Our Team

Edward Harrington, Jr. joined Hawthorne Residential Partners in 2018 and serves as a Managing Director, Development & Investments. In this role, he oversees new ground-up developments, including land sourcing and acquisitions, contract negotiation, underwriting, due diligence, planning and permitting, construction financing, and works closely with design and construction partners. In addition to development, Edward focuses on property acquisitions, equity and debt financing, portfolio and asset management, as well as corporate and investment strategy.

Prior to joining Hawthorne, Edward spent 14 years working in real estate finance positions in the banking industry. Edward’s prior experience encompassed various real estate finance roles, representing multiple billions of dollars of assets, working with a broad spectrum of real estate professionals and companies, property types and geographies, and capital structures.

Edward holds a BS in Business Administration with distinction from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Gary Triplett joined Hawthorne Residential Partners in 2021 and serves as a Senior Vice President, overseeing multiple departments including Resident Services, Strategic Initiatives, and Risk Management & Compliance.  In his role, he is responsible for the firm’s risk management program, management of national vendor account relationships, and oversight of the Resident Services teams. Prior to his current role, Gary served as the Vice President of Corporate & Resident Services.  Gary brings over 25 years of experience in multifamily property management.  Earlier in his career, he held multiple leadership positions from on-site, to regional and director roles.  Gary brings with him a wealth of knowledge and expertise that provides benefits at both the property and corporate level.

Gary earned a BA in Communications from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In addition, he is a Certified Property Manager (CPM) and holds a Real Estate Broker license for North Carolina. Gary is active in IREM (Institute of Real Estate Management) having served three terms as President of the Greater Raleigh-Durham Chapter, been recognized as CPM of the Year on two occasions and awarded the Jack Andrews Loyalty Award for contributions to the multifamily industry.

Kayla Prestwood joined Hawthorne Residential Partners in 2011 and serves as Vice President of Asset Management. She is responsible for overseeing the Asset Management department, monitoring financial and key performance indicators.

In her role, she spearheads asset management initiatives to optimize operational performance. Kayla brings over 14 years of experience in multifamily operations, marketing, and leadership positions. She has served in a variety of positions with Hawthorne. As a Regional Manager, Kayla managed the operations of a 2,200 unit portfolio of communities that spanned an array of specialities including value-add and renovation, student housing, lease-ups, and conventional multifamily. Kayla was later promoted to Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Initiatives, Vice President overseeing multiple support departments, which then led to her current role as Vice President of Asset Management. Kayla’s career in multifamily began as a Leasing Consultant in student housing where she took on successively greater responsibility on-site giving her the full scope of operational experience needed to maximize property performance. With experience at every level of the multifamily industry, her knowledge and understanding of the field cannot be overstated.

Kayla earned her BS in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Matthew Day is a Managing Director – Acquisitions and oversees acquisitions for Hawthorne Residential. Matthew is a 20+ year multifamily industry veteran and has been involved in over $5 billion of multifamily transactions over the past 10 years. He is a member of Hawthorne’s investment committee.

Prior to joining Hawthorne Residential, Matthew held acquisition leadership roles with CWS Capital Partners, Fogelman Properties, and Steadfast Companies.

Matthew earned a BA degree from Southwest Texas State University and an MBA, with honors, from the New York Institute of Technology. He is a member of the National Association of Home Builders and the National Multifamily Housing Council.  Matthew is involved in fundraising for Wonders & Worries.

Brian Smith joined Hawthorne Residential Partners in 2015 and serves as the Vice President of Client Relations. In this role, he is responsible for collaborating with Hawthorne’s leadership team and third-party clients to cultivate relationships and ensure smooth transitions of incoming properties for our clients. Furthermore, he aids Hawthorne teams to execute the vision outlined for those acquired properties once under management. Brian brings over 20 years of experience to the company and specializes in revenue growth, rehabilitation of distressed assets, leasing, marketing, budgeting, operations, training and mentoring, and staff development.

Brian earned his BS in Sociology and Anthropology from North Carolina State University.

Steve Hancock joined Hawthorne Residential Partners in 2020 and serves as the Senior Vice President of Accounting and Reporting. In this role he is responsible for the oversight and strategic direction of Hawthorne’s accounting and investor reporting programs as well as developing solutions for tax initiatives. 

He has over 35 years of experience managing corporate accounting departments for public and private companies and is well-versed in 1031 exchange transactions, REIT and complex partnership structures, and other nuances specific to real estate investments. Prior to his career with Hawthorne, Steve had served as the Vice President of Corporate Accounting and Vice President of Compliance & Tax within the real estate industry for 14 years. His years of experience, expansive knowledge base and “Live It” spirit makes him an invaluable asset to the Hawthorne team. 

Steve earned his BS in Accounting from High Point University and is a Certified Public Accountant in North Carolina.

Carla Taylor joined Hawthorne Residential Partners in 2014 and serves as the Corporate Controller. In this role she is responsible for overseeing the treasury management and corporate accounting functions for Hawthorne Residential Partners. 

Carla brings over 20 years of real estate and accounting experience in multifamily, commercial, development and retail assets. During her time with Hawthorne she has held the Accounting Team Leader and Accounting Manager positions where she experienced continued success and was quickly promoted to her current role as Corporate Controller. With a vast understanding of multifamily accounting and instinctive leadership skills, Carla has been an invaluable member of the Hawthorne team. 

Carla earned her BS in Accounting from North Carolina State University. 

Kendall Einbinder joined Hawthorne Residential Partners in 2012 and serves as the Senior Property Controller. In this role she is responsible for leading and supporting the Property Accounting teams, ensuring the accuracy of financials, and providing excellent customer service to site teams, investors and third-party clients. She began her career in property management as a property accountant and due to her continued success was quickly promoted to Team Leader and Accounting Manager before her current role as Property Controller. Kendall has over 15 years of accounting experience and her industry knowledge paired with leadership capabilities has been a tremendous asset to the Hawthorne team.

Kendall earned her BS in Finance and Banking from Appalachian State University and a MS in Accounting from Strayer University. She is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants.

Kerri Shellman joined Hawthorne Residential Partners in 2011 and serves as the Vice President of Human Resources. In this role, she is responsible for managing the UltiPro HRIS platform, employee legal matters, HR compliance, and HR project management. Kerri has over 20 years of experience in human resources and brings an invaluable amount of expertise to the company. During her time with Hawthorne, she has built a strong HR department and successfully implemented a company-wide HRIS software. Previously, she has served as the Human Resources Manager and Senior Director of Human Resources.

Kerri earned her Professional in Human Resources certification from the HR Certification Institute and also holds a SHRM-CP certification. She is also an active member of HRMAG and SHRM.

Claire Michael joined Hawthorne Residential Partners in 2022 and serves as the Senior Director of Talent and Employee Engagement. In her role, she is responsible for streamlining company-wide hiring efforts, identifying and implementing areas of opportunity for Employee Engagement, and launching and monitoring various platforms that allow for open communication and employee feedback on all levels. Claire brings over 20 years of experience in multifamily property management. Earlier in her career, she held multiple leadership positions on-site and in operations, including Vice President for Lantower Luxury Living, and Regional Vice President for Fairfield Residential. Claire is passionate about Property Management, ensuring that teams have the knowledge, support, and growth potential to maintain a positive and engaging work environment.

Claire graduated with a BA in Media Communications and English from the University of Gloucestershire in England. In addition, she holds her Certified Apartment Management Accreditation (CAM). She is an active member of the Apartment Association of North Carolina (AANC), as well as a former President, Vice President, and Board member of the Triangle Apartment Association (TAA).

Ashley Laster joined Hawthorne Residential Partners in 2010 and serves as the Vice President of Brand & innovation. In this role, she is responsible for creating, designing, and implementing creative brand strategies to elevate Hawthorne’s company and property brands as well as enhance the customer’s experience at every touchpoint. Previously in her time with Hawthorne, Ashley held a variety of on-site management and marketing positions. During this time, she has helped to shape Hawthorne’s marketing and branding initiatives by implementing innovative leasing tools, critically assessing optimization opportunities, and developing marketing strategies across the portfolio. Her well-rounded history of over 13 years in this industry allows her to better serve Hawthorne’s teams with a unique understanding of each level.

Allison Weber joined Hawthorne Residential Partners in 2020 and serves as the Vice President of Marketing. In her role, she is responsible for overseeing the company’s marketing strategy and creative vision, as well as the lead generation and brand awareness initiatives across the portfolio. Allison has 15+ years of experience in leadership roles in multifamily management and marketing. Prior to joining Hawthorne, she served as VP of Marketing and Director of Marketing at two large multifamily management companies and served as the Senior Director of Marketing for an award-winning marketing agency, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge and expertise. Earlier in her career, Allison held a variety of on-site management, sales, and regional marketing positions.

Allison earned her BS in Business Administration and Marketing from the University of Tennessee where she graduated summa cum laude.  Allison is a frequent speaker at national industry conferences and apartment associations throughout the Southeast.

Zack Baranick joined Hawthorne Residential Partners in 2010 and serves as the Vice President of Learning and Development.  In this role, Zack is responsible for the ongoing management and implementation of Hawthorne’s training and development needs. By identifying appropriate learning and development strategies that engage and empower site teams, he is able to create in-person and virtual training tools, welcoming environments and processes that add tremendous value to the company. Most recently, Zack was the Director of Training and Operations Support.  Earlier in his career, Zack served as Community Manager, Operations Support Manager, and Regional Manager within Hawthorne.

Zack holds the certification of Accredited Regional Manager from IREM.

Becky Carter joined Hawthorne Residential Partners in 2010 and serves as the Senior Director of Software Support. In this role she is responsible for leading the training and support for Yardi Voyager, PayScan, CheckScan and a number of other interfaces. Becky has served in the regional support and training role and as the Director of Education and Development before becoming Hawthorne’s Director of Software Support. With over 25 years of experience in the multifamily industry, Becky brings with her a wealth of expertise and understanding.

Becky has earned the industry designations of Certified Apartment Manager and NALP. Additionally, she has taught classes for the Atlanta Apartment Association and the Triad Apartment Association.

Barry Morrow joined Hawthorne Residential Partners in 2016 and serves as the Senior Director of Information Technology. In this role, it is Barry’s responsibility to manage the IT equipment support for Hawthorne’s properties, regional, and corporate teams. During his time here, Barry has overseen high-profile projects such as upgrading the helpdesk platform, migrating the email solution to a new provider, developing new strategic relationships, and securing national account pricing from equipment and service providers such as Dell and Microsoft.

With over 30 years of experience in the IT and telecommunication industry, Barry has held certifications with Cisco, Juniper Networks, Red Hat, Microsoft, and Ethical Hacking. He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the company.

Ed McVeigh joined Hawthorne Residential Partners in 2015 and serves as the Director of Property Improvements. In this role, he is responsible for managing, mentoring, and coaching the property improvements team throughout the entire construction process. Within his 40 years of experience in the construction industry, Ed has successfully completed hundreds of projects throughout the southeast that include new commercial building, commercial renovation, site development, residential remodeling, multifamily, restoration, and casualty loss. During his career with Hawthorne, Ed has been responsible for capital improvement projects valued at over $100 million dollars and instituted processes that have enhanced the overall management of construction projects.

Ed earned his BS in Architecture/Construction Management from Southern Polytechnic State University, now known as Kennesaw State University. He also holds an OSHA safety certification.

Meg Pisczek joined Hawthorne Residential Partners in 2015 and serves as an Area Vice President. In her role, she is responsible for overseeing multiple Regional Vice Presidents in North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Florida, and Louisiana totaling over 17,000 units. Meg began her career in property management as a Leasing Consultant and was quickly promoted through the ranks reaching the Senior Vice President of Property Management level. Her background includes senior level oversight of both affordable and market rate assets, including lease-ups and new construction, high rise, mid-rise, and garden-style apartment homes.

Meg earned her BA in Management/Sociology from Marietta College. She is a two-time past President of the Triangle Apartment Association, and has served as President of the Apartment Association of North Carolina. She also holds the Institute of Real Estate Management CPM Designation.

Alan Dye joined Hawthorne Residential Partners in 2015 and serves as an Area Vice President. In his role, he is responsible for overseeing multiple Regional Vice Presidents in North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida with units totaling over 19,000. Alan has experience at several levels within the multifamily industry including Regional Manager and Regional Vice President. He has had continued success throughout his twenty years within the multifamily industry and continues to achieve new heights for Hawthorne. His background includes a variety of portfolio sizes and class types including conventional, urban midrise, acquisitions, dispositions, new development and asset repositioning.

Alan earned his BS in Communication Media from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Wendy joined Hawthorne Residential Partners in 2023 and serves as the Vice President, Operations and Corporate Support.  In her role, she is responsible for property operations for a portfolio of communities in NC and SC as well as supporting new business development and talent acquisitions.  Wendy brings over 25 years of experience in multifamily property management.  She has held multiple leadership positions in corporate operations as well as on the supplier side of the industry, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience.  Most recently, she served as the Director of Talent and Culture, and Senior Vice President of Operations for Pegasus Residential.  Earlier in her career, Wendy served as the VP of Sales and Senior Regional Sales Director for Rent.

Wendy graduated with a BS in Human Development from the University of Maine. In addition, she has earned her Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor (CAPS) accreditation and is a graduate of NAA’s Leadership Lyceum.  She is an active member of the National Apartment Association’s Operation and DEI committees as well as the Charleston Apartment Association (CAA).  She is a former President, Vice President, and Education Chair of the Triad Apartment Association (TAA).  Wendy supports several multifamily philanthropic platforms such as Shelters to Shutters.