Team Bios

Travis Pacoe has been continuously involved in real estate since 1990 and has both brokered and invested in nearly every property type, including apartment projects, retail, and industrial real estate. Travis is responsible for the origination of potential transactions; negotiation of transaction terms; marketing oversight; and due diligence oversight.

Travis’ completed transactions total in excess of $2BBN, including properties valued in excess of $990MM that he has acquired as an investor and general partner through various partnerships he has formed. He has been an active principal in the acquisition of multifamily and commercial real estate since 1994 and as an owner has extensive experience in the management of multifamily and commercial properties.

Travis brings his extensive history as a principal investor to bear in completing every property purchase, including extensive transaction management experience, negotiation of relevant documentation and effective navigation through all due diligence matters; accurate valuation of many property types in numerous regions or submarkets; and origination and structuring of a wide variety of financing instruments.

Travis has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a dual emphasis in Real Estate & Urban Land Economics and Finance from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley, CA, class of 1991.

Ron Abta has over 21 years of residential real estate experience, having completed in excess of $2BBN in transactions as both a broker and investor. He brings multifamily management and remodeling experience to the team, having actively overseen the maintenance, renovation, and financing of multi-unit apartment units and residential properties throughout his career. Ron is responsible for investor relations, marketing oversight, and general transaction management for acquisitions and financing.

He has been involved in the structuring and management of numerous real estate general partnerships. He has also been involved in almost every type of residential purchase over his career, whether it be multifamily assets, tenancy-in- common interests, or single family dwellings. He brings a wide breadth of experience to the team as both an investor, as well as operator of multifamily properties. He has consistently managed to completion a very high number of transactions annually for many years. He has intimate knowledge of the financing side of real estate transactions, having worked as a financial analyst at Morgan Stanley and as a product manager at iOwn.com, one of the first internet mortgage brokers (acquired by CitiMortgage).

He holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in Economics with a minor in Business Administration at University of California Berkeley; Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Stanford University Graduate School of Business where he also serves as a guest lecturer in the Real Estate Department.

Chi Nguyen is our Marketing Director who is responsible for developing and executing our marketing strategy on market outreach. Chi helps make sure that our potential customers are increasingly more aware of the Polaris brand and all of its properties on the market. Chi has great project management skills and consistently deliver high quality results on schedule. She also works as our in-house Photographer and Graphics Designer to create original designs and templates for our property websites and marketing brochures.

Chi was originally from Vietnam. She has studied and worked in 3 different countries over the past few years. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Global Marketing from University of Huddersfield, UK in 2013. And in 2015, she graduated from Hult University, San Francisco with a master’s degree in International Marketing. She speaks Vietnamese and English.

Gigi Rosales has spent two decades excelling in the competitive landscape of San Francisco real estate, establishing a well-respected reputation. During her previous position, she played a key role in doubling production from $95M to $200M and also facilitated team growth by an impressive 400%. Throughout her career, she has held various positions, including Director of Operations and Director of Transaction Management, which has equipped her with a unique skill set to effectively manage real estate investments from both a micro and macro perspective.

With enthusiasm and excitement, Gigi brings her love for efficiency and team excellence to the table. She prioritizes client satisfaction and retention, always seeking innovative ways to improve processes and streamline workflows to ensure projects are completed within budget and on time. She is a natural leader who takes pride in fostering a positive culture-helping the team achieve their full potential together. She excels in communication and interpersonal skills, building strong relationships with clients and colleagues in the field. Gigi’s unwavering dedication and commitment to excellence make her an invaluable asset to any organization.

Born in San Francisco and raised in the Bay Area, Gigi earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from San Francisco State University in 2001. Additionally, she has been licensed with the California Department of Real Estate since 2017.

Belinda Aguirre is our Vice President of Operations. With over 23 years of experience in multifamily management in the Dallas and Fort Worth Texas region, Belinda works closely with the management companies to ensure they reach their potential and provide guidance where needed regarding occupancy, community outreach, income, renovations, permitting and meeting lender expectations.

Belinda has extensive knowledge of property budgets to maximize NOI’s, market surveys, value-adds and has managed all types of renovations for interior and exterior remodels throughout her career. She has managed multiple properties while training new managers at other locations. She works closely with DFW Housing Authorities, DFW Police & Fire and DFW Code Enforcement as well as Veteran Affairs and Domestic Violence organizations for urgent rehousing. She has organized several community outreach programs such as budgeting for adults, computer literacy and child tutoring. She also strongly encourages and promotes all management, residents, surrounding communities and local law enforcement relationships to ensure the wellbeing of the communities.

Belinda received her education from TCC and has a strong work ethic, likes a hands-on approach and is goal oriented. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter. She loves to travel, and her favorite spot is any island with blue water, sun and a good book.

Paula Dela Rosa is one of our Staff Accountants. She brings her diverse experience in finance and accounting, having worked in both public accounting and the industry sector. Prior to joining Polaris, Paula worked at a Big 4 Public Accounting firm, where she honed her skills in auditing, internal controls, and regulatory compliance. Transitioning into the corporate realm, Paula joined the finance team at a global consulting firm. Here, she gained experience in financial forecasting and analysis, collaborating seamlessly with cross-functional teams to evaluate budget performance, monitor trends, and provide actionable insights.

Paula leverages her varied background to support Polaris in managing financial transactions and handling a range of accounting responsibilities, working closely with the CFO and Financial Controller.

Paula holds a B.S. in Health Science and a M.S. in Accounting from San Jose State University.

Kassra Farahbakhshian is our Finance Associate with experience in multiple asset classes including multifamily, single-family, office, life-science, retail, and senior living. With a background focused on asset management and financial planning & analysis (FP&A) for active and stabilized developments, Kassra specializes in distilling data pertinent to decision-making while driving value growth for assets from acquisition to disposition.

Before joining Polaris, Kassra was leading development financial analysis at a publicly-traded REIT for a multi-billion dollar pipeline of Class A life science and office assets while simultaneously tracking the performance metrics for a portfolio of over 100 stabilized assets. Kassra also spent the earlier years of his career performing financial analysis, budget management, and feasibility studies for a boutique family office that specialized in the construction of high-end luxury condominiums throughout Southern California. Kassra uses a “measure twice, cut once” mentality throughout business and his personal life to ensure maximum accuracy and efficiency. At Polaris, Kassra will take finance further by leveraging AI and new technologies to improve workflows.

Kassra was born and raised in Los Angeles and holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Connecticut. He is currently working towards obtaining his salesperson license from the California Department of Real Estate. Outside of the office, Kassra enjoys spending time with his wife and dog, learning new skills, and traveling.

Shanika Arboleda is our Senior Accountant. She specializes in reconciling financial data, managing financial reports, and building out new processes. She has experience in asset, property, and construction management, where she coordinated seamless communication among diverse entities.

At Polaris, Shanika is focused on streamlining intercompany financial processes and providing insight during implementation of accounting software. Shanika will also start working with property accounting and management to ensure that financials are delivered in a timely and accurate manner.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of California, Merced, as well as a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Golden Gate University. On her days off, Shanika enjoys going to Pilates classes, reading fiction, and traveling the world.

Cassandra Duong is one of our Staff Accountants. She is a proud San Francisco native, holds a Bachelor of Science in Technical Management from DeVry University and an MBA in Accounting and Finance from Keller Graduate School of Management.

Before joining Polaris, Cassandra gained extensive experience in property management, where she handled property accounts and managed both daily operations and financial aspects. During her academic journey, she also contributed to the education of children aged 4 to 13, demonstrating her commitment to nurturing young minds.

Outside of work, Cassandra is passionate about culinary arts, delighting in baking, cooking, and experimenting with new recipes.

Juan Rico is our Maintenance Coordinator. With his proven track record of providing excellent leadership and direction in the multi-family industry, he is proficient in setting priorities, coordinating repairs, installations, rehab projects and meeting lender requirements while overall preventative maintenance.

Given Juan’s extensive background, his influence on budget decisions, choices regarding maintenance and supply costs, as well as capital projects is crucial in meeting the sites day to day expectancies.

Juana Lozano is our Operation Manager. With over a decade of multifamily management experience in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, specializing in transitioning destressed assets, Juana has a proven track record of building and leading teams to their full potential in regard to budgeting, forecasting, revenue enhancement, community retention, renovations, and lender requirements.

Prior to joining Polaris, Juana was an Area Manager overseeing nearly 3,000 units. She ensured daily operations ran smoothly across the portfolio. Juana’s responsibilities included financialmanagement, strategic planning, and tenant relations. Juana is a transformational leader who inspirers by motivating team members to exceed for the sake of the company’s success.

Juana was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas. She enjoys spending quality time with the family creating memories, exploring new adventures, and teaching her children how to venture out beyond their comfort zone. She also enjoys crafting,learning new skills and listening to a variety of music genre.

Jeff is an Advisor to Polaris Real Estate Partners, participating in the development of institutional and private capital strategies. Jeff has had more than 35 years of real estate investment experience. He is the co-founder of HLA Ventures, a Bay Area-based real estate investment management firm that has raised over $450M in equity capital to fund projects that include apartments, retail, office, self-storage, and industrial properties. Prior to forming HLA, Jeff co-founded PB&J Acquisitions, an investment management firm focused on value-added commercial real estate. Jeff was also previously a partner at Rawson, Blum & Company, where he placed approximately $150M from institutional and high net worth investors.

Mr. Leon earned his BA degree with honors from Northwestern University and his Juris Doctor degree from University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. Mr. Leon is an Alumni Council member and former Trustee of Town School for Boys in San Francisco, an Alumni Admission Council representative for Northwestern University, and sits on the Planning Committee of ICSC. Mr. Leon lives with his 4 children in Ross, CA.