Our Honorees
JEFFREY GURAL LEADERSHIP AWARD
Cory Elbaum
Cory Elbaum joined Angelo Gordon in March 2020 as a Managing Director with a particular focus on the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut markets. Prior to joining Angelo Gordon, Cory was a Managing Director at Dune Real Estate Partners, a real estate investment firm dedicated to distressed, deep value-add, and contrarian strategies in the United States.
Previous experience includes managing the North American acquisitions group at Thor Equities, a New York City based real estate company focused on commercial, residential, retail, hotel, and mixed-use assets in premier urban locations worldwide from 2005 to 2017. Prior to that, Cory was an Associate at Crescent Heights, a residential development firm, from 2003-2005, an Associate with CIBC Oppenheimer’s Investment Banking Group from 1997-2004, and an analyst at Henry Kissinger’s family office, Kissinger Associates from 1995-1997.
Cory currently lives in Roslyn, NY, his childhood hometown. His two favorite activities center around his passions, golf and hockey, and include an afternoon of 18-holes of golf with his son Nate (14) or taking in a NY Rangers game with his daughter Eliza (10). Most recently, he was able to have his son accompany him to the enCourage Kids Holiday Party, a truly wonderful event and one that hopefully inspires a next-generation civic leader in Nate.
JEFFREY GURAL LEADERSHIP AWARD
Rob Turner
Rob Turner is a Managing Director at Eastdil Secured. He joined in 2012, and in his current role focuses on structuring, marketing and the placement of commercial financings, including mortgage debt, mezzanine debt, and preferred equity, as well as the execution of secondary structured finance debt sales.
Prior to joining Eastdil Secured, Rob was a Director in the Real Estate Capital Markets group of Wells Fargo with a focus on originating and structuring large real estate finance transactions on behalf of institutional clients. Before Wells Fargo, Rob was a member of Wachovia’s commercial real estate lending division in New York.
Rob graduated from North Carolina State University in 2001, cum laude, with a concentration in Finance.
Rob currently lives in Brooklyn, NY with his wife Caroline and children Lula (6), George (4), and Hugo (6 months), and their golden retriever, Rigsby. Some of his favorite activities include golfing, skiing, and spending quality time with his family.
HEALTHCARE LEADERSHIP AWARD
Dr. Kusum Viswanathan
The Healthcare Leadership Award recognizes exceptional professionals who have made significant contributions in the pediatric healthcare landscape.
We are thrilled to honor Dr. Kusum Viswanathan. She is the Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Brookdale Hospital Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY, and has been their Director of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology for over 25 years.
Dr. Viswanathan is a passionate physician and has been in practice for 34 years. She is highly regarded within the medical community and is beloved and trusted by patients and parents alike. Dr. Viswanathan makes every child feel heard and understood. Having treated many of her patients for the majority of their lives, they consider Dr. Viswanathan part of their family.
enCourage Kids Foundation is proud to work with Dr. Viswanathan and Brookdale Hospital.
Our 20+ year partnership has provided Bears, hospital entertainers, tablets, a renovated treatment room, and critical funding for specialized projects. Currently, enCourage Kids funds Brookdale’s Support Group for Children and Families Living with Sickle Cell Disease, which helps patients of all ages understand sickle cell on a developmentally appropriate level. This innovative program teaches coping techniques for pain, and provides patients and their families with a space to discuss their feelings about discomfort, hospitalization, and other challenges they face.