Our Team
At CUIMC, we view our residence as much more than accommodations. We are here to assist in making your stay with us as enjoyable and successful as possible. We are here to assist with campus resources, maintenance requests in your apartments, leasing opportunities and connecting you to the campus.
Administrative Team
Neliana Acevedo
- Mail Room Assistant, Office of Housing Services
Neliana "Nelly" Acevedo has been a part of the Columbia University Irving Medical Center community since 2002. As the mail room assistant, she ensures that all mail and packages addressed to residents who live in 50 Haven Avenue, Georgian Residence, and 154 Haven Avenue are properly logged and received in a timely manner. She also manages the Office of Housing Service's relationship with various mail carriers.
Nelly previously worked in the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons Mail Room, where she logged and distributed mail and packages to all departments and offices within the building.
Fun Facts About Nelly:
- Favorite sport to watch/team to root for: Baseball/the New York Yankees
- If you could choose one super power: Teleportation
Sam Bassford
- Assistant Director of Residential Experience, Office of Housing Services
Sam Bassford joined the Office of Housing Services as the assistant director of residential experience in August 2021. Sam oversees the door attendants, community development and customer service functions of the department, including 50 Haven Athletic Center, the Housing Mailroom, 50 Haven event spaces, and the resident assistants.
Sam has worked in residential life for 9 years in the Metro NY area at both Pace University campuses and recently as a Residence Hall Director at Adelphi University. She is a double alumni of Pace University where she obtained her Masters of Science in Media and Communications Arts from the Pleasantville campus and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from the New York City Campus. Sam is passionate about student success and is looking forward to being about of the Columbia community.
Fun Facts About Sam:
- Which team(s) do you root for: Yankees and Jets
- If you could choose one superpower: Teleport
Noemi Bueno
- Assistant Director of Housing Assignments, Office of Housing Services
Noemi Bueno has been a key member of the Office of Housing Services team since 1997, and currently oversees housing assignments for students and postdoctoral candidates. She works closely with the team to keep students informed about housing procedures and processes throughout the year.
Noemi has an open-door policy for students and staff and warmly welcomes anyone who may have a question or concern about the housing process. Each year, she enjoys being part of Commencement and seeing students who once entered on-campus housing graduate and receive their degrees. She holds an associate degree in applied sciences-computer programming from LaGuardia Community College.
Fun Facts About Noemi:
- Favorite place on campus: 11th Floor Rooftop at 50 Haven Avenue
- Top must-visit destination: Vatican City, Italy
Rocío Guzman
- Customer Service Coordinator, Office of Housing Services
Rocío Guzman ensures prospective residents receive detailed information regarding accommodations and leasing procedures. She also conducts all lease signings at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. A native New Yorker, she is always eager to welcome CUIMC community members to Washington Heights. She loves interacting with residents and enjoys getting to know them and their stories. Rocío also assists students and CUIMC affiliates interested in off-campus housing, providing them with housing listings and connecting them to local brokers.
Rocío joined CUIMC in 2011 as a service representative for Facilities Management and Campus Services. She transitioned to the Office of Housing Services in late 2014. She previously worked as a senior loan officer with BBVA-Bancomer Hipotecaria Nacional Mexicana and holds a BA in international studies and human services from Mount Saint Mary College.
Joshua Johnson
- Manager of Custodial Service & Grounds, Office of Housing Services
Joshua joined the Office of Housing Services in May 2021 as the manager of custodial services and grounds. In addition to overseeing all of the custodial and ground services for the residential properties, he also will supervise the porters and Office of Housing Services’ loading dock.
Joshua began his career with Carnival Cruise Lines as an engineer and quickly transferred to housekeeping management, where he managed a large group of employees while traveling to more than 100 countries. He later moved to the hospitality sector where he worked for the Marriott Hotels and Resorts for eight years, focusing on customer satisfaction and staff development.
He holds a degree in engineering for mechanical fitting and metal machining from Guysuco Training Centre.
Fun Facts About Joshua:
- One item you can’t leave home without: My cellphone
- Favorite sport to watch/team to root for: Premier League Soccer/Chelsea Football Club
AJ Lutz
- Associate Director of Housing Services, Office of Housing Services
AJ Lutz joined the Office of Housing Services as associate director in June 2021. He is responsible for the administrative and customer service operations of the department, including the implementation and maintenance of new technologies to deliver better experiences and services for on-campus residents.
AJ has worked in the higher education and housing industry for fifteen years at various institutions, including The New School, University of Illinois at Chicago, Western Illinois University, and the University of Iowa. He holds an MS in College Student Personnel from Western Illinois University and a BA in Theatre Design from the University of Missouri in Columbia.
Fun Facts About AJ:
- Favorite place on campus: Still discovering, but right now, it is the green space between Tower 2 and Tower 3 that overlooks the Hudson River and George Washington Bridge
- If you could choose one super power: The ability to travel any distance without taking any time–to instantly go places!
Jayson Mattei
- Plant Superintendent, Office of Housing Services
Jayson Mattei joined the Office of Housing Services as plant superintendent in early 2019. As superintendent, Jayson has direct day-to-day oversight of facilities equipment to ensure operation at University standards. In addition to equipment optimization, Jayson works directly with all building maintenance and fire safety personnel to further uphold University standards and meet tenant needs.
Jayson has a passion for the facilities operation industry. He has previously served as a facilities manager for Grand Central Neighborhood, SKA Marin, and most recently WeWork. At WeWork, he managed and operated four buildings, totaling 350,000 total square feet. Over his career, he has managed a range of facilities, both privately and commercially owned.
Certifications
- Columbia University
- Construction Management Certification
- NATE (North American Technician Excellence)
- NATE Core
- HVAC Industry Competence Certifications (residential and light commercial)
- Environmental Protection Agency
- 608 Universal Technician
- RRP Lead Technician
- Type 1 Small Appliance
- Type 2 High Pressure, Type 3 Low Pressure Systems
- Indoor Air Quality Technician
- HVAC Preventive Maintenance Technician
- R-410A Technician Certifications
- Green HVAC Technician
- FDNY Certificates of Fitness
- F-89 Fire and Life Safety Director
- F-58 Fire Safety Director
- F-59 Emergency Action Plan Director
- S-14 Standpipe for Multiple-Zone Systems
- S-13 Citywide Standpipe Systems
- S-12 Sprinkler Systems
- S-95 Supervision of Fire Alarm Systems and Other Related Systems
- S-78 Cleaning and Testing of Smoke Detectors
- P-99 Low Pressure Oil Burner Operator
- P-98 Supervise Fuel-Oil Transfer in Buildings
- B-29 Supervision of Battery Systems and Other Related Equipment
- C-92 Supervising, Storage, Handling and Use of Flammable or Combustible Liquids
- F-07 Fire and Emergency Drill Conductor
- F-01 Citywide Fire Guard for Impairment
- A-35 Operate and Maintain Air Compressors
- G-60 Torch Use of Flammable Gases
- OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
- 30-Hour General Industry
- 30-Hour Construction
- Bloodborne Pathogens
- Hazard Communication
- Emergency Action Plan
- Department of Environmental Protection
- NYC Air Pollution Control Code Certificate of Fitness (Boiler Oil Technician)
- National Fire Protection Association
- NFPA 13: Installation of Sprinkler Systems
- NFPA 20: nstallation of Stationary Pumps for Fire Protection
- NFPA 25: Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems
- NFPA 3000s Training Certifications
- NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
- 30-hour Pest Control Core
- 7A Applicator and 7G Cooling Towers Maintenance
- North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners
- PV Solar Panel Installation Course Certification
Abraham Pagan
- Operations Manager, Office of Housing Services
Abraham Pagan has more than 25 years of experience in residential and mixed-use property management for major academic and health care institutions. Since joining Columbia University Irving Medical Center's Office of Housing Services as a manager in 2009, he has overseen repairs and maintenance operations for residential and office tenants. He is also part of the Facilities Emergency Management Operations Team.
Before joining CUIMC, Abe worked at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Mount Sinai Medical Center, and One Hunters Point and One Hunters View in Long Island City.
Fun Facts about Abraham:
- Favorite place to eat around the neighborhood: Dallas BBQ’s at 166th Street and Broadway
- Favorite sport to watch/team to root for: Basketball/New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets
Certifications
- FDNY Certificates of Fitness
- P-16 Low PSI Oil Burner
- S-12 Citywide Sprinkler Systems
- S-13 Citywide Standpipe Systems
- S-95 Supervision of Fire Alarm Systems
- Department of Environmental Protection: Air Pollution
- Environmental Protection Agency: Universal Technician
- U.S. Department of Labor: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), General Safety & Health
Mario Rapetti
- Director, Office of Housing Services
Mario Rapetti joined the Office of Housing Services as director in March 2020. Mario manages the daily operations of the Office of Housing Services, which includes all aspects of housing assignments and residential facilities and operations for CUIMC’s seven on-campus residential buildings. In his previous role as the assistant dean of Student Life at SUNY Purchase College, Mario oversaw the offices of housing and residence life, student life, leadership, and orientation programs.
Mario received an MA in student affairs in higher Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a BS in biology from Ramapo College of New Jersey. He also a certified Emergenetics Associate and holds a certificate in human resource management from Elizabethtown College.
Mario is an avid traveler, visiting 40 countries. When not traveling, he enjoys spending time with his two dogs and exploring the many benefits of New York City.
Fun Facts About Mario:
- One item you can’t leave home without: My CUIMC ID
- Top must-visit destination: Antarctica
