JLL Strengthens Nonprofit, Education & Government Practice with Two Key Hires

NEW YORK, April 15, 2026 – JLL today announced that Allison Buck has rejoined the firm as Managing Director in its Nonprofit, Education & Government Practice (Tri-State Area).

Buck returns to JLL after more than five years with Savills and will help lead the firm’s continued growth in serving mission-driven clients across the region. Ella Berckmans also joins the team as Senior Associate, supporting business development and client servicing initiatives within the practice.

“Allison’s return to JLL and Ella’s addition to the team will meaningfully strengthen our ability to serve nonprofits, educational institutions and government partners across the region,” said David Carlos, Head of Nonprofit, Education & Government Practice, Tri-State. “Allison brings a rare combination of transaction experience and tenant-focused strategy that will deepen our advisory capabilities. Ella’s background in client service and business development will expand our capacity to grow the practice and deliver best-in-class outcomes for our clients.”

Buck previously spent more than three years at JLL as an Associate before joining Savills, where she worked in transactional advisory and tenant representation roles. Rising to the rank of Managing Director during her five years with the firm, she brings extensive experience across a range of sectors and client types. She is a graduate of The George Washington University School of Business and holds a master’s in real estate from NYU’s School of Professional Studies.

“JLL’s deep sector expertise and client-first approach align with my passion for serving mission-driven organizations, and I’m thrilled to return,” said Buck. “While I’m joining the Nonprofit, Education & Government Practice, I will continue to serve a variety of clients across multiple industries, applying my experience to help our clients optimize their real estate strategies and advance their missions.”

Berckmans also comes to JLL from Savills, where she worked alongside Buck for the past three years. She began her career at Savills through its Junior Broker Development Program before transitioning into a full brokerage role. She joins David Carlos’ team as Senior Associate and will utilize her business development and client-servicing skills to grow the platform and support mission-driven organizations across the region.

Under Carlos’ leadership, JLL’s Nonprofit, Education & Government Practice has become the leading advisor in the Tri-State to a broad range of mission-driven institutions including Weill Cornell Medicine, The New School, Hospital for Special Surgery, Museum of the City of New York, The Robin Hood Foundation and Bronx Defenders, to name a few. The practice is focused on delivering strategic real estate solutions including portfolio optimization and campus planning, lease negotiations, tenant representation as well as capital markets advisory. Most recently, the team advised Hebrew Union College in securing a new home for its New York campus. Following a two-year strategic planning effort, the team simultaneously sold HUC’s Greenwich Village campus for $76 million and purchased its new home on the Upper West Side for $32 million.

JLL is a leader in the New York tri-state commercial real estate market, with more than 2,600 of the most recognized industry experts offering brokerage, capital markets, property/facilities management, consulting, and project and development services.

For more news, videos and research resources visit JLL’s newsroom.