural Digest as an AD100 firm, and has been lauded by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Conde Nast Traveler, Time Magazine, Forbes and Fast Company and others for the company’s recent achievements.

A native of Providence, Ari graduated with honors from the College of Architecture, Art and Planning at Cornell University.

Founding Partner/Chief Financial Officer

Jonathan Minkoff leads financial and business operations at ASH NYC. He is responsible for directing the analytics and underwriting team, as well as liaising with lenders, investors and outside counsel. He was previously at Cayuga Capital Management.

Jonathan was raised in Bethesda, Maryland and graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Madison with a degree in Economics. His family is active in the real estate and construction industries in the Washington, DC area.

Partner/Chief Creative Officer

Will Cooper leads the design team and directs brand strategy. He oversees all design projects, including company-held real estate, private clients and the ASH Market furniture collection. Will was previously on the Global Retail Brand Development Team at Ralph Lauren in New York.

Will was raised in Fort Worth, Texas and graduated from the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University.

Partner/Head of Staging

Andrew Bowen leads the company's staging division. He oversees design, operations, staffing, investment and growth, client interaction, new business development, and web systems.

Andrew was raised on Long Island, New York and graduated from New York University with a degree in Urban Design and Architecture.

Head of Hotels

Anthony is the Head of Hotels for the growing hospitality portfolio at ASH NYC. In this role, Anthony oversees operational programming for hotel assets from the conceptual stages and through financing, design, development, opening, and stabilization in collaboration with the other members of the executive team for strategic decision-making and alignment of projects with overall real estate investment goals.

Anthony was born and raised in Providence, R.I. and has collected extensive experience nation-wide in the realms of food and beverage and hospitality. Before joining ASH NYC, Anthony spent nine years with Starwood Hotels and Resorts leading the openings and renovations of W Hotels in both Atlanta and Boston.

Head of Design Project Management

Lourdes Gavilanes is Head of Design Project Management where she liaises between Design & Development on all ASH projects. Prior to joining ASH, Ms. Gavilanes served as a Vice President at the Related Companies where she led the design efforts on millions of square feet of high-end residential and commercial real estate. Her career in Architecture began over 20 years ago in New York City at Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, LLP after which she joined Kohn Pederson Fox Associates, P.C. At both firms, she worked on large-scale, complex and international projects which she has translated into her work on the development side.

Lourdes graduated from the College of Architecture, Art & Planning at Cornell University from where she holds a Degree in Architecture, (B.Arch) & a B.S. in History of Architecture. Ms. Gavilanes is fully bicultural and speaks 4 languages.  She lives in Brooklyn with her daughter Ana.

Director of Staging, West Coast

Samantha Atlas is a Director on the company's staging team, managing west coast operations from the Los Angeles office. She is responsible for overseeing day-to-day activities from conception to completion, ensuring a seamless integration of the various teams that comprise our staging work.

Samantha was raised in Silver Lake, Los Angeles and graduated from California State University Long Beach with a degree in Art History.

Marketing Director

Bradley Cockrell is the Director of Marketing for ASH, overseeing communication strategy across Hotels, Design, Staging and Development. He is responsible for managing brand image, content, campaigns and collaborations across the ASH portfolio. Previous to his time with ASH, Bradley served as a marketing and creative consultant for luxury brands in the fashion and hospitality industries.

Originally from Wilmington, NC, Bradley studied at UNC-Chapel Hill and New York University.

General Manager, Hotel Peter and Paul

Jennifer Dragna manages day-to-day operations at the Hotel Peter and Paul in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Jennifer was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana where she attended Louisiana State University for a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She later attended the University of New Orleans where she received a Masters of Business Administration with a concentration in Hotel, Restaurants, and Tourism.

Director of Accounting

Amro was born and raised in Cairo, Egypt. He moves to the Unities States in 2001 where he earned his bachelor's degree in Accounting. Amro has 15 years of Accounting and Finance experience within the creative and advertising industries.

Director of Design

Brian is the Director of Design at ASH NYC, and is responsible for all design aspects of internal development projects. In his role, Brian manages projects from inception through construction. He oversees and coordinates architecture, engineering, and construction consultants as well as drives internal design direction. Prior to joining ASH, Brian received a variety of Architectural and Design experience, having worked as an Architectural Designer at William Rawn Associates in Boston, an Architect for Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects in New York, and most recently as a Design Manager for WeWork, responsible for WeWork locations throughout the North-East United States and Canada.

Brian was born and raised in Minot, North Dakota and currently lives in Brooklyn. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design as well as a Masters of Architecture from North Dakota State University in Fargo. Brian is a Registered Architect and LEED Accredited Professional (BD+C).

Senior Warehouse Manager, Los Angeles

Erik Hern oversees logistics, transportation, and manages the internal furniture, art, and accessories inventory at the company's warehouse in Los Angeles.

Erik was raised in Florida, and graduated with a degree in Transportation and Logistics from the University of North Florida.

Director of Asset Management

Jonathan Arruda is responsible for overseeing the management of all properties owned or controlled by ASH NYC. He manages daily property operations and liaises with tenants, brokers and service providers in the field.

Jonathan was raised in Providence where he attended Johnson & Wales University for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Hotel Management. He comes to the company with an extensive background in boutique independent hotels and international hospitality quality assurance and brand management.

General Manager, The Siren Hotel

Nick Knight manages day-to-day operations at The Siren Hotel in Detroit, Michigan.

Nick was raised in Detroit, Michigan. He attended Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management. Nick has over ten years of experience managing diverse hotels and restaurants around Detroit.

Senior Installation Manager

Creighton Morris oversees the installation of the company's staging projects and executes delivery and removal operations. He is responsible for ensuring quality control, complying with site safety requirements, and maintaining consistent brand standards.

Creighton was raised in Phillipsburg, New Jersey.

General Manager, The Dean Hotel

Soso Ngin manages day-to-day operations at The Dean Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island.

Soso was raised in Providence, Rhode Island where she attended the University of Rhode Island for a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. She has gained over ten years of experience working in the restaurant industry before joining the team first as a Guest Services Agent in 2016.

Director of Acquisitions

Kevin Sievers leads the company's acquisitions department. He is responsible for sourcing and analyzing the company's new and potential development projects.

Kevin was raised in St. Louis, Missouri, and holds a Master of Design Studies degree in Real Estate & the Built Environment from Harvard University, a Master of City and Regional Planning degree from Rutgers University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Missouri.

Director of Staging, East Coast

Dylan Stilin is a Director on the company's staging team, managing east coast operations from the New York and Hamptons offices. He is responsible for overseeing day-to-day activities from conception to completion, ensuring a seamless integration of the various teams that comprise our staging work.

Dylan was raised in East Hampton, New York and graduated from New York University.

Brand Experience Director

Hugo leads all aspects of programming, branding, content strategy, collaborations, special projects and hotel service protocol. He is responsible for ensuring that the company's creative vision and strategy is well reflected on all of these key areas during development, pre-opening and operational stages of various projects.

Hugo was raised in Cascais, Portugal, and attended Swiss Hotel School Les Roches for his Bachelor of Arts in Hotel Management and Hult Business School in London, for Finance. Prior to joining ASH NYC during its portfolio growth stage, Hugo worked around the world with hotel companies such as Four Seasons Hotels, Belmond and Jumeirah.

Director of Development

Jen Webber is responsible for overseeing projects in the company's development portfolio, with a specific focus on Historic Tax Credit investments. She coordinates all aspects of the project including design, entitlements, financing, leasing, and construction. Jen was previously with EastBanc in Washington DC, where she oversaw the development of two large mixed-use public private projects in the West End. Prior to joining EastBanc, Jen worked on historic preservation projects in Baltimore, Maryland.

Jen was raised in Baltimore, Maryland and graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a degree in International Relations and Economics. She received a Masters in City and Regional Planning with a focus on Real Estate from the University of Pennsylvania in 2014.

Production Director

Griffin Whitehead manages the company's custom design, fabrication, and installation operations. He also manages ASH NYC's 1stdibs and web-based collections.

Griffin was raised in Carmel, California, and graduated with a degree in Environmental Studies from New York University.

Senior Warehouse Manager, New York

Andrew Willard oversees logistics, transportation, and manages the internal furniture, art, and accessories inventory at the company's warehouse in New York.

Andrew was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska.

Bookkeeper

Tracy Brooks serves as the company's internal bookkeeper and assists in managing all accounts payable and receivable.

Tracy was raised in Kentucky and graduated from the University of Kentucky, Lexington.

Property Manager

Christina was born and raised in New York City. She earned a Master of Science degree in Administration from Central Michigan University, while serving in the United States Army.

Design Project Manager

Bri is a designer and project manager on the company's staging team. She manages space planning, furniture selection, concepting, buying, and coordination.

Brianna was born in the midwest and raised in New England. She graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a degree in Interior Design.

Installation Manager

Nick serves as the Installation Manager for the company's west coast projects. He is responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations related to transportation, furniture placement, and art handling.

Design Project Manager

Silvia is a designer and project manager on the company's staging team. She manages space planning, furniture selection, concepting, buying, and coordination.

Silvia was raised in Cartagena, Colombia. She holds a Master of Interior Design degree from the Scuola Politecnica di Design in Milan, Italy, and a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Universidad de los Andes in Bogota, Colombia.

Design Project Manager

Jin Lee is an interior design project manager on the company's private residential design team and is responsible for drawings, renderings, and detailing.

Jin was raised in Seoul, South Korea, and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interior Design from the Pratt Institute.

Acquisitions Manager

Coby performs due diligence, financial underwriting, and deal sourcing for the acquisitions team.

Coby was raised in Westchester County, New York, and graduated from the University of Virginia Architecture School with a Bachelor of Urban and Environmental Planning, and a Certificate from the McIntire School of Commerce.

Design Project Manager

Sydney Markus is a designer and project manager on the company's staging team. She manages space planning, furniture selection, concepting, buying, and coordination.

Sydney was raised in Bethesda, Maryland and graduated with a BFA degree from the University of Michigan Stamps School of Art & Design.

Installation Manager

Anthony Morton serves on the company's staging installation team as a manager. He is responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations related to transportation, furniture placement, and art handling

Anthony was raised in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Installation Manager

Troy Riedel serves on the company's staging installation team as a manager. He is responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations related to transportation, furniture placement, and art handling.

Troy was raised in Monmouth County, New Jersey, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Stockton University.

Design Project Manager

Julie Son is a designer and project manager on the company's staging team. She manages space planning, furniture selection, concepting, buying, and coordination.

Julie was raised in Daegu, South Korea, and graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Pratt Institute.

Installation Manager, Los Angeles

Grant serves as the Installation Manager for the company's west coast projects. He is responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations related to transportation, furniture placement, and art handling.

Grant was born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas. He attended the University of Missouri, where he studied History and Theatre.

Design Project Manager

Leah Wu is a designer and project manager on the company's staging team. She manages space planning, furniture selection, concepting, buying, and coordination.

Leah was raised in Beijing, China, and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interior Design degree from Pratt Institute.

Controller

Stephanie Young is responsible for overseeing accounting activities including, preparing/reviewing financial statements, tax returns, and investor reporting schedules.

Stephanie was raised in Washington township, Michigan, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications Sciences and Disorders from Wayne State University and with a Masters in Accounting from Walsh Collage. She also is a licensed CPA.

Driver

Anthony Di Gaudio serves as the company's driver. He also assists the installation and warehouse teams for the company's staging projects.

Anthony was raised in New York City, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and History from Baruch College.

Junior Installation Manager

Lucas Ellison serves on the company's staging installation team. He is responsible for transportation, furniture placement, and art handling.

Lucas was raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, and attended the University of Tennessee studying Environmental Sociology.

Junior Installation Manager

Daniel Francis serves on the company's staging installation team. He is responsible for transportation, furniture placement, and art handling.

Daniel was raised in New York City, and graduated from LaGuardia Community College with a degree in New Media Technology.

Operations and Business Development Assistant

Shannon Hughes serves as operations and business development assistant on the company’s staging team. She assists the Head of Staging and Directors of Staging with day-to-day responsibilities, including organization, market research, proposal generation, and analytics.

Shannon was raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and graduated from Penn State University.

Bookkeeper

Kunya Parra assists the company's bookkeeping team for accounts payable and receivable.

Kunya was raised in New York City. She graduated from LaGuardia Community College with a degree in Fine Arts. She also holds postgraduate certificates in Payroll and Human Resources from Baruch College.

Junior Warehouse and Installation Manager

Colin Poole serves on the company’s staging installation and warehouse teams in Los Angeles. He is responsible for transportation, furniture placement, and art handling as well as ensuring all items are properly tagged and stored.

Colin was raised in Easton, Maryland and studied Fine Art at The Art Institute of California.

Junior Project Manager

Michele Runco is a junior project manager on the company's staging team, working primarily with the associate designers on sourcing, styling, and digital work.

Michele was raised in New York City, and graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Pratt Institute.

Painter

Nika Sakhanberidze creates various site-specific artworks and murals for the company's staging division.

Nika was raised in Tbilisi, Georgia, and studied Art Practice at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Accounting Manager

Maria Vargas assists the company's bookkeeping team for accounts payable and receivable.

Maria was raised in New York City. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Queens College.