Damien Chaviano

Damien Chaviano

Co-President and Principal

Damien Chaviano serves as Co-President and Principal at Samuels & Associates, where he plays a pivotal role in shaping the company’s strategic direction and oversees the firm’s acquisitions, capital strategy, legal, accounting, and investor relations. Chaviano partners closely with Chief Financial Officer Dharshi Dupee and Senior Vice President of Capital and Investments Steve Spinale to drive financial strategy and ensure the firm’s continued success. 

Chaviano brings deep expertise in real estate financing, development, and management, with a career spanning mixed-use urban and suburban projects, capital structuring, and investor relations. His return to Samuels & Associates marks a homecoming, as he previously served as Senior Vice President of Finance and Acquisitions from 2010 to 2016, playing an integral role in the redevelopment of the Fenway and Allston neighborhoods. During that time, he was instrumental in securing financing and structuring deals for transformative projects such as Pierce Boston, Van Ness, Continuum, the Verb Hotel, and the Landmark Center. 

Prior to rejoining Samuels & Associates, Chaviano was a Partner at Mark Development, where he oversaw all facets of the development process, including permitting, design, marketing, and financial structuring. Under his leadership, the firm sourced over 2 million square feet of mixed-use development with an estimated total project cost of $1 billion. He built strategic partnerships with both institutional and high-net-worth investors, aligning long-term capital with community-driven development. 

Beyond his professional endeavors, Chaviano is deeply committed to giving back to the community. He serves on the board of Milagros Para Niños at Boston Children’s Hospital, an organization dedicated to improving healthcare access for Latin American families. He is also a board member at O’Brien Brothers, a Burlington, Vermont-based development company, an active board member at Newton’s Spark Arts & Culture and a committed contributor and member of the Urban Land Institute’s Urban Mixed-Use Product Council. 

Chaviano holds a Bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College and a Master of Science in Real Estate Development (MSRED) from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.