Across every project and every pursuit, EMBER is powered by people who refuse to leave anything on the table.
Drawing from diverse professional backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, our team brings a unique blend of creativity, expertise, and strategic thinking to every challenge. We are focused in our pursuit of excellence, fearless in our approach to innovation, and deeply driven – both personally and professionally – to deliver meaningful results. This collective passion, ambition, and commitment to growth fuel our ability to think differently, move boldly, and create exceptional outcomes.
With deep roots as a native Houstonian, Harry Masterson is an industry leader whose career in real estate spans back to the late 90s. He boasts a proven track record in the industry, specializing in large land transactions and strategic development. Harry is highly skilled at uniting diverse stakeholders and spearheading groundbreaking development concepts. Currently, Harry primarily focuses on new business growth and nurturing vital industry connections.
Jordan Mack focuses on financial diligence and underwriting to craft allocation strategy for EMBER’s acquisitions and development. He enjoys creating value through innovation as well as building and leading teams. A native Texan, Jordan is passionate about time with his wife and kids and loves being out in creation.
Vicente is recognized for his expertise in the real estate industry, leading a prominent integrated residential, industrial, and infrastructure development conglomerate. His command of the sector has been instrumental in the successful expansion of industrial, toll road, venture capital, and energy holdings, resulting in numerous award-winning projects across diverse real estate asset classes.
President
Jeb serves as President of EMBER, where he provides comprehensive leadership and strategic oversight for all company operations. A registered professional engineer and graduate from Texas A&M University, Jeb brings over 20 years of diversity in design, development, and management experience, both locally and internationally. This experience includes residential, commercial, sports, hospitality, healthcare, education, and non-profit sectors.
Away from work, Jeb cherishes time with his high school sweetheart and their four children. He enjoys traveling, being outdoors, and is passionate about fatherhood and leadership development.
Chief Financial Officer
Rolando Lara serves as the Chief Financial Officer for EMBER. Rolando’s focus is on the long-term financial health and growth of the company through his focus on thorough project underwriting and control, continuous process improvement, and data driven decision making. He holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from ITESO, in Guadalajara, Mexico and an MBA from Rice University. He spent more than a decade in the Oil and Gas Industry in various Finance, Operations, and Analytics roles in the US and the UK before transitioning into Real Estate.
He is a family man who loves traveling, reading, and listening to music.
VP of Corporate Strategy
Alejandro serves as Vice President of Corporate Strategy for EMBER, where he leverages his entrepreneurial acumen to guide strategic growth, spearhead new ventures, and develop project capitalization strategies.
A former medical doctor, Alejandro transitioned to business after successfully founding two startup companies focused on childhood obesity and healthcare infrastructure, a testament to his innovative drive that led to his recognition as one of the top twenty-five social innovators by the Inter-American Development Bank.
Driven by a passion for making great things happen, Alejandro also values spending time outdoors with his wife and three sons.
Senior Asset Manager
Natalia serves as the Senior Asset Manager and is responsible for overseeing the financial and operational performance of the firm’s vertical development portfolio. Leveraging her real estate experience with financial background, Natalia aligns asset performance with investment goals through her hands-on, collaborative leadership style.
Natalia started her career as a CPA for one of the Big Four accounting firms in Dallas. After leaving public accounting, she found her passion in commercial real estate with a concentration in commercial and residential development.
Natalia is a proud graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, where she received her Bachelor in Business Administration and Master in Professional Accounting. With a deep-rooted passion for nature and the great outdoors, Natalia enjoys traveling with her family to national parks, gardening and yoga.
Director of Development
In his role as Director of Development, Joe leads the end-to-end execution of the company’s vision for new communities. He oversees all aspects of planning, design, implementation, and financial modeling to bring projects to life. Joe’s experience includes managing residential lot design, constructing community amenities, conducting financial analysis, and influencing branding for successful resident activation. His passion for detail ensures the delivery of thriving communities.
A graduate of Texas A&M University with a master’s degree in Land & Property Development, Joe began his real estate career in 2006. Away from work, he enjoys time with his wife and their two children, and has a love/hate relationship with golf.
Senior Director - Accounting and Corporate Services
Caitlin is a Houston native and a graduate of the University of Houston with over 20 years of experience in accounting and financial leadership. Her background spans HUD contracts, general contracting, and real estate development, providing her with a comprehensive perspective across complex, project-driven environments. She is known for building disciplined financial processes, enhancing visibility into performance, and supporting strategic growth initiatives.
Outside of her professional responsibilities, Caitlin enjoys spending time with her family, often cheering from the sidelines at the ballpark.
Assistant Controller
Patrick Braud serves as Assistant Controller at EMBER, where he helps oversee financial reporting, development accounting, and project-level financial management. Known for his disciplined, solutions-oriented approach, Patrick focuses on identifying efficiencies, solving complex financial challenges, and ensuring accurate, timely reporting that supports strategic decision-making.
Patrick earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, with a minor in Finance, from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana. He has lived in Houston for nearly a decade and proudly calls it home. Outside of work, Patrick enjoys exploring food culture, spending time with his family, and cheering on the Denver Broncos. A husband and father of two, he values hard work, adaptability, and maintaining a positive perspective in both his professional and personal life.
Executive Assistant | Office Administrator
Afreen is an experienced Executive Assistant and Office Administrator at EMBER. Known for her strong organizational skills and executive-level support, she has a proven track record of working closely with company leaders to streamline operations and enhance workplace efficiency.
Afreen holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Communications from the University of Houston, equipping her with a unique blend of interpersonal insight and strategic communication skills.
Senior Land Development Manager
Jose manages the day-to-day operations required to deliver residential lots to customers. A registered Professional Engineer, his experience spans design, construction management, and the full lifecycle of land development projects—from initial planning through homesite delivery.
Jose is a graduate of Texas A&M University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Biological and Agricultural Engineering. He began his career in civil engineering consulting before transitioning into the development of single-family homesites in a fast-paced environment. Outside of work, Jose enjoys traveling the world with his wife and cheering on Texas A&M Aggie sports.
Project Manager
Marco Galgo manages land development operations at EMBER. He first joined the team as an intern while completing his undergraduate studies in Agricultural Economics, with a minor in Construction Science, at Texas A&M University. While at Texas A&M he served as an Aggie Network Student Ambassador and worked to recruit athletes for the football and basketball programs. He is currently a graduate student in the Texas A&M Master of Land and Property Development program.
An avid fisherman, hunter, and pit master, Marco enjoys spending his time with family and friends.
Project Accountant
Shelly Holdson provides comprehensive financial support including accurate and timely transaction processing, accounts payable optimization, as well as assistance with modifying accounting processes and resolution of escalated accounting issues. She is driven to provide a level of service which will propel the overall growth and success of the organization.
When away from her desk, you will find Shelly spending time with family.
Finance & Analytics Manager
As a Finance & Analytics Manager at EMBER, Javier specializes in investor relations and financial analysis for the firm. His primary focus is on developing financial models used to underwrite ongoing and prospective projects across the various asset classes.
Prior to joining EMBER, Javier earned a degree in Finance from Baylor University. After graduating, he relocated to Chicago to work in real estate private equity, where he was involved in conducting extensive market research, raising capital, and underwriting multifamily and built to rent communities.
When not at work, Javier enjoys traveling, watching sports, and spending time with his family.
Analyst
A graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, Carlos earned a degree in Finance with a concentration in Commercial Real Estate and a minor in Marketing. Before joining EMBER, he worked as a commercial banking analyst, honing his expertise in financial modeling through underwriting and gaining valuable industry experience.
In his free time Carlos enjoys weightlifting, horseback riding, traveling, and running with his golden retriever, Simba.
Planning & Architectural Consultant
Stephen Tennis has worked in the land development industry his entire 45-year career and has worked alongside the EMBER partners for more than 16 years. In January of 2023 Steve moved into a consulting role continuing to provide land planning, platting, development, and architectural review services for EMBER. He previously worked for civil engineering firm Turner, Collie & Braden as well as LJA Engineering serving as Director of Platting and Planning. As VP of Development for Taylor Woodrow (now Taylor Morrison), Steve was responsible for creating the signature lakefront “Avalon” community brand in the Houston market in 1995.
Steve and his wife Azalia both semi-retired in 2022 and moved to the country in Hallettsville, Texas where they are enjoying the ranch life, hunting, woodworking and a little Bar-B-Que now and then.
