Michael Reiken is the Director of New Media for Connect Commercial Real Estate. Michael produces video content for Connect and every one of their clients. He handles all facets of video production (scripting, planning, filming) and post-production (editing, motion graphics, animations) and has produced over 500 videos for Connect and their clients. Michael joined Connect in 2015.
Michael brings over a decade of experience in video production working with Fortune 500 companies, global brands and a wide-array of clients in commercial real estate.
His seasoned background in content creation and marketing, strengthens his ability to create dynamic content.
Michael holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Film and a Post Graduate Degree in Media Communications and is based in California.
Christopher Santarelli is Vice President, Connect Creative – East. Based in Connect Media’s New York City office, Chris leads client strategy for Eastern U.S.-based real estate businesses engaging Connect Creative, the company’s strategic communications and creative agency.
Chris brings more than 15 years of experience shaping narratives on how public policy and the built environment influence the decisions businesses and individuals make with their feet. His media relations, thought leadership, and issues management strategies have advanced key initiatives for high-profile real estate companies, advocacy organizations, and elected officials.
Prior to joining Connect Creative, Chris served as Director of Media Relations for the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), the leading professional association and advocacy organization for New York City’s real estate owners, brokers, developers, and investment managers across property types. During his tenure at REBNY, Chris promoted a wide range of data-driven analyses on the post-pandemic office sector and the future of work, helping the market quantify the flight to quality and the potential universe for office-to-residential conversions. Other media relations efforts advanced successful advocacy campaigns for supply-focused solutions to address New York City’s housing crisis, as well as to draw attention to growing financial pressures facing the multifamily industry.
Earlier in his career, Chris served as a Vice President at Marino, where he advised corporate and real estate clients including Cushman & Wakefield, Knotel, McDonald’s, Wolters Kluwer, Basis Investment Group, and Alvarez & Marsal Property Investments. He also previously led public relations initiatives for Savills across Central U.S. markets and served as Deputy Director of Communications for the New Jersey Treasury Department.
Chris earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Boston University. He has served on the Young Professionals Steering Committee for the Association for a Better New York and the Board of Directors of Saint Mary’s High School (Manhasset, NY), as well as a homeless outreach volunteer for the Community of Sant’Egidio.
Megan Hartung is the Director of Client Services & Events at Connect Commercial Real Estate and brings more than 10 years’ experience in commercial real estate client relations, logistics and event coordination to her role. She works with her clients to put together holistic approaches to content, marketing, and digital campaigns, and integrates both live and webcast events to help align industry leaders with their brands and provide overall visibility.
Megan comes to Connect from Swift Real Estate Partners where she served as the Investor Services and Special Projects & Events Coordinator based out of their headquarters in San Francisco. Prior to her role at Swift, Megan began her career in New York as a Regional & National Conference Producer for the Real Estate Media Group.
Megan currently resides in Raleigh, North Carolina and holds a BA in Public Relations from Hofstra University.
Sammy injects over a decade of experience in Web Development and Branding for corporations, Nonprofits, and NGOs across the globe. As an owner of a boutique design agency, he has had the opportunity to work in many industries, applying brand principles across a range of print and digital platforms.
Sammy believes that brands, like people, thrive when they communicate effectively. He specializes in modern, spacious layouts, elegant typography and technical know-how for various products. At Connect CRE, he takes pride in working passionately with a team that integrates a solid understanding of a company processes, foundational storytelling, and design strategy to build upon the various formats we serve in marketing.
Sammy is a former board member of Voices of African Mothers, associated with United Nations, where he served by building the tech infrastructure for schools in Ghana, Africa. He also takes interest in teaching younger kids design and marketing skills. He believes ultimately if you can dream it, you can build it.
Sammy recently moved from New York City to North Carolina, where he happily resides in the mountains with the birds and the bears.
Jeremiah began his career in January 2001 with a small start‑up called Real Capital Markets (RCM), stepping into a role that would ultimately reshape how institutional real estate was marketed worldwide. As one of the early creative and technical forces inside the company, he built and led RCM’s multimedia department, overseeing thousands of projects over two decades for industry giants such as CBRE, JLL, and Cushman & Wakefield.
In 2001, Jeremiah and his team introduced what became a defining innovation for the entire industry: the Flash Teaser. This new digital marketing format — paired with custom HTML email campaigns — revolutionized how commercial properties were presented to potential buyers. It was fast, visual, modern, and unlike anything the market had seen. The Flash Teaser quickly became the industry standard, helping RCM rise from a small start‑up into one of the most influential platforms in institutional real estate.
For 25+ years, Jeremiah’s creative leadership, technical direction, and ability to scale high‑volume production helped transform countless clients from emerging firms into recognized national players. His work didn’t just support the industry — it reshaped it.
Sule Aygoren is a Communications Account Director with Connect. Sule brings 20+ years of experience creating commercial real estate and finance content from an editorial standpoint and provides intimate knowledge of the industry from all aspects of the ecosystem. She has a proven track record of spotting trends and engaging readers and is able to effectively combine creativity with solid news judgment. She has also worked closely with clients to develop cohesive strategies to approach traditional overarching communications and thought leadership programs and has created and executed plans that serve lead generation, brand visibility and revenue generating goals. Her vast industry knowledge allows her to bring together multi-pronged approaches, tying together PR and communications, marketing, editorial/content, and design. In her past role at ALM’s Real Estate Media Group, she oversaw the editorial direction and content for Real Estate Forum and GlobeSt.com. Under her direction, the magazine and website have received several national awards for journalism, including being selected by the National Association of Real Estate Editors (NAREE) as Best Commercial Real Estate Trade Magazine four times. Personally, Sule has received several awards for her coverage including Best Trade Magazine Report from NAREE and the James D. Carper Award for Young Journalists.
Jennifer Little is an award-winning publicist with nearly 20 years of experience. With significant experience in the commercial and residential real estate industries, Jennifer excels at developing strategic public relations campaigns aligned with business goals. As a strategic partner to Connect Commercial Real Estate, she provides hands-on, senior-level PR strategy and execution that garners impressive results.
Jennifer has successfully led corporate communications campaigns for global and national companies such as Greystone, Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC, Integrated Capital Management, Century Properties, Victor Group, Pacific Coast Capital Partners (PCCP), Faris Lee Investments and PlanOmatic. She has also launched several real estate projects, including the Robert A.M. Stern-designed 20 East End Avenue in Manhattan, Greystone's On the Sound in City Island, and fashion brand FENDI’s first condominium project in the world, FENDI Chateau Residences in Miami. Most recently, she helped launch the $500 million redevelopment of Willis Tower in Chicago, the second tallest office building in the United States on behalf of Blackstone and Equity Office.
Prior to becoming a PR consultant, Jennifer held various senior roles at agencies including vice president at HL Group, director at Relevance International and senior vice president at Rubenstein Public Relations in New York. Before moving to New York, she lived in Southern California and was executive vice president at Amies Communications.
Jennifer earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast journalism from Hofstra University. She is the recipient of several Protos awards from the Public Relations Society of America for excellence in media relations, special events and media pitching.
Julie Fornaro is a Communications Partner to Connect Creative, leading public relations, marketing and social media strategy and campaigns for clients. With deep roots in public relations, storytelling and thought leadership, she is a multi-disciplined marketer with an aptitude for implementing core messaging that resonates with audiences and drives measurable results across traditional and digital media platforms. She is also a seasoned crisis communications expert.
Julie’s work in the real estate marketing arena spans nearly 25 years serving countless firms accelerating through both high-growth and mature phases. Companies and organizations served encompass the gamut of commercial and residential real estate types, as well as disciplines including investment, finance, development, planning and architecture, construction, economic development, building science, building products, business associations, legislative advocacy and more.
An award-winning communicator, Julie’s work has been recognized with numerous PROTOS Awards from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). She is also recipient of a Marketing Influencers Award from GlobeSt. Julie is a past Board Member and Social Media Chair to the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Los Angeles Chapter. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the USC Annenberg School, where she was a founding member, helping to launch the Lamda Pi Eta communications honors society chapter at the university.