Renewable energy real estate investment firm SolaREIT has expanded its legal and finance teams by adding three industry veterans. The new hires arrive as the Virginia-based company continues scaling a capital solutions business that has financed real estate supporting more than $7.5 billion in clean energy project value since 2020.
The strategic personnel additions include Marisa McCurdy as general counsel, Kevin Russo as director of financial planning and analysis, and Daniel Leppert as transaction counsel. According to SolaREIT founder and CEO Laura Pagliarulo, the appointments strengthen core operational areas that directly impact deal execution speed, capital discipline, and closing reliability.
Leadership Backgrounds Across Legal and Finance
Marisa McCurdy brings more than two decades of energy and project finance legal experience to her role as general counsel. Her career includes participation in the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Honors Law Program, tenure in the energy and project finance groups at Kirkland & Ellis and Hogan Lovells, an in-house position at SunEdison, and running her own practice representing solar, electric vehicle, and battery storage clients.
Kevin Russo joins SolaREIT as director of financial planning and analysis with more than a dozen years of financial experience. Russo spent a decade at Elme Communities, a publicly traded multifamily real estate investment trust, where he worked across financial planning and analysis, treasury, capital markets, and investor relations functions.
Daniel Leppert steps in as transaction counsel, bringing nearly 20 years of renewable energy and real estate legal expertise. Leppert previously held in-house roles at Community Energy and SunShare, supporting the development of hundreds of megawatts of solar energy. His background also includes serving as real estate counsel for national homebuilder Richmond American and renewable energy and wireless lease aggregator Unison Infrastructure.
Scaling Capital Solutions for Clean Energy Projects
Founded in 2020 by clean energy industry veterans, SolaREIT operates as a woman-owned and led real estate investment trust based in Virginia. The company delivers flexible capital solutions designed to help developers and landowners monetize land and lease values, free up capital, and reduce ongoing lease costs. SolaREIT partners with developers and landowners nationwide across solar, battery energy storage, and substation and transmission land projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SolaREIT?
SolaREIT is a renewable energy real estate investment company founded in 2020 that provides flexible capital solutions for solar, battery storage, and transmission land assets across the United States.
How much clean energy project value has SolaREIT financed?
SolaREIT has financed the real estate underlying more than $7.5 billion in clean energy project value since 2020.
Who are the new hires joining SolaREIT?
The company appointed Marisa McCurdy as general counsel, Kevin Russo as director of financial planning and analysis, and Daniel Leppert as transaction counsel.