Leadership Team
Ben Maritz
Managing Partner
Ben Maritz founded Great Expectations in 2019 to help address the growing housing and homelessness crisis in the Pacific Northwest. Under his leadership, the company has grown into a vertically integrated affordable housing platform with $350 million in total asset value and more than 2,800 homes under management.
Ben is deeply involved in regional housing policy and community efforts. He currently serves on the boards of Plymouth Housing and Housing Connector, and previously served as board co-chair for the King County Regional Homelessness Authority. He is a frequent contributor to housing policy conversations at the local and state levels.
Before launching Great Expectations, Ben was a Partner at McKinsey & Company, where he specialized in financial restructuring and industrial transformation. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a master’s in Mathematical Science from Johns Hopkins University, as well as an MBA from Stanford University. He lives in North Capitol Hill with his wife, four kids, and their poodle.
Alec Thomas
Head of Development
Alec Thomas leads all development activity at Great Expectations, bringing over 15 years of experience in construction, design management, and real estate development. Since joining the firm, he has delivered more than 450 homes — all under budget — and has helped establish the company’s reputation for delivering high-quality, cost-effective housing.
Alec began his career as a commercial general contractor, leading multifamily projects valued up to $140 million. He later joined a national startup, where he helped scale a $250 million portfolio of complex design-build projects across multiple regions.
At Great Expectations, Alec oversees site selection, entitlements, and construction, with expertise in modular, mass timber, and “design-to-cost” delivery methods.
He is also a committed mentor and community leader. Alec volunteers with the ACE Mentor Program and the College Success Foundation, and serves as a mentor through NAIOP and the University of Washington’s Runstad School. He is a co-founder of the Emerging Leaders Group at the Council for Tall Buildings.
Lindsey Spears
VP Operations
Lindsey Spears serves as Vice President of Operations at Great Expectations, where she oversees all aspects of property operations and asset management for both company-owned and third-party buildings. She joined the firm in 2024 and has played a key role in strengthening resident experience, standardizing processes, and scaling the firm’s operating platform.
Lindsey brings over 20 years of experience in property management and asset operations. Prior to Great Expectations, she was Director of Asset Management and Operations at Bode, where she led budgeting, team management, and resident engagement strategies.
Before that, she served as Director of Property Management at New Standard Equities and spent more than a decade as a Regional Manager at Pacific Living Properties, managing diverse portfolios across the West Coast.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing and Interior Design— a foundation that supports her eye for design, branding, and placemaking. Lindsey is passionate about creating inclusive communities and is dedicated to developing teams that serve residents with empathy, efficiency, and excellence.
Operations Team
Andrew Sperling-Sandona
Controller
Andrew Sperling-Sandona serves as Controller at Great Expectations, overseeing the firm’s accounting, financial reporting, and investor reporting functions. He brings over 20 years of experience across public accounting, private real estate investment, and development finance.
Prior to joining Great Expectations in 2024, Andrew was Director of Accounting and Finance at Hamilton Urban Partners, where he managed the full accounting cycle, including construction draws, investor distributions, and quarterly financial reporting.
He also spent more than eight years at Deloitte, where he rose to Audit Manager and led engagements for both SEC-registered and private clients across multiple industries.
Andrew is known for building scalable financial systems, bringing rigor to investor communications, and ensuring clean, auditable records for complex portfolios. His background spans real estate fund accounting, GAAP compliance, and high-growth operational environments.
He holds a B.A. in Mathematics from St. Olaf College and completed his accounting studies at the University of Washington. He is a licensed CPA. Outside of work, Andrew enjoys time with his family, hiking, and exploring the Pacific Northwest.
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