Lynn Jerath
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
Citrine is founded and wholly owned by Lynn Jerath, a first generation woman of color with an Ivy League education. The Firm is one of the only woman-run real estate private equity firms in the country.
Lynn is an experienced institutional and entrepreneurial real estate investment professional with a 28-year track record and $10 billion in transactions at some of the most respected real estate firms in the world, including Goldman Sachs (The Whitehall Funds), the Carlyle Group, and GEM Realty Capital.
Lynn's experience spans virtually all property types and deal structures including complex joint ventures with operating partners, direct purchases and sales of real estate, public market transactions, debt purchases, structured finance transactions, and mezzanine investments.
"At Citrine, our mission is to forge a new path in the world of real estate investment. We believe in the power of win-wins – the idea that every party involved can thrive and prosper. From our investors to our partners, from the communities we engage with to the environments we touch, we are committed to creating synergies that fuel success."
–Lynn Jerath
$10B
in transactions
28 years
in real estate
An Expert in Her Field
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ECONOMIC CLUB OF CHICAGO
A member of the Economic Club of Chicago for more than nine years, Lynn serves as a Chair of the Membership Subcommittee. The ECC fosters meaningful connections among Chicago leaders to encourage dialogue on important economic and social issues and to cultivate the next generation of civic leadership.
URBAN LAND INSTITUTE
Lynn's involvement with the Urban Land Institute spans more than 20 years. She is a former Chair of the Urban Development and Mixed-Use Purple Council and a member of the ULI Health Leaders Initiative. ULI is a nonprofit research and education organization supported by its members whose mission is to shape the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide.
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SUNDANCE BAY
Lynn is an Advisory Board member of Utah-based Sundance Bay, a real estate investment company with more than $2B in assets under management.
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UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
A trustee of the University of Pennsylvania, Lynn is also one of six members, and the only woman, to serve on the $21B+ endowment board. She is a member of the Trustees Council of Penn Women and an Advisory Board member of Penn Live Arts. Lynn also endowed an undergraduate scholarship in 2005.
A sought-after and transformative leader, Lynn has been recruited to serve on corporate and academic boards and is frequently invited to speak at industry events.
Lynn Jerath, Thought Leader
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Steering Success
“As one of our first board members, Lynn has worked tirelessly to support Chicago Furniture Bank’s mission to provide furniture to families leaving homelessness. Lynn led us through the deal process to purchase our new warehouse and continues to be a key mentor, keeping us focused on long term goals.”
–Griffin Amdur, Board Chair and Co-Founder, Chicago Furniture Bank
Guiding the next generation of real estate professionals
“Lynn has unwavering attention to detail. Before I send her any pitch decks or deals, I make sure to double, and most times, triple check my work. I value her feedback.”
–Lonnie Thomas, Managing Partner & CEO, Throop Street Capital, LLC
Through decades of professional and philanthropic work, Lynn has realized the wide disparities in capital availability across our country. She is passionate about changing this and improving lives in the most profoundly disinvested communities. Lynn is dedicated to making a positive impact through her work at Citrine and through her service on some of Chicago’s most impactful nonprofit boards.
Nonprofit Leadership
EMBARC
Lynn is Chair of the Board of Directors of Embarc, an organization transforming education through experiential learning.
HOPE CHICAGO
Lynn serves on the board of directors of Hope Chicago, an organization which seeks to reduce economic and social inequity by funding post-secondary scholarships and non-tuition costs for Chicago Public School graduates.
THE POETRY FOUNDATION
Lynn is the former head of the Poetry Foundation's investment committee for the foundation's $250M+ endowment. The Poetry Foundation is a leader in shaping a receptive climate for poetry by developing new audiences, creating new avenues for delivery, and encouraging new kinds of poetry.
CHICAGO FURNITURE BANK
Lynn served as an inaugural board member of the Chicago Furniture Bank and played an important mentorship role for the organization's leadership. The Chicago Furniture Bank's mission is to provide dignity, stability, and comfort to Chicagoans that face poverty by allowing clients to handpick an entire home's worth of furnishings for free.
