Director of Design & Construction
Director of Finance
Office Manager
Director of Performance and Analytics
Managing Principal
Managing Principal
Owner’s Representative
Chairman
Steve Ponsell
Owner's Representative
Steve recently retired from his role as Senior Vice President of the Self-Storage Division at Griffco Design/Build, Inc. He has over 33 years’ experience in construction and self-storage development. He started his career in 1985 with Holder Construction Company and in 1991 helped start M.G. Patton Construction Company where he served as Vice President of Construction for 12 years. In 2003 he and his partner started a General Contracting firm that specialized in the construction and development of Class A storage facilities. In 2008 he started the Self- Storage Division at Griffco Design/Build, Inc.
Val Sapra
Chairman
Val Sapra has been a resident of Huntsville, Alabama since 1972 and has compiled over 40 years of experience as a developer and operator of real estate. Between 1972 and 1998, Dr. Sapra worked as a professor of agriculture at Alabama A&M University. While at A&M, Dr. Sapra created NitNeil Partners as a passive vehicle to manage his personal real estate investments. After retiring with Professor Emeritus distinction, Dr. Sapra turned his full attention to real estate and the growth of the company. Dr. Sapra has vast experience in the development, construction and management of both commercial and residential real estate.
Nasir Nanjee
Director of Performance and Analytics
Nasir Nanjee joined NitNeil Partners as the Director of Performance and Analytics in April 2025. He brings a strong background in analytics, lending, and real estate, developed during his tenure at Platinum Federal Credit Union, where he served as Vice President of Lending. In that role, he led high-performing teams, implemented growth strategies, and oversaw a diverse loan portfolio. At NitNeil, Nasir is responsible for asset management, business intelligence, and using data to guide strategic decision-making across the firm’s national portfolio of self-storage assets. His cross-functional experience in finance and operations supports NitNeil’s mission to create value through disciplined investment and performance optimization. Nasir graduated from the University of Georgia in 2016.
Neil Sapra
Managing Principal
Neil Sapra is the eldest son of Indian immigrants who built a new life in the American South. Born in Huntsville, Alabama, Neil was raised in an academic home—his father earned a PhD in Agriculture and served as a professor at Alabama A&M before discovering a passion for real estate. That single pivot would become the foundation for a multi-generational family business.
After earning degrees in Biomedical and Electrical Engineering from Vanderbilt and an MBA from Emory, Neil joined his father and younger brother Nitesh to co-found NitNeil Partners, a real estate development firm focused on self-storage. Together, they evolved from small-town operators into institutional developers, completing high-design projects in dynamic urban markets across the U.S. In 2021, they sold a national portfolio to Life Storage, marking a major inflection point in their journey.
Neil’s work is driven by a deep respect for the immigrant journey, an engineer’s mindset, and an entrepreneur’s appetite for risk and reinvention. He sees real estate as more than a business—it is a means to shape communities, build generational wealth, and design a life of purpose.
Neil lives in Atlanta with his wife and two daughters. As a family, they thrive on unique life experiences—travel, fitness, and time outdoors are core to their rhythm. They are also deeply committed to Khelo, a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring access to quality playgrounds at disadvantaged schools across the globe.
For Neil, the joy he finds in friendship, travel, and shared experiences is a reminder that play isn’t a luxury—it’s an essential part of learning, connecting, and living fully, which is why he’s committed to helping children around the world access that same joy through the simple magic of a playground.
Nitesh Sapra
Managing Principal
Since 2008, Nitesh has expanded the company from a local family business into a national firm by assembling an institutional grade portfolio of real estate assets and forging strategic financial and operational partnerships. He’s passionate about exploring new cities and identifying emerging infill neighborhoods that are well positioned for investment. Prior to joining NitNeil, Mr. Sapra worked as a Development Associate at Wood Partners, a privately held real estate company focused on multifamily development across the country.
Nitesh is also an active investor and contributor in the Tampa Bay community. He currently serves on the Board of Sounding Joy, a new nonprofit organization with a mission of providing hearing aids to children in need. He is an active member of Young Presidents’ Organization, Entrepreneurs’ Organization, and the Institute for Private Investors.
Nitesh holds a Master of Science in Real Estate Development from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He also holds a professional degree in screenwriting from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television.
In his free time, Nitesh enjoys spending time with his family (wife: Erin, son: Callum, and French Bulldog: Amos). His hobbies include playing golf, writing, perfecting his grilling skills, and spending time at his second home in Asheville, NC.
Katrin Schulz
Office Manager
Kat Schulz joined NitNeil in the summer of 2019. As the Office Manager, she is responsible for organizing office operations and procedures. Her background is diverse. Prior to joining Nitneil, Kat managed the main office for a local elementary school. She has owned, managed, and, after 13 years in business, sold a successful wholesale design business. In addition, her experience includes being the Director of Human Resources for a medical staffing company. She has lived in Atlanta for over 30 years after graduating with honors from Emory University.
Jessica Delaney
Director of Finance
Jessica Delaney joined Nitneil Partners as the Director of Finance in September 2019. She is responsible for the accounting, finance, tax and compliance functions for the business. Prior to joining Nitneil Partners, Jessica spent nearly a decade at IDI Logistics, a large industrial REIT focused heavily on development in North America. During her time at IDI Logistics, Jessica’s focus was on handling large portfolio transactions, joint-venture planning and reporting, and managing a team that handled the day-to-day accounting of assets valued at approximately $2 billion. Jessica is a graduate of Georgia Southern University.
David Robinson
Director of Design & Construction
Since 2016, David has been responsible for the management of all design and construction related activities. He oversees the Company’s relationships with key third party consultants and general contractors. David brings 35 plus years of experience in construction and design management. Prior to joining NitNeil, David spent 14 years working at Wood Partners as a Senior Design Manager. His responsibilities were numerous including coordination between development and construction as well as oversight of the entire design process. During the company’s national expansion, David led the effort to maintain corporate continuity of best construction practices. David has also served as Director of Operations for Value Lighting, a commercial energy efficient lighting business. David is a graduate of The Georgia Institute of Technology and the Southern Technical Institute. He is involved in his local church and is an active supporter of the American Cancer Society, Cobb County Relay for Life.