Team

Jonathan Daniel is a Principal at Knighthead Funding, LLC and oversees the real estate debt origination and asset management of the firm. Prior to joining Knighthead in 2013, Mr. Daniel was the Principal and Founder of Silo Financial Corp., a private equity-based real estate finance company formed in 2001. Throughout his career, Mr. Daniel has sourced, originated, placed and serviced, in aggregate, over $3B of commercial mortgages. Mr. Daniel has developed innovative deal structures for a diverse range of commercial property owners and created long-term relationships with mortgage brokers, attorneys, as well as real estate developers and investors. In 2010, Mr. Daniel testified in front of the House Financial Services Committee regarding alternatives for promoting liquidity in commercial real estate markets, supporting small businesses and increasing job growth. Mr. Daniel is a 1994 graduate of Syracuse University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance.

Brian Sullivan is Vice President of Loan Originations at Knighthead Funding, LLC. Prior to joining Knighthead, Mr. Sullivan was the co-head of Silo Financial Corp.’s commercial origination desk, and has been involved with over $800mm of commercial bridge loan originations to date. Mr. Sullivan’s extensive financial background has allowed him to analyze and provide creative financing structures across a wide range of commercial real estate asset types. Prior to joining Silo in 2006, Mr. Sullivan was a Senior Financial Analyst for Hewlett-Packard in their $2 billion Information Technology Division. Mr. Sullivan began his career with T.M. Capital as an analyst focusing on middle-market mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Sullivan earned a BA in Economics from Bucknell University in 1996 and an MBA in Finance from The University of Notre Dame in 2001.

Henry Boeckmann is Vice President of Loan Originations at Knighthead Funding, LLC. Prior to joining Knighthead, Mr. Boeckmann was a Director with True North Management Group, a $1B private equity firm focused on distressed/opportunistic real estate investments. While at True North, Mr. Boeckmann acquired/asset managed approximately $220MM in investment properties throughout the United States. Prior to True North, Mr. Boeckmann was a Senior Loan Originator with TD Bank where he developed a $400MM portfolio of real estate loans secured by a variety of property types including office, industrial, retail, multi-family, hotel and mixed use assets. Mr. Boeckmann began his lending career in the CMBS group at Bear Stearns and his real estate career as an appraiser with his family’s business. Mr. Boeckmann earned an AB in Economics from Bowdoin College in 1993 and an MBA from Columbia Business School in 2002.

Ms. Torrado manages all legal, compliance and HR issues at Knighthead Capital Management. Prior to joining Knighthead at its launch in 2008, Ms. Torrado was a Senior Managing Director at Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. in the High Yield/Special Situations Department where she performed the dual role of legal advisor for the distressed debt trading desk and global head of loan settlement. In her role as legal advisor, Ms. Torrado counseled the distressed group on the structure of transactions, bankruptcy and securities issues, settlement issues and post-restructuring issues. Ms. Torrado supervised the settlement of all syndicated and bi-lateral loans, trade claims and other private instruments for all divisions, including, distressed loans, par loans, derivatives and emerging markets. She was also a founding member of the Bear Stearns Women’s Network. Before joining Bear Stearns in 1997, Ms. Torrado was an associate in the Bankruptcy Reorganization/Claims Trading Department at Robinson Silverman Peace Aronson & Berman, LLP, NKA Bryan Cave, where she represented and advised investment and commercial banks and hedge funds that invest in debt obligations and securities of financially distressed companies as well as creditors’ committees, unsecured creditors and debtors in all aspects of Chapter 11 cases. Ms. Torrado graduated from Albright College with a B.A. in Political Science/French in 1990 and received her J.D. from New York Law School in 1993.

Ms. Brown joined Knighthead Funding, LLC in 2019 and is responsible for providing legal advice on matters for the company’s commercial real estate lending platform.  Prior to joining Knighthead Funding, Ms. Brown was a Partner in the Stamford office of Shipman & Goodwin LLP where she was a member of the Firm’s Real Estate and Commercial Financing practice groups.  At her prior Firm, she represented lenders and borrowers in real estate financing and commercial and residential real estate development transactions.  She has extensive experience handling complex matters involving distressed real property assets, workouts, and foreclosures.  In addition, Ms. Brown has been involved in large-scale acquisitions for real estate development projects, including mixed-use residential housing and shopping centers.  Ms. Brown has also represented landlords and tenants in commercial leasing matters, as well as buyers and sellers in connection with their high-end residential transactions.

Ms. Brown holds B.A.s in English and Political Science from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and her J.D. from the University of Richmond School of Law.  While in law school, Ms. Brown served as the Editor-in-Chief of Richmond Journal of Global Law & Business and was a member of the Executive Committee of the Moot Court Board.

Peter Illuzzi is a Vice President of Loan Originations at Knighthead Funding, LLC. Prior to joining Knighthead, Mr. Illuzzi was an Associate at Centennial Bank, where he focused on credit analysis for over $500MM in acquisition, construction and recapitalization financing transactions on properties nationwide. Prior to Centennial, Mr. Illuzzi provided advisory services and sold commercial real estate debt and properties in the capital markets division of Auction.com/Ten-X.  Mr. Illuzzi began his career at BlackRock, specializing in fixed income trading analytics. Mr. Illuzzi earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Villanova University in 2009.

John has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry.  He began his career as a Senior Equity Research Analyst at Ark Asset Management, where he covered the Homebuilders, REITs, and Machinery sectors.  In 2009, John joined Procida Funding & Advisors, where he spent 8 years as Head of Underwriting for the firms private real estate debt fund.  While at Procida, John closed and managed over $500mm in transactions.  Prior to joining Knighthead, Mr. Mullane held positions at 3P Equity Capital as Director of Investments and Stormharbour Securities as a Director in Originations.

Mr. Mullane holds an MBA from Fordhams Gabelli School of Business and a BS in Finance from the University of Rhode Island.

Eileen Xiao is a senior Associate assisting in loan originations, asset management and financial analysis at Knighthead Funding, LLC. Prior to joining Knighthead, Ms. Xiao was an Associate at Geneva Worldwide, Inc. in their financial analysis and accounting group Ms. Xiao graduated Cum Laude from Queens College in 2015 with a BA in Accounting and Finance. Ms. Xiao is fluent in Chinese (Mandarin & Fuzhounese).

Mr. Friedberg supervises the financial, accounting, audit, fiscal aspects and the coordination of the supporting information systems and financial controls of Knighthead Capital Management and its affiliates. Mr. Friedberg is registered as a Certified Public Accountant in the State of New York. Prior to joining Knighthead, Mr. Friedberg spent nearly three years at Ernst & Young, LLP, in the firm’s asset management practice providing audit and advisory services to investment funds and investment fund administrators. Before Ernst & Young, Mr. Friedberg was an associate in the alternative investments group at Marcum LLP, where he provided audit services for investment partnerships. Mr. Friedberg received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting from Hofstra University in 2006.

Varun Kenia serves as a Senior Operations Analyst and Tax Manager for Knighthead Capital Management and its affiliates. He oversees all Tax related matters and assists in Management Company operations. Prior to joining Knighthead, Varun spent five years within the Private Client Services group of RSM US LLP, the fifth largest accounting/consulting firm in United States. He specialized in the Hedge Fund and Private Equity Fund space, providing all aspects of Tax Compliance, Planning and Consulting to his clients. Varun earned his MS in Taxation and BBA in Finance and Accounting from Baruch College in 2017.

Michael Valentino is a Senior Fund Accountant and Operations Analyst for Knighthead Capital Management, LLC. Prior to joining Knighthead, Mr. Valentino spent two years with Solar Capital Management, LLC, an alternative asset manager, where he was an accountant for their BDCs and private credit funds. Prior to Solar Capital, Mr. Valentino began his career with Zurich Life Assurance plc. in Dublin, Ireland, where he worked in investment accounting and corporate pensions. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics, from University College Dublin in 2013.

Brian Kelly is an Associate in loan originations, asset management, and financial analysis at Knighthead Funding, LLC. Brian most recently earned a Certificate of Graduate Study from the University of Vermont’s Grossman School of Business. A graduate from the University of Vermont in 2021, he received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (Finance) and was a member of the Division 1 Men’s Ice Hockey team (NCAA).

Niraj Patel serves as Senior Operations Manager for Knighthead Funding, LLC, and its affiliates. He brings over 20 years of experience in loan operations, portfolio administration, reconciliation, compliance, and loan related customer service. Prior to joining Knighthead, Mr. Patel served as a Vice President and Manager for commercial real estate loan administration at Israel Discount Bank of New York. He also held previous roles as a construction administrator, wire room manager, and AVP/manager of commercial loan operations at TD Bank (f/k/a Hudson United Bank). Mr. Patel graduated from Rutgers University with a BS in Accounting.