Our team
The people behind the process
One point of contact, a dedicated exchange-coordination team, and a hand-picked partner network across every discipline an exchange touches.
Leadership
A single point of contact
Josh founded Breakwater Capital after an extensive financial-planning career specializing in investment and tax strategies. He has spent more than a decade in the DST world and has delivered over 200 educational seminars on 1031 exchanges and tax-advantaged real estate.
His approach is practical and common-sense: complex strategies explained plainly, with the numbers on the table. Clients work directly with Josh as a single point of contact — and he personally invests in the same offerings he recommends.
Josh lives in Newport Beach, California. Off the clock you'll find him on a golf course, traveling, or involved with charitable and industry organizations.
LicensesSeries 7 · Series 6 · Series 63 · Series 65 · SIE · Life & Health
Exchange coordination
The team on every deadline
Identification windows, closings, fund transfers — a dedicated coordination team keeps each one on schedule.
Debbie Bannister
Certified Exchange Specialist (CES)
18 years coordinating exchanges in Northern California; former accounting manager at UC Davis with a deep escrow background.
Monique Wilson Kaiser
Senior Exchange Administrator
In title and escrow since 1989 and 1031 exchanges since 1996, with a commercial specialization.
Taylor Pennington
Exchange Administrator
In real estate since 2003 — keeps every identification and closing deadline on the rails.
Naomi Booker-Abawag
Operations Manager
Runs banking and exchange accounts so funds move exactly when the timeline says they must.
Partner network
Hand-picked specialists around the exchange
Holistic planning means the 1031 rarely stands alone. Breakwater coordinates with a hand-picked partner network across the disciplines an exchange touches.
Adam Bar
Strategic Planning · CLF
Author of “Unleash Your Financial Powerhouse” and host of the “Uplifters” podcast.
John Reed
Advanced Insurance Planning
190+ premium-finance cases and $1.9B+ in coverage placed; aerospace engineer turned planner.
Mayer Nazarian
Advanced Tax Strategies · JD, MBT
Tax attorney focused on the strategies that surround a sale or exchange.
David Blaine
Cost Segregation & Valuation
Chairman of Mentor Securities LLC and The Mentor Group Inc.
Adam Gauthier
Trust & Estate Planning · JD
Solo practice since 2009 — QDOTs, special-needs trusts, and California estate work.
Shana Leon
Employee Benefits
Dual master's degrees; benefits design for business owners heading into a sale.
Mike Cloutier
Marketing Director
A decade running Breakwater's education and events program.
Our broker-dealer
Behind every offering, Emerson Equity
Breakwater's broker-dealer — an independent firm that raises 12–15% of the annual DST market with more than 150 investment professionals. Every offering Breakwater presents has passed Emerson's separate due-diligence and compliance review.
Dominic Baldini
Founder, CEO & COO
Founded the firm in 2003; Series 4, 7, 24, 27, 53, 55, 63, 65, and 79.
Kathleen Morrissey
Chief Operating Officer
Bank of America, Citicorp, Dean Witter, Pershing/DLJ, and NASD before Emerson.
Matt Larson
Chief Business Officer · CFA, JD
USC JD and former Bloomberg Intelligence analyst.
Get started
Put the team to work
Bring us the property, the timeline, and the goal. You'll leave the first conversation knowing every option on the table — and what we'd do in your position.