President: Nathan Elyasi
Nathan is a third-year law student at UCLA School of Law interested in all areas of real estate. Nathan was born and raised in Santa Monica and obtained his Bachelor of Science in Business (Accounting) from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. While in college, Nathan was a tax intern at Holthouse, Carlin & Van Trigt and had various other tax accounting roles.
At UCLA, Nathan serves as the Business Manager of the UCLA Law Review and one of the Peter Bren Fellows in Entrepreneurial Real Estate. As a Summer Associate at Gibson Dunn, Nathan was exposed to various real estate joint ventures, hotel acquisitions, and other complex real estate issues. In his free time, Nathan enjoys martial arts, swimming, biking, and surfing.
Executive Vice President: Paarth Shah
Paarth is a 3L JD-MBA student at UCLA interested in urban renewal and affordable housing development. A graduate of Princeton University, Paarth has worked at Strategy&, Cognizant, Bank of America, and Baker Botts. Outside of school, Paarth enjoys hiking, playing fantasy sports, and trying out various late-night taco spots across LA and SoCal.
Vice Presidents of Operations: Jake Lebovic & Audrey Jang
Jake is a second-year law student from Dana Point, CA. He received a BA in Political Science from Tufts University. After college, Jake worked in legal services on issues of housing and homelessness, and as a paralegal at Lawyers for Civil Rights where he coordinated an emergency rental assistance program and provided litigation support on Fair Housing matters.
During 1L, Jake volunteered in the El Centro Tenants' Rights Clinic, and his team won first place at the Pircher, Nichols & Meeks Joint Venture Competition. He then interned in the California Attorney General's Land Law, Environmental, and Natural Resources Sections. In his free time, Jake enjoys playing and watching soccer, hiking, and dancing to reggaeton.
Audrey Jang is a 2L and dual degree student pursuing UCLA's J.D.-Master in Urban and Regional Planning program. She is from Koreatown, Los Angeles, and is passionate about the intersection of real estate and community development. She has focused her studies on housing development and finance, looks forward to a career in land use law. She also serves on the board of the Beverly-Vermont Community Land Trust, and is excited to connect her peers to opportunities for supporting community-driven real estate development initiatives in Los Angeles. Outside of school, Audrey enjoys running half marathons, salsa dancing, and creative writing.
Secretary/Treasurer: Katherine Meek
Katherine is a rising 3L student at UCLA School of Law who is interested in real estate, land use, and natural resource issues. Specifically, she is interested in achieving policy solutions which balance private property rights against the public’s right to future access of natural resources. In addition to serving as the secretary/treasurer of RELA, Katherine is an Articles Editor for UCLA’s Journal of Environmental Law and Policy and a member of UCLA’s Environmental Law Society, Intellectual Property Law Association, and International Human Rights Law Association.
Director of Alumni Affairs: Hannah Schwartz
Hannah is a second-year law student originally from San Diego, California. Hannah graduated from UC Berkeley in 2018 with a B.A. in Political Economy and a minor in City & Regional Planning. Prior to attending UCLA Law, Hannah worked in public policy in the Bay Area, which solidified her interests in the fields of housing, land use, real estate, and community development.
As a 1L, Hannah volunteered with the El Centro Tenants' Rights Legal Clinic, and provided research and advocacy support for several affordable housing initiatives at Public Law Center. Over the summer of 2022, Hannah worked as a legal intern with the California Attorney General's Office: Land Use and Conservation Section.
Director of Outreach: Mahmood Jeewa
Mahmood is second-year law student and will be serving as the Director of Outreach on the RELA Board for the 2022-23 school year. During undergraduate, Mahmood majored in Real Estate Finance and was both the Finance Chair and then Vice President of the Real Estate Association. Mahmood also has extensive experience in property management. Real Estate has always been a passion of Mahmood's and he is looking forward to making fun and informative!
Director of Communications: Laurel Benson
Laurel is a second-year law student from Orange County, California. She attended UCLA for undergrad, and is a proud Double Bruin. Prior to this, she worked as a professional ballet dancer with companies in Germany, Seattle, and Salt Lake City. She also served as a company representative for the American Guild of Musical Artists where she participated in contract negotiations and advocated for artists’ rights. Laurel's passion for real estate stems from her family's involvement in industrial real estate throughout the Los Angeles area.
