Leadership
James Freeman, Principal
Mr. Freeman specializes in niche areas of tax planning and works directly with high net worth investors, family offices and their trusted advisors. His expertise focuses on tax-deferred 1031 exchanges, Delaware Statutory Trust (DSTs), tax-deferred Opportunity Zone funds, and numerous federal and state-sponsored tax mitigation strategies. Mr. Freeman has a Bachelor of Science and Master of Accounting from UNC Chapel Hill and an MBA from Duke University. Prior work and board experience includes International Taxation practice with Arthur Andersen and Deloitte; Director of Valvoline Oil, Germany.
He is the past Chair of the Board for the Georgia Society of CPAs, is on the Board of Governors of the Buckhead Club, and President of Filing for Freedom. Mr. Freeman and his family reside in Atlanta, Georgia, and are actively involved in their church and numerous philanthropic programs.
Ricky Novak, Principal
Mr. Novak specializes in niche areas of tax planning and works directly with high net worth investors, family offices, and their trusted advisors. His expertise focuses on tax-deferred 1031 exchanges, Delaware Statutory Trust (DSTs), tax-deferred Opportunity Zone funds, and numerous federal and state-sponsored tax mitigation strategies. Mr. Novak has a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs from the Georgia Institute of Technology and received his Juris Doctorate from Emory University’s School of Law, with a concentration in tax, real estate, and international law.
His prior work and board experience includes the International Taxation practice with Arthur Andersen; the Real Estate Taxation practice with Deloitte; Board of Directors of the Atlanta Bar Association; Chair of the Atlanta Bar’s Real Estate Section. He is also a past President of the Real Estate Group of Atlanta. Mr. Novak lives in Alys Beach, Florida with his wife, Lisa, and their son, and he and his family continue to be active philanthropists.
Steve Rothschild, Principal
Mr. Rothschild works directly with high-net-worth investors, family offices, corporations, insurance companies, and trusted advisors providing solutions within the Strategic Group’s lines of business. His expertise focuses on state and federal tax credits, tax-deferred 1031 exchanges, tax-deferred Opportunity Zone funds, and numerous federal and state-sponsored tax credit/deduction strategies. He is closely involved in the Strategic Groups' tax credit co-developments and developments such as affordable housing and historic rehabilitation. He founded the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Will's Club and The Foundation for Molecular Medicine. He is an active member of the Association for Corporate Growth, CCIM, and his alma mater Vanderbilt University. Mr. Rothschild is also on the Board of Governors of the Buckhead Club and sits on advisory boards of various companies. He is an active member of the Piedmont Driving Club where he enjoys playing golf and pickleball in his free time.
Chris Martiner, Managing Director
Mr. Martiner specializes in the acquisition and syndication of real estate assets to include affordable housing, historic preservation, opportunity zone investments, and various other tax-advantaged investments; he also leads the firm’s co-development activities on a national scale. An industry veteran, Mr. Martiner has 30 years of experience in the tax credit syndication space and has closed well over $2B of multifamily housing tax credit transactions. Mr. Martiner led Originations for the State Tax Credit Exchange, co-founded Churchill Stateside Group, and was the head of Acquisitions for Alliant Capital. His career began as an Asset Manager at Boston Capital where he managed investor returns and yield forecasts for Boston Capital’s $850M public fund portfolio. His entrepreneurial drive includes his founding of CayCap Advisors, a nationally recognized outsourced origination and advisory firm that built a direct tax credit equity portfolio for one of the largest privately held companies in the U.S.
Mr. Martiner earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Central Connecticut State University and eventually settled down in the Tampa area with his wife and family. The Martiners enjoy travel and time on the water. They are strong advocates of MS research through various not-for-profit organizations and support research, rescue, and conservation of marine life and resources through the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
Directors
Kathryn Williams, CPA, Director of Tax and Finance
Kathryn Williams is the Director of Tax and Finance where she is responsible for the tax planning, compliance, and financial statements for over two hundred entities at the Strategic Group. She supervises over ten large national accounting firms ensuring compliance and transparency. Additionally, she manages various product lines at Strategic such as fund management, opportunity zones, and other real estate ventures. She has been in the tax advisory and financial services for large complex multi-tiered companies for over a decade.
Prior to her time at Strategic, Kathryn worked at Alvarez and Marsal, LLC where she provided tax advisory services to companies in the real estate and private equity sectors. Before Alvarez and Marsal, Kathryn was responsible for the tax planning and compliance for a Finance Company, with collective assets of over $2 billion, that specialized in real estate and diversified banking.
Kathryn received both her Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree and her Master of Professional Accountancy, with a concentration in taxation, from the College of Charleston. She is a Certified Public Accountant and is a member of the Board for the Georgia Society of CPAs.
Jessica Freeman, Director of Fund Operations
Jessica Freeman serves as the Director of Fund Management for The Strategic Group. In this capacity she handles the reporting, compliance, and overall management of The Strategic Group’s series of private placement funds. Ms. Freeman has over two decades of experience in fund and project management. Prior to her time at Strategic, Ms. Freeman worked at Ashland and Valvoline handling supply chain logistics and data management. Ms. Freeman received her Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Kentucky, and her Master of Business Administration from Indiana University.
Robyn McClung, Director of Operations
Robyn McClung is an accomplished professional with a background in project management and operational excellence. As the Director of Operations at The Strategic Group, she plays a pivotal role in driving the company’s success.
Robyn joined The Strategic Group in 2018 as a Senior Project Manager. In this capacity, she handled complex, high-volume conservation easement and real estate development projects. Over the years, Robyn’s role has evolved. While she continues to oversee past and ongoing projects, she now also manages the responsibility of day-to-day organizational operations. Her eye for detail and mindset contributes significantly to the company’s smooth function, including a recent addition to her portfolio, managing the financial operations for Sovereign at North Bay, an affordable housing project located in Panama City, Florida.
Before joining The Strategic Group, Robyn made her mark at AT&T. As a Senior Project Manager, she spearheaded projects related to capacity expansion for AT&T’s core network. Her work directly impacted the Mobility Network Provisioning Center (MNPC), where strategic partnerships transformed the MNPC’s landscape.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication from Kennesaw State University. Additionally, she earned her Executive Master of Business Administration from the University of Georgia—an achievement that underscores her commitment to continuous growth and learning.
Robyn McClung’s blend of expertise, adaptability, and leadership makes her an invaluable asset to The Strategic Group. Her passion for excellence helps to drives the company forward, and her impact resonates across both projects and people.
1031 Team
Brian Baummer, Senior Manager
Mr. Baummer is Senior Manager of the firm’s Section 1031 Qualified Intermediary practice, which he joined in 2018. He has nearly 30 years’ experience in commercial real estate, working in Atlanta for Strategic 1031 Exchange Advisors, LLC and for law firms, lenders, and insurance companies in Boston, Los Angeles, New York City and Hartford, Connecticut. He was Assistant Vice President for CBRE Realty Finance, Inc., a publicly traded REIT and structured finance lender, where he helped create the legal department. Prior to joining The Strategic Group, Mr. Baummer was a Compliance Analyst and the sole contracts administrator for New England Asset Management, Inc., a subsidiary of General Re Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. company and one of the largest third party investment advisors serving the insurance industry.
Mr. Baummer is a graduate of Bowdoin College and attended business school at the University of Connecticut. He resides in Alpharetta, Georgia with his wife Nicole and labrador retrievers, Finn and Sully.
Lori A. Coremin, Senior Paralegal
Lori A. Coremin is a Senior Paralegal on our 1031 Team and has over a decade of experience with real estate law and civil litigation. She is proficient at navigating complex residential and commercial real estate transactions, including 1031 exchanges, and holds herself to the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.
In her free time, Ms. Coremin enjoys photography and writing, often spending time outdoors. She delights in capturing moments of natural beauty through her lens and exploring scenic trails that offers both a physical challenge and serene landscapes. As an internationally published photographer, her work has been featured in calendars and magazines. Her passion for photography and hiking provides a balance to her professional life, allowing her to unwind and reconnect with nature. Additionally, she volunteers as a photographer at several Humane Societies in her region, aiming to raise awareness for adoptable cats and dogs. She resides in Indiana with her fiancé Jason.
Sonia Nadotti, Senior Paralegal
With over two decades of experience in the real estate industry, Sonia Nadotti, has dedicated her career to mastering the complexities and nuances of property investments and transactions.
Throughout her professional journey, Sonia has had the privilege of working with diverse clientele, from first-time investors to property developers. Her primary goal has always been to provide tailored solutions that meet the unique needs and objectives of each client. She firmly believes in the power of real estate as a wealth-building tool, and as a 1031 Exchange Specialist she is committed to helping her clients navigate the complexities to achieve their goals.
Sonia is deeply committed to fostering strong relationships with her clients. She believes that trust and communication are the foundations of any successful partnership. Sonia takes time to understand her clients’ aspirations and concerns, providing support throughout the process. Her clients know that they can rely on her not just for her expertise, but for her unwavering dedication to their success.
Administration
Kristian Hayden, Executive Assistant
Kristian Hayden serves as the Executive Assistant to Co-Founders Ricky Novak and James Freeman at The Strategic Group. In this capacity, she handles scheduling and communications, as well as investor correspondence. Kristian brings over 15 years of experience in Commercial Real Estate to the table. Prior to her time at Strategic, Kristian worked at Coro Realty Advisors as Executive Assistant/Marketing Manager and Westplan Investors as Marketing Assistant. Kristian received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Georgia State University. She lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband and two children.
