Jennifer (McElyea) Keith

Jennifer is a Managing Partner with Ethos Real Estate and is responsible for investment strategy and execution. Jennifer’s career includes investment banking, private equity, distressed debt and public-private partnership experience. She also brings to Ethos a deep expertise in California public policy, land use, affordable housing and building political, community and financial stakeholder consensus

‍

Prior to forming Ethos, Jennifer spent 10 years as Senior Managing Partner of Watt Investment Partners, the commercial real estate acquisition arm of the Watt Companies. Previously, Jennifer was a Vice President at OneWest Bank where she managed a portfolio of distressed commercial real estate debt in partnership with the FDIC, and a Vice President at Apollo Real Estate Advisors where she was responsible for West Coast acquisitions. Jennifer began her career at Deutsche Bank Securities in the Real Estate Investment Banking Group.

‍

Jennifer holds a Master of Real Estate Development from the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and German Literature from the University of Virginia. Jennifer holds a number of leadership positions including Vice Chair of the ULI Public Private Partnership Council,  Co-Chair of the LA Business Council Housing and Transportation Committee and member of the board of Coro Southern California. Jennifer was also recently re-appointed by the California State Insurance Commissioner to serve as Vice Chair of the California Organized Investment Network (COIN) Advisory Board as an expert practitioner in the affordable housing space