Joining Rappaport in April of 2023, Akiel Pyant plays a crucial role as a trusted member of the leasing team. Akiel will be actively involved in the leasing of numerous grocery-anchored shopping centers and mixed-use projects located throughout the DMV. Prior to joining Rappaport, Akiel spent three and a half years as a Leasing Associate at Combined Properties, where he advised Combined and retail tenants in a broad range of leasing efforts. As a Leasing Representative with Rappaport, Akiel draws upon his six years of commercial real estate experience to partner with senior leasing team members to prospect and lease various Rappaport portfolio assets. Akiel received both his undergraduate degree and Masters in Real Estate Development from the University of Maryland, College Park. Shortly after graduate school, Akiel was involved in Master of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation Alumni Board at the University of Maryland, where he assisted both undergraduate and graduate students with their professional development skills. He is now an active member of ICSC, where he hopes to connect with a wider range of retail real estate professionals and expand his knowledge on the real estate industry as a whole.