The REGAL VENTURES TEAM
Team
Managing Partner,
Co-Founder,
Mr. Smith co-founded Regal Ventures in 2019 and serves as a Managing Partner. He is responsible for directing the firm’s growth and investment vision as well as strategically scaling its partner network. Mr. Smith oversees new investments while leading the firms’ expansion of capital partners with a focus on family offices, private equity, and institutional investors.
Prior to forming Regal, Mr. Smith led the Cohen Family Office’s expansion efforts across their real estate platform. The office primarily focused on opportunistic through core-plus investments in gateway markets across the United States. Mr. Smith has led an aggregate of over $500M in investments across debt and equity asset classes.
Previously, Mr. Smith worked in acquisitions for another New York City based family office. He began his investment career in New York City investment sales and transitioned to raising capital and acquiring multi-family assets in Lehigh Valley, PA.
Mr. Smith graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from The George Washington University and currently resides in Madison, NJ with his wife and two children.
Managing Partner,
Co-Founder,
Joey Cohen co-founded Regal Ventures in 2019 and serves as a Managing Partner. He is responsible for the oversight of the firm’s investment and strategic vision on behalf of the Cohen Family Office. Mr. Cohen oversees the day-to-day operations as well as leads the firm’s high-net-worth capital raising efforts. Currently, Joey’s responsibilities are shared between Regal Ventures and the Cohen Family Office where he actively manages the family’s portfolio.
Prior to forming Regal, Mr. Cohen managed the investments of the Cohen Family Office. The office primarily focused on real estate opportunities in gateway markets across the United States. Inclusive of his time at Regal and the family office, Mr. Cohen has managed in aggregate over $1B in investments across debt and equity platforms.
Mr. Cohen began his real estate career as an investment sales and leasing broker in New York. He currently resides in New York City.
Managing Partner,
Sean Dainese joined Regal Ventures in 2020 and has been a Managing Partner since 2022. He is responsible for the firm’s execution and operational strategy as well as shaping the firm’s investment vision. Mr. Dainese oversees the asset management, investment, and operational efforts, while ensuring the precision of execution within each vertical.
During his tenure at Regal, Mr. Dainese has responsible for the organizational growth across the firms’ core divisions inclusive of company–level operations.
Prior to joining Regal, Mr. Dainese was a consultant with Accenture in its Client Financial Management division focused on financial forecasting and optimizing business efficiencies. In 2014, he began his real estate investment career acquiring multi and single-family investment properties in the northeast. Mr. Dainese is a successful food and beverage investor with multiple concepts in Washington DC including a Michelin Star restaurant.
Mr. Dainese graduated from the Penn State Smeal College of Business with a Bachelor of Science in Finance, as well as minors in Economics and Information Systems Management. He currently resides in New York City with his wife.
Managing Partner,
Co-Founder,
Mr. Smith co-founded Regal Ventures in 2019 and serves as a Managing Partner. He is responsible for directing the firm’s growth and investment vision as well as strategically scaling its partner network. Mr. Smith oversees new investments while leading the firms’ expansion of capital partners with a focus on family offices, private equity, and institutional investors.
Prior to forming Regal, Mr. Smith led the Cohen Family Office’s expansion efforts across their real estate platform. The office primarily focused on opportunistic through core-plus investments in gateway markets across the United States. Mr. Smith has led an aggregate of over $500M in investments across debt and equity asset classes.
Previously, Mr. Smith worked in acquisitions for another New York City based family office. He began his investment career in New York City investment sales and transitioned to raising capital and acquiring multi-family assets in Lehigh Valley, PA.
Mr. Smith graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from The George Washington University and currently resides in Madison, NJ with his wife and two children.
Managing Partner,
Co-Founder,
Joey Cohen co-founded Regal Ventures in 2019 and serves as a Managing Partner. He is responsible for the oversight of the firm’s investment and strategic vision on behalf of the Cohen Family Office. Mr. Cohen oversees the day-to-day operations as well as leads the firm’s high-net-worth capital raising efforts. Currently, Joey’s responsibilities are shared between Regal Ventures and the Cohen Family Office where he actively manages the family’s portfolio.
Prior to forming Regal, Mr. Cohen managed the investments of the Cohen Family Office. The office primarily focused on real estate opportunities in gateway markets across the United States. Inclusive of his time at Regal and the family office, Mr. Cohen has managed in aggregate over $1B in investments across debt and equity platforms.
Mr. Cohen began his real estate career as an investment sales and leasing broker in New York. He currently resides in New York City.
Managing Partner,
Sean Dainese joined Regal Ventures in 2020 and has been a Managing Partner since 2022. He is responsible for the firm’s execution and operational strategy as well as shaping the firm’s investment vision. Mr. Dainese oversees the asset management, investment, and operational efforts, while ensuring the precision of execution within each vertical.
During his tenure at Regal, Mr. Dainese has responsible for the organizational growth across the firms’ core divisions inclusive of company–level operations.
Prior to joining Regal, Mr. Dainese was a consultant with Accenture in its Client Financial Management division focused on financial forecasting and optimizing business efficiencies. In 2014, he began his real estate investment career acquiring multi and single-family investment properties in the northeast. Mr. Dainese is a successful food and beverage investor with multiple concepts in Washington DC including a Michelin Star restaurant.
Mr. Dainese graduated from the Penn State Smeal College of Business with a Bachelor of Science in Finance, as well as minors in Economics and Information Systems Management. He currently resides in New York City with his wife.
Director of Acquisitions,
David joined Regal Ventures in 2021. He leads the firm’s Acquisitions platform, which include sourcing, underwriting, due diligence and the execution of each acquisition.
Prior to joining Regal, Mr. Lawrence earned a Master of Science in Real Estate and Infrastructure from the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.
Mr. Lawrence previously spent time as an Associate Director on Avison Young’s Tri-State Investment Sales team. Throughout his career as an Investment Sales broker, he was responsible for property valuations, client relationship management, and negotiations for property sales with an aggregate value of $400M. He also worked as an Office Leasing broker with Savills in their New York City office.
Mr. Lawrence graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges with a Bachelor of Arts in both Economics and French. He currently resides in New York City.
Director of Asset Management,
Ashley joined Regal Ventures in 2023. As Director of Asset Management, she leads the firm’s Asset Management platform, which includes strategic execution of asset business plans, leasing initiatives, and oversight of property management and other operational partners. She is also responsible for preparation of investor reporting for the portfolio.
Prior to joining Regal, Mrs. Jeshiva was an Asset Management Associate for DLC Management Corp where she managed a $750M joint venture portfolio of open-air shopping centers. Prior to this, Mrs. Jeshiva worked at a boutique brokerage focusing on Investment Sales and Leasing across all asset classes.
From 2017 to 2019, Mrs. Jeshiva held committee leadership positions within Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW). She was recognized by Real Estate Weekly as one of ‘2018’s Rising Stars of Real Estate’. Currently, she serves as the Greater NYC Area Coordinator for the Indiana University Real Estate Alumni Network and is a member of the UJA Real Estate Executives (REX) Committee.
Mrs. Jeshiva graduated from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing. She currently resides in Jersey City, NJ with her husband and son.
Director of Acquisitions,
David joined Regal Ventures in 2021. He leads the firm’s Acquisitions platform, which include sourcing, underwriting, due diligence and the execution of each acquisition.
Prior to joining Regal, Mr. Lawrence earned a Master of Science in Real Estate and Infrastructure from the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.
Mr. Lawrence previously spent time as an Associate Director on Avison Young’s Tri-State Investment Sales team. Throughout his career as an Investment Sales broker, he was responsible for property valuations, client relationship management, and negotiations for property sales with an aggregate value of $400M. He also worked as an Office Leasing broker with Savills in their New York City office.
Mr. Lawrence graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges with a Bachelor of Arts in both Economics and French. He currently resides in New York City.
Director of Asset Management,
Ashley joined Regal Ventures in 2023. As Director of Asset Management, she leads the firm’s Asset Management platform, which includes strategic execution of asset business plans, leasing initiatives, and oversight of property management and other operational partners. She is also responsible for preparation of investor reporting for the portfolio.
Prior to joining Regal, Mrs. Jeshiva was an Asset Management Associate for DLC Management Corp where she managed a $750M joint venture portfolio of open-air shopping centers. Prior to this, Mrs. Jeshiva worked at a boutique brokerage focusing on Investment Sales and Leasing across all asset classes.
From 2017 to 2019, Mrs. Jeshiva held committee leadership positions within Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW). She was recognized by Real Estate Weekly as one of ‘2018’s Rising Stars of Real Estate’. Currently, she serves as the Greater NYC Area Coordinator for the Indiana University Real Estate Alumni Network and is a member of the UJA Real Estate Executives (REX) Committee.
Mrs. Jeshiva graduated from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing. She currently resides in Jersey City, NJ with her husband and son.