Who We Are

Kevin Rodman joined Asset Based Lending as a partner in 2014, and brings 30 years’ experience in the mortgage industry to the ABL team. Along with Dan and Paul, Kevin is one of ABL’s three loan underwriters. Kevin is leading ABL’s expansion in New England, with a focus on Connecticut and Massachusetts. Kevin also works on building ABL’s strong capital base, which is one of the largest in the hard money lending industry.

Kevin began his career at Morgan Stanley, where he spent 25 years, and served in a variety of roles in the Firm’s securities and mortgage businesses. He was President of Morgan Stanley Home Loans, a retail mortgage business, and CEO of Saxon Mortgage, a Morgan Stanley subsidiary focused on mortgage servicing. Kevin was co-head of Morgan Stanley’s Prime and Alt-A mortgage conduit, which purchased and serviced mortgages from over 600 mortgage banks across the US. After leaving Morgan Stanley in 2008, Kevin held several senior management roles in the mortgage industry. Kevin holds a BA in Government from Clark University and a MS in Energy Management and Policy from the University of Pennsylvania.

Dan Leyden is a senior financial professional with demonstrated business expertise and innovative leadership from over 25 years of real estate related securities and loan experience. Most recently, he was the COO for Golub Capital, a private equity firm that lends money to middle market companies.

From 2003-2009, Dan was the CFO and Partner of Highland Financial Holdings Group, a $2 billion mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities hedge fund. Prior to that, Dan was an Executive VP of UBS Investment Bank, and Senior VP of Paine Webber in their Capital Markets group. Dan holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Syracuse University.

Jeff started in real estate at KBS Realty Advisors where he handled the asset management of a 2.5m SF commercial portfolio consisting primarily of office and industrial property. He negotiated 500k SF of tenant leases and closed $260m in new real estate acquisitions. Jeff then consulted for several early-stage real estate ventures where he honed his team building and management skills and developed a passion for scaling businesses. Most recently, Jeff was the Head of Underwriting at a national hard money lending firm where he underwrote $750m – $1B in bridge and rental loans annually. Jeff has nearly 20 years of experience in both debt and equity transactions across all asset classes, and he holds a degree in Finance from Bentley University.

Paul has 25 years of experience in the mortgage industry across every single role, bringing a depth of personal knowledge and expertise that few have in the business. He received his Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Lynn University and started out as a loan opener for Americas Best Lending Network where he continuously worked his way up from processor to underwriter, to sales manager, and eventually President of the company. Outside of work, Paul has three incredible daughters, including twins who are on collegiate volleyball scholarships and one currently training to be a financial planner. received his Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Lynn University

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Sean graduated from Montclair University with a Bachelor’s in Finance. He began his career working in sales and training at General Motors before moving into the real estate world as a loan officer for a mortgage company. He’s now a Junior Underwriter at Asset Based Lending with a focus on the bridge program, writing loans for fix and flips and new construction deals. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his two daughters, ages four and one.

Eric’s marketing experience began at a boutique marketing agency where he developed dozens of successful innovative marketing strategies for brands ranging from startups to Fortune 500s. Prior to joining Asset Based Lending early in 2016, Eric served as the US Chief Marketing Officer for a European enterprise software company where he spearheaded the company’s expansion into the United States and Canadian markets. In his current role, Eric leads ABL’s Sales and Marketing team tasked with branding, lead generation, and hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of loan originations. In addition to his Sales and Marketing responsibilities, Eric has spearheaded the design and implementation of ABL’s CRM and Business Automation systems focused on improving the company’s efficiency and scalability. A proud UConn Husky, he graduated from the University of Connecticut with a degree in Economics and also holds a Master’s degree in Global Marketing Management from Boston University.

Paul Lewis brings with him a wealth of knowledge in the world of specialty finance, especially alternative financing in the Florida market. In his career, he has closed in excess of $200M in commercial bridge financing, and north of $100M in specialty factoring. A native New Yorker, Paul has lived and worked in Florida for almost 10 years, where he has formed a solid network of real estate and finance professionals. Aside from finance, Paul has managed sales teams and mentored many sales people, from recent college grads, to young professionals transitioning from other industries. His approach to success is hinged on the success of his clients and their respective projects. Paul currently lives in the Palm Beach Area with his new wife, Kristen.

Prior to joining the ABL team, Susan worked as a lending consultant for a couple of large banks where she focused on commercial financing. Susan believed that working for a lender of that size caused the process to become disjointed, and lacked any human touch – which is where ABL came in. At ABL, things are different. Susan enjoys building  in-depth relationships with her investors, and the flexibility to build a best-fit loan package for each individual borrower. Susan has been a student of real estate her entire life as a part of her family business, and holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and marketing. Susan is also bilingual, speaking both English and Arabic.

After graduating from the University of South Carolina with a BS in Economics & Operations Management, Zak honed his organizational and client relationship skills as the Operations Manager & National Sales Executive for a premier United States manufacturer. He soon discovered his interest in real estate and wanted to join a company in the field that aligned with his core values, so he sought out Asset Based Lending after meeting other team members at a local real estate meetup. Since joining ABL Zak has become one of the Loan Officers responsible for the New Jersey lending area where he has helped hundreds of real estate investors grow their business, funding over $100 Million in investments and continuing to expand his knowledge of the real estate business. As a passionate real estate investor himself, Zak understand the needs of ABL’s borrowers and helps guide them through the loan process to make things as simple and easy as possible. Zak appreciates the ability to work with motivated investors across various backgrounds and experience levels to help them achieve their financial goals through real estate investments. When you work with Zak, you receive the full attention and support of a Loan Officer that will go to bat for your investment and help you effectively scale your real estate business.

Sam joined ABL in 2019 as an Operations Analyst before moving to the sales team to become a Loan Officer. He graduated from Baruch College in 2015 with a Bachelors of Business Administration in Finance where he also minored in Business Communications. Prior to joining ABL Sam worked for a subsidiary of Perdue Farms in a business development and operations role and began his career in the real estate industry when he joined Urban View Development as a Construction Coordinator.

Michael Chadwick joined Asset Based Lending as a Vice President and Area Manager in December 2020, bringing with him over 20 years of real estate and financial services experience in the New England area. Prior to ABL, Michael was responsible for developing and directing the day to day operations for a private lender in the north east where he led the origination and underwriting of over $150 million in loans across 5 states. In addition to Michael’s hard money lending and commercial finance background, Michael has hands on experience as a real estate investor having led a private investment firm through the acquisition and renovation of approximately 150 homes throughout New England.

Michael is an expert in managing hard money loans for real estate, with experience in assets ranging from single-family fix and flips to 7-figure multi-family new construction projects and everything in between. His skillset spans many aspects of real estate lending including underwriting, property valuation and analysis, and even construction draw management. His dedication and personal touch have cultivated strong business relationships with his borrowers throughout the years, meshing perfectly with ABL’s lending culture.

Christopher Sicoli is a public relations and marketing specialist that joined Asset Based Lending in September 2020. His love of writing and learning has brought him to ABL where he helps educate investors on market trends, borrower success stories, and loan programs. Previously, he worked for a global hospitality company where he wrote copy for their properties, locations, and website that led to massive increases in viewership and product engagement. He graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University with a B.A. in Public Relations.

Mailena Telegadas joined the ABL team in 2021 as a Loan Officer to help manage the firm’s growth in the Florida market. Her previous experience includes several years in leasing and property management where she discovered her passion for the real estate business and became an expert on industry details. She is fluent in both English and Spanish, allowing her to communicate with borrowers in their preferred language. Mailena has been a Florida native for most of her life: she was born in Cuba and moved to Florida when she was 9 years old, residing in Jacksonville to this day. When she is not at work, she enjoys traveling and reading.

Hurley Desper joined the ABL team in 2021 as the Pennsylvania Area Manager to help with the growth of the Pennsylvania markets. With over 15 years of experience as both a lender and investor, he has intimate knowledge of the loan experience including loan origination, residential & commercial financing, servicing, processing, and underwriting. As a Philadelphia native, Hurley wanted to utilize this experience to help spearhead the resurgence of the area’s real estate market. His goal is to help new investors achieve their financial goals and show seasoned investors the benefit of the ABL experience. He graduated Temple University with a B.A. and is an alumnus of their football team.

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ABL’s controller, Adam Cohen, has over ten years of buy side operational and accounting experience in the finance industry. He received a Bachelor’s of Arts in Business and a Bachelor’s of Science in Economics from Skidmore College.  Prior to joining the firm in 2015, Adam worked for HBMJ Consulting specializing in software implementation and integration, and spent three years at Cerberus Capital Management managing the Private Equity and Real Estate operations department.  Additional prior experience includes Shumway Capital Partners as an Operations Associate and Trader’s Assistant and US Bank Fund Services division fka Alternative Investment Solutions as Vice President of Operations.

Michael is one of ABL’s Vice-Presidents of Operations.   He graduated from The University of Rhode Island in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and concentration in Accounting.  Prior to joining ABL in August 2015, Michael spent 3 years in the construction management industry working for a small general contractor in New York City.  Here he gained experience in both project and financial management.

As a Senior Project & Business Developer for Lexis Nexis, Inc., Daniel joined ABL after 8 years at one of the largest Business Research and Risk Management firms in the country. After graduating from the State University of New York at Oswego with a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations and a Minor in Management, worked for Lexis Nexis as a Data Analyst in the Brooklyn Civil Courthouse. After moving to the Business Development Division for the greater NYC area, Daniel was responsible for managing several on-site data research teams, as well as the expansion and development of the NY Civil Court data collection infrastructure. As A.V.P. of Operations, Daniel has worked closely with the Payoff, Loan Maturity and Collateral Teams to develop and streamline departmental processes, in addition to managing multiple projects. (Fun fact: Daniel attended The Julliard School for Instrumental Jazz)

Anna joined ABL in 2018 as an Office Manager.  Within six months she was promoted to Insurance Associate and now handles all pre-closing and post-closing insurance approvals. Before joining ABL, she managed Operations for a small online retailer.  She utilizes her superior customer service skills to work with Borrowers and Insurance Professionals to ensure all properties are properly insured.  Anna holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Psychology and in her spare time she loves to travel and spend time with her husband and children.

Joan joined ABL in 2019 as our senior Loan Processor. She brings 6 years of loan processing experience in the conventional space and 7 years of experience in Human Resources Management.  She has a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and a MBA in Marketing & Human Resource Management. Joan helps borrowers through ABL’s loan closing process easily and quickly while also being able to intelligently respond to the complexities that regularly arise so that our borrowers can get to the finish line. In her spare time, she likes to read mystery novels and spend time with her daughter & family.

Melis graduated from Saint Francis College with a Bachelor’s in Psych before attending Brooklyn College and graduating with her Masters in International Affairs. She then began her career in real estate lending where she has worked across all disciplines including processing, servicing, and closing for both residential and commercial. She’s now the manager of Asset Based Lending’s term processing team, ensuring term loans are serviced and closed reliably. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and tries to visit one new country every year, as well as cooking a new recipe once a week.

Celina Cheng is a loan processor for Asset Based Lending, responsible for collecting documentation and ensuring our borrowers are informed throughout the loan process. Before joining ABL she worked for several real estate companies throughout the NYC area across multiple departments, including office manager and processing assistant. In her spare time, she loves to read, watch Marvel movies, and spend time with her son.

Tanjida graduated from Queens College with a Bachelor’s in Psychology. She then started her career as a loan processor at Municipal Credit Union. She’s now part of the ABL team processing loans for the term team, ensuring borrowers are sending their documents in on time and staying engaged throughout the life of their loan. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and exploring, with her most recent trip being to Ireland.

Lino graduated from Ramapo College with a Bachelor’s in Professional Communications. He then started working for Better Mortgages where he coordinated closings and processed loans. Now he’s part of the ABL team, processing bridge loans and ensuring borrowers are informed about their loan stage from start to finish. Lino is set to get married in June 2023, and in his spare time enjoys hanging out with his fiancé and playing video games.

James graduated from CUNY College with a Bachelor’s in Philosophy. He the started his real estate lending career at US Bank Home Mortgage as a loan processor. Now he’s part of the ABL team, processing bridge loans and ensuring borrowers are informed about their loan from start to finish. In his spare time, he enjoys collecting vinyl records and is a huge fan of music.

Matt graduated from Rutgers with a Bachelor’s in Accounting. He began his career as a tax accountant for an independent firm before joining the ABL team as an accountant. Matt ensures that ABL’s bookkeeping is maintained reliably and accurately. In his spare time, he enjoys outdoor activities such as fishing and hiking.

Rob graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with his Bachelor’s in Accounting. He then started working for a small tax firm where he helped clients prepare their taxes and helped with organizational bookkeeping. Now he’s part of the ABL team as one of our Junior Accountants, ensuring the organization’s bookkeeping is in order.

Will graduated from Midwestern State University with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration. He then began his career as a data engineer at Cloud9 Smart. Now he’s part of the ABL team as an Analytics Engineer. In his spare time, he enjoys racing bicycles, movies, trying new restaurants, and traveling.

Alexei graduated from LaSalle University with a Bachelor’s in Accounting and Machine Information Systems. He began his career in real estate as a broker for Foundation Real Estate while flipping houses on the side. Now he’s part of the ABL team as the Servicing & Loss Mitigation specialist, ensuring unpaid debts and losses are kept to a minimum. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his five-year-old daughter as well as hiking and traveling.

Prior to joining ABL, Alyssa spent five years at Amazon. She started as an HR generalist in the Bay Area before moving to Philadelphia where she focused her efforts on evolving and implementing labor acquisition strategies for 30 sites, including 16 building launches. At the end of her time at Amazon she became a Sr. Program Manager, focusing on the development and implementation of global operational hiring risk and compliance programs. Alyssa now leads ABL’s recruiting efforts and will help spearhead the company’s growth strategy by seeking and acquiring qualified talent across all available roles.

Carlee graduated with her Bachelor’s from York College of Pennsylvania where she majored in Business Marketing and minored in Advertising & Management. She started her career as a Trust Analyst at a real estate law firm before moving into a Human Resources & Office Management role for a tech company. She’s now the office manager and head of HR for ABL, ensuring the office runs smoothly and employee needs are met attentively.

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Prior to joining ABL, Nicole was a real estate agent working in the New Jersey area. She’s now an important part of the ABL loan experience, assisting in the processing from the first phone call through the final payoff. In her spare time she enjoys working as a makeup artist, with the goal of making women feel more beautiful and confident.