Leadership
Leadership
Austin Walker
CEO, Managing Principal
Before founding A. Walker & Co., Austin Walker was a Vice President of Originations at Arbor Realty Trust. He was involved in the structuring and closing of over $1B of loans across Arbor’s multifamily and single-family rental (SFR) product lines. These included Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, CMBS, Bridge, Preferred Equity and Mezzanine loans. Austin has advised a wide range of multifamily and SFR operators and intermediaries, including developers, traded and non-traded multifamily REITs, private owners, family-offices, and mortgage brokers. Prior to his role at Arbor, Austin gained extensive capital markets experience as a member of a top private wealth advisory team at Wells Fargo advising High Net Worth and Ultra High Net Worth Families.
Austin earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Johns Hopkins University, where he also competed for 4 years with the men’s varsity lacrosse team and was a member of the 2007 Division I national championship team.
Victoria Gousse
SVP, Investments
Victoria is Senior Vice President of Investments of A. Walker & Co. where she spearheads the firm’s investment practice group. Victoria has expertise in overall real estate portfolio life cycle including acquisitions, development financing, asset management, budgeting, contracts and bids negotiations, construction, and property management. She has been involved with over $1B in real estate transactions. Prior to A. Walker & Co., Victoria worked at Fairstead, Jonathan Rose Companies and The Related Companies where she developed her career for a decade. Her specialty lies in delivering high-quality affordable housing solutions, often through innovative public-private partnerships. Her experience includes acquisition rehab, ground-up development, recapitalizations, dispositions, as well as expertise in project-based Section 8 and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs).
Victoria is a proud alumna of Fordham University where she received a bachelor’s degree in business, followed by a Master’s degree in Real Estate Development from CUNY Baruch College. Beyond her professional accomplishments, she is an active volunteer in several organizations, including Baruch College’s Alumni network and the Historic Paulus Hook Association.
Nishant Tyagi
SVP, Capital Markets and Asset Management
Nishant Tyagi is Senior Vice President of Capital Markets and Asset Management at A. Walker & Co., where he is responsible for leading the development and execution of capital market strategies. His role includes overseeing deal-level transaction management across both equity and debt platforms, supporting origination activities related to fund investments, equity origination, and correspondent lending activities.
Before joining AWC, Nishant was Vice President of Underwriting at Arbor Realty Trust, where he closed over $4 billion in loans and structured billions more. His expertise includes financial modeling, underwriting, and risk management for large-scale real estate transactions. Prior to Arbor Realty, Nishant worked as an Associate at Deloitte, where he gained experience in investor relations and private equity, contributing to the success of early-stage ventures by providing underwriting expertise and structuring multi-million-dollar acquisitions.
Nishant holds a Master’s degree in Real Estate from Baruch College and a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from McGill University. He also earned a Certificate in Artificial Intelligence from The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science of Columbia University. Committed to supporting the growth of future leaders, Nishant is actively involved in mentoring and professional networks within the real estate industry.
Erik Mineo
VP, Business Development
As Vice President of Business Development at A. Walker & Co., Erik drives institutional growth by sourcing capital, supporting operations, and strengthening asset management across the firm’s affordable housing and real estate private equity platform. He works closely with family offices, fund managers, and development partners to scale investments that generate strong returns and lasting community impact.
A Long Island native and graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Erik began his leadership journey as an Airborne Infantry Officer, serving with distinction in the 75th Ranger Regiment, the Asymmetric Warfare Group, and the 82nd Airborne Division. Recognized by Time magazine as part of the “Class of 9/11,” he led elite teams through complex missions across the Global War on Terror—experiences that shaped his ability to lead with clarity, courage, and purpose.
Following his highly decorated service, Erik continued his mission of impact as Executive Director of Shootout for Soldiers, scaling the nonprofit into a national movement that has raised over $5 million for Veterans and their families. Today, he channels that same ethos into cultivating trusted relationships and unlocking long-term value for communities across the AWC portfolio.
Austin Walker
CEO, Managing Principal
Before founding A. Walker & Co., Austin Walker was a Vice President of Originations at Arbor Realty Trust. He was involved in the structuring and closing of over $1B of loans across Arbor’s multifamily and single-family rental (SFR) product lines. These included Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, CMBS, Bridge, Preferred Equity and Mezzanine loans. Austin has advised a wide range of multifamily and SFR operators and intermediaries, including developers, traded and non-traded multifamily REITs, private owners, family-offices, and mortgage brokers. Prior to his role at Arbor, Austin gained extensive capital markets experience as a member of a top private wealth advisory team at Wells Fargo advising High Net Worth and Ultra High Net Worth Families.
Austin earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Johns Hopkins University, where he also competed for 4 years with the men’s varsity lacrosse team and was a member of the 2007 Division I national championship team.
Victoria Gousse
SVP, Investments
Victoria is Senior Vice President of Investments of A. Walker & Co. where she spearheads the firm’s investment practice group. Victoria has expertise in overall real estate portfolio life cycle including acquisitions, development financing, asset management, budgeting, contracts and bids negotiations, construction, and property management. She has been involved with over $1B in real estate transactions. Prior to A. Walker & Co., Victoria worked at Fairstead, Jonathan Rose Companies and The Related Companies where she developed her career for a decade. Her specialty lies in delivering high-quality affordable housing solutions, often through innovative public-private partnerships. Her experience includes acquisition rehab, ground-up development, recapitalizations, dispositions, as well as expertise in project-based Section 8 and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs).
Victoria is a proud alumna of Fordham University where she received a bachelor’s degree in business, followed by a Master’s degree in Real Estate Development from CUNY Baruch College. Beyond her professional accomplishments, she is an active volunteer in several organizations, including Baruch College’s Alumni network and the Historic Paulus Hook Association.
Nishant Tyagi
SVP, Capital Markets and Asset Management
Nishant Tyagi is Senior Vice President of Capital Markets and Asset Management at A. Walker & Co., where he is responsible for leading the development and execution of capital market strategies. His role includes overseeing deal-level transaction management across both equity and debt platforms, supporting origination activities related to fund investments, equity origination, and correspondent lending activities.
Before joining AWC, Nishant was Vice President of Underwriting at Arbor Realty Trust, where he closed over $4 billion in loans and structured billions more. His expertise includes financial modeling, underwriting, and risk management for large-scale real estate transactions. Prior to Arbor Realty, Nishant worked as an Associate at Deloitte, where he gained experience in investor relations and private equity, contributing to the success of early-stage ventures by providing underwriting expertise and structuring multi-million-dollar acquisitions.
Nishant holds a Master’s degree in Real Estate from Baruch College and a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from McGill University. He also earned a Certificate in Artificial Intelligence from The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science of Columbia University. Committed to supporting the growth of future leaders, Nishant is actively involved in mentoring and professional networks within the real estate industry.
Erik Mineo
VP, Business Development
As Vice President of Business Development at A. Walker & Co., Erik drives institutional growth by sourcing capital, supporting operations, and strengthening asset management across the firm’s affordable housing and real estate private equity platform. He works closely with family offices, fund managers, and development partners to scale investments that generate strong returns and lasting community impact.
A Long Island native and graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Erik began his leadership journey as an Airborne Infantry Officer, serving with distinction in the 75th Ranger Regiment, the Asymmetric Warfare Group, and the 82nd Airborne Division. Recognized by Time magazine as part of the “Class of 9/11,” he led elite teams through complex missions across the Global War on Terror—experiences that shaped his ability to lead with clarity, courage, and purpose.
Following his highly decorated service, Erik continued his mission of impact as Executive Director of Shootout for Soldiers, scaling the nonprofit into a national movement that has raised over $5 million for Veterans and their families. Today, he channels that same ethos into cultivating trusted relationships and unlocking long-term value for communities across the AWC portfolio.