The Team

Founder & Managing Partner

Robert has over 15 years’ experience structuring, syndicating and developing hundreds of real estate projects across the country generating over $1 billion in federal and state tax credits.

He focuses primarily on investor relationships with taxpayers including publicly traded corporations, multi-national financial institutions, family offices, and privately held businesses.

Chief Financial Officer

Geoffrey Cover, CPA, CITP, a former consulting partner in the New Orleans office of Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC joins RiseImpact’s New Orleans office as its Chief Financial Officer bringing over 15 years of public accounting experience and expertise providing tax credit advisory services to the real estate sector including complex deal structuring, financial modeling, and accounting and tax consulting and management.

Geoff is a member of the Louisiana CPA Society, AICPA, serves as an instructor of Accounting and Taxation for Loyola University New Orleans’ College of Business, is the Board President for the New Orleans Emergency Medical Services Foundation, and volunteers as an Executive Mentor for Loyola’s Business Portfolio Program.

General Counsel

Courtney brings twenty years of legal and accounting experience to RiseImpact, including over a decade in representing developers, syndicators, investors and related entities in tax credit transactions.  As a lawyer in private practice, Courtney advised developers, syndicators, community investment institutions, lenders and other clients in complex tax-credit transactions including historic, low-income housing and New Markets tax credit transactions, generating approximately $5B in state and federal credits. 

As General Counsel, Courtney is committed to providing informed legal guidance that supports RiseImpact’s mission to facilitate community growth and economic development through tax credit initiatives.  She is passionate about leveraging her expertise to drive impactful results.

Courtney holds an LLM in Tax from the University of Denver, where she graduated top of her class.  She also graduated Cum Laude with a Juris Doctorate from University of Notre Dame, and a Cum Laude and with Distinction in all Subjects with a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Cornell University.

Human Resources Business Partner

Prior to joining the firm, Ari held 3 roles for the recently opened Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans (HR Generalist, Recruiting Manager, and Talent Acquisition Manager) and worked in various cities within the Four Seasons brand spanning over 6 years. She hails from Austin, TX where her immediate family resides and proudly boasts her Philadelphia roots as an avid Eagles fan (fly Eagles fly!). 

A Spring 2016 graduate of American University’s Kogod School of Business in Washington, DC, Ari holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration – Management and Psychology and is also a designated Senior Certified Professional within the world-renowned Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) while actively pursuing a Master’s Degree in Labor & Employment Relations at Penn State University. A born advocate of serving the community through the advancement of women, Ari is a proud member of the mission-driven Junior League of New Orleans and serves as Director of Operations for Heart N Hands, Inc., a nonprofit focused on educating young girls on heart health and heart disease prevention.

Director

Lou brings to RiseImpact over 15 years of broad tax credit finance experience focusing on project origination, underwriting and state-level legislative advocacy from Honolulu to Richmond.  With a wealth of industry experience and a broad ranging network of sponsors, investors, lenders, legislators and lobbyists, Lou crafts creative solutions to project impediments and legislative logjams.

Lou is a graduate of Hamilton College and Villanova Law School.

Manager, Investor Relations

Christine began her career at Raymond James in 2017 while earning her bachelor’s degree in public relations from Tulane University.

She manages client and investor relationships with a high degree of care and attention to detail; she strives to provide every client with an outstanding experience.

Development Associate and Financial Analyst

Ryan is responsible for supporting the investment process across the organization, including financial modeling and underwriting. Prior to joining RiseImpact Capital, Ryan served as an analyst within BlackRock’s Financial Institutions Group in New York, covering institutional Insurance clients.

Ryan graduated Cum Laude with a BBA in Finance from Louisiana State University.

Manager, Investor Relations and Marketing Strategy

With a keen eye for strategic marketing and nearly two decades of experience, Kaley brings a wealth of knowledge to RiseImpact. She previously held several marketing roles and excelled in investor relations within real estate, including federal and state tax credits.

Kaley plays a pivotal role in driving RiseImpact’s brand presence and engaging with our investors. She is responsible for developing and implementing marketing strategies that align with the company’s goals, ensuring effective communication with investors, and fostering strong partnerships. 

Director, Transactions, Operations and Compliance

Michelle brings over 20 years of legal, real estate, and development experience to RiseImpact, including the last 12 years specializing in affordable housing, historic rehabilitation, and community impact finance. She is highly experienced in facilitating federal and state tax credit financing and equity direct and syndication investments for historic adaptive reuse and affordable housing developments nationwide.  

Michelle currently leads RiseImpact’s transaction operations and compliance, responsible for implementing and optimizing RiseImpact’s due diligence, underwriting, asset management, and transaction/fund administration processes and procedures to ensure developer and investor relationships achieve their individual and community goals and objectives. 

Director, Film & Entertainment Tax Credits

With over 14 years of experience in film and entertainment tax credits, production management, planning, and operations,   Lisa is a seasoned leader in the film and entertainment industry.  She has successfully managed multiple international and domestic projects, securing and maximizing tax incentives, optimizing financial operations, and ensuring quality and efficiency.

As the Vice President of Production Strategy and Tax Incentives at Fox Entertainment, she oversaw the development and implementation of strategic plans for film production across various genres and markets, collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to achieve creative and financial goals.

Additionally, Lisa served as the Director and Manager of Production Planning & Operations at AMC Studios, where she supported the production of award-winning shows such as The Walking Dead, Halt & Catch Fire, Fear The Walking Dead, managing all tax credits, audits, schedules, contracts, and logistics.

Director, Acquisitions and Originations – South Carolina

Michael has over 25 years of experience in the financial industry in South Carolina. His focus is on South Carolina tax credit programs and development opportunities, including the Abandoned Building Tax Credit, Textile Communities Revitalization Tax Credit, Historic Tax Credit and Affordable Housing Tax Credit programs.

He works closely with real estate developers, CPAs, attorneys, commercial real estate brokers, bankers and other financial professionals on the syndication and monetization of South Carolina tax credit development projects.