Core Spaces Announces Variety of Executive Leadership Staffing Updates

Core Spaces – a real estate investment manager, developer and operator in the student housing and build-to-rent sectors – added several executive team staff, both internal promotions and external hires.

Since its founding in 2010, Core said it has sought to transform niche real estate housing sectors through innovative development and hospitality-driven property management. Today, the company has more than $5.7 billion in combined equity under management.

“As Core continues to grow across our key business verticals, strengthening our leadership is essential to further supporting the scale and innovation we are driving,” said Dan Goldberg, president at Core Spaces. “This team reflects both the incredible talent within Core and the industry-leading expertise we’ve brought in. Looking ahead, we’re well-positioned to accelerate our expansion and deepen our impact on the communities we serve.”

The following is a list of Core’s latest appointments:

• Sean Devine joins as executive vice president of property operations and experience. With more than 15 years of leadership in student housing operations, Devine will lead Core’s operational teams across its student housing and BTR portfolios. The company said he brings a people-first approach and significant expertise in managing large-scale portfolios, having previously overseen 70,000 beds as vice president of operations – student housing at Cardinal Group from 2021 to 2024, and prior to, holding other roles at Cardinal since 2014.
• Jennifer Holmes has transitioned to the role of chief operating officer. Formerly Core’s chief financial officer from 2022 to 2024, Holmes now oversees multiple departments, including operations, accounting and finance, people operations, and technology. Her operational and financial acumen will continue to drive Core’s growth across its real estate platforms.
• Merritt Poole was promoted to chief financial officer, where she will lead financial planning and analysis, accounting, tax, accounts payable, and treasury functions. Poole brings over 15 years of exceptional financial leadership experience, honed at firms such as Blackstone’s Revantage from 2021 to 2023.
• Christine Bentley joins as chief information officer, overseeing Core’s IT strategy, systems, and data management to support day-to-day operations and long-term growth. Bentley brings over 20 years of experience in digital transformation, most recently serving as senior vice president of shared services at Bonaventure from 2020 to 2024.
• Katy Darnaby was promoted to chief marketing officer, where she will lead Core’s brand marketing and communications efforts. With two decades of expertise in brand positioning, partnership development and crisis management, Darnaby ensures Core’s communications strategy is cohesive and impactful across all channels.
• Finally Jourdan Vartabedian joins as vice president of leasing and sales, overseeing strategic sales initiatives and leading a dynamic team to optimize leasing and exceed revenue targets. With over 17 years of experience in student housing across 60 markets, Vartabedian most recently served as director of new development at Article Student Living in 2024, and previously at CA Ventures from 2015 to 2023.

“Sean Devine’s experience in student housing operations and his people-first leadership make him a fantastic addition as we continue enhancing the resident experience across our communities,” said Holmes. “I’m equally proud of the remarkable women stepping into leadership roles at Core – Merritt Poole, Christine Bentley, Katy Darnaby, and Jourdan Vartabedian. Their collective expertise is invaluable to our growth and to ensuring Core remains at the forefront of the industry.”

Earlier this year, the company hired two industry sales veterans, Tom and John Dine, to lead its global wealth management platform. As managing directors, the partners distribute Core’s investment offerings to high-net-worth individuals via wealth advisers and grow Core’s student housing portfolio, as well as hire and develop a team of industry professionals to further advance the platform.

Founded in 2010, Core Spaces is a vertically integrated real estate investment manager focused on acquiring, developing, managing, and lending across the student housing and build-to-rent sectors. It currently owns and/or manages over 45,600 beds – and has a pipeline of over 43,000 beds in various stages of development. Core’s BTR division currently has over 3,000 homes under development and in its pipeline in high growth metros across the country.

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