Our leadership

Timothy J. Naughton

Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President

Tim is Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President and has been a director of AvalonBay since September 2005. He has served as Chairman of the Board since May 2013, as Chief Executive Officer since January 2012, and as President since February 2005. Tim’s prior roles included serving as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer, Chief Investment Officer, and Regional Vice President—Development and Acquisitions. Tim has been with AvalonBay and its predecessors since 1989.

Tim is a director of Park Hotels & Resorts Inc., a publicly traded hotel real estate investment trust. He is a former Chairman of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts ("NAREIT") and is currently on its Executive Board, is a member of The Real Estate Round Table, is a member and past chairman of the Multifamily Council of the Urban Land Institute ("ULI"), and is a member of the Real Estate Forum.

Tim received his Masters of Business Administration from Harvard Business School in 1987 and earned his undergraduate degree in Economics with High Distinction from the University of Virginia, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

Kevin O'Shea

Chief Financial Officer

Kevin has been AvalonBay’s Chief Financial Officer since June 2014. Prior to that he was Executive Vice President—Capital Markets, from January 2013 to May 2014 and Senior Vice President—Investment Management after joining the Company in July 2003 until January 2013.

Prior to joining the Company, Kevin was an Executive Director at UBS Investment Bank, where his experience included real estate investment banking. Earlier in his career, he practiced commercial real estate and banking law as an attorney.

Kevin received his Masters Degree in Business Administration from Harvard Business School, his J.D. from Southern Methodist University and his undergraduate degree from Boston College.

Kevin is a Trustee of Urban Edge Properties, a publicly traded REIT. He also serves on the Real Estate Advisory Board of The Johns Hopkins University’s Carey Business School.

Matthew H. Birenbaum

Chief Investment Officer

Matt became Chief Investment Officer in January 2015. He is responsible for AvalonBay’s investment strategy and oversees the Investments, Design, Sustainability/Corporate Responsibility and Market Research functions. Before assuming his current position, he was Executive Vice President—Corporate Strategy, a position he held from October 2011 until January 2015.

Prior to joining AvalonBay in October 2011, Matt was the founding principal of Abbey Road Property Group, LLC, a multi-family development and investment firm based in Arlington, Virginia since 2006 and before that a Senior Vice President at EYA (formerly Eakin/Youngentob Associates). Prior to joining EYA in 2003, he was a Regional Vice President of Development with the Company.

Matt received his Bachelor of Arts from Brown University, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa, and his Masters Degree from The Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, where he graduated with honors. He is an active member of ULI and is certified LEED AP, serves on the Board of the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH), and is a member of the Federal City Council.

Sean J. Breslin

Chief Operating Officer

Sean is Chief Operating Officer, a position he has held since January 2015, with responsibility for the Company’s operating platform, including Property Operations, Asset Management, Engineering, Redevelopment, and Marketing and Brand Strategy. He was previously the Company’s Executive Vice President—Investments and Asset Management since April 2012 with overall responsibility for AvalonBay’s investment and operating platforms, including property operations, asset management and redevelopment, and investment activity, including acquisitions, dispositions and investment strategy. Sean’s other roles with the Company included Senior Vice President—Redevelopment and Asset Management and Senior Vice President—Investments.

Prior to joining AvalonBay in 2002, he was the Chief Operating Officer of CWS Capital Partners.

Sean received his Bachelors Degree from California State University, Long Beach and his Masters of Business Administration from the University of Texas. He is a member of the Executive Committee of NMHC and is past Chair of ULI’s Multifamily Council. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Real Estate Finance & Investment Center at the University of Texas at Austin and a member of the Board of Directors of the American Red Cross.

William M. McLaughlin

Executive Vice President – Development & Construction

Bill serves as AvalonBay’s Executive Vice President—Development and Construction, with responsibility for the Company’s development activity on the East Coast including New England, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC, and Southeast Florida as well as all construction activity nationally. Prior to that he was Executive Vice President of Development for New England, New York and New Jersey from 2014 until 2019 and was Executive Vice President—Development and Construction for New England, New York and New Jersey from February 2010 until 2014. Bill was Senior Vice President—Development & Construction since 2009. He has been with the Company or its predecessors since 1994.

Bill received his BA in Economics from Harvard College.

Edward M. Schulman

Executive Vice President - General Counsel and Secretary

Ted has served as AvalonBay’s Executive Vice President—General Counsel and Secretary since 2012. He joined the Company in February 1999 and has served as General Counsel since that time.

Prior to joining AvalonBay he was a corporate and securities law partner at Goodwin Procter LLP.

Ted is a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School and received his undergraduate degree in economics from Princeton University, where he graduated with high honors and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.