Yvonne Nelson began her career in institutional real estate in 1989 where she rose to the ranks to a Senior Investment Officer with the NY Common Retirement Fund until 2002. After a short stint pursuing a passion for affordable housing, she joined the investment staff at the NYC Comptroller in 2005 serving in senior positions.

In 2021, Yvonne Nelson retired as Head of Real Estate on behalf of the New York City Retirement Systems, an aggregation of the city’s five primary pension plans where she led a multi- billion global real estate investment program currently valued at $20 billion. With a fair but firm management style, she successfully built a diversified global portfolio from $1 billion in 2005 to $13 billion at her retirement. Ms. Nelson’s team employed a robust diligence process, in parallel with its consultants, and achieved LP-friendly governance and fee concessions while leveraging NYC's scale and influence. Unique among its holdings are curated investment programs responsive to board goals such as NYC workforce housing development, co-investments and emerging managers (including MWBEs). During her tenure, the NYC real estate program generated consistent returns above its time-weighted benchmark while utilizing modest leverage.

Post-retirement, Ms. Nelson has been invited to share her market expertise and managerial skills as a independent director/advisory board member to several real estate investment vehicles representing distinct strategies.

Throughout her career, Ms. Nelson has been an effective mentor and recognized leader in the field of diversity and inclusion within the institutional real estate industry. She served as an inaugural board and grants committee member of the Pension Real Estate Association (PREA) Foundation, an organization which fosters the inclusion of under-represented groups in commercial real estate from 2017-2025. The launch of the foundation, which raised seed pledges in excess of $15 million, occurred during Ms. Nelson’s board participation at its parent organization (PREA).