From Chick-fil-A to Walnut Capital's Senior Property Manager

Kahla's roots run deep in Pittsburgh soil. Despite briefly leaving the area for school (shoutout Slippery Rock!), she's a yinzer through and through.

While a warmer climate has called her name countless times, the magnetic pull of family ties kept her firmly planted in the Burgh (yay us)! Kahla's journey at Walnut Capital is woven with dedication, growth, and an unmistakable passion for creating communities that feel like home.

She started her first job at Chick-fil-A at just 14 and worked there through high school and part of college. She credits her work ethic and customer service skills to her tenure with them (and of course her love for their chicken sandwiches).

After graduating high school, Kahla pursued a degree in communications and public relations, admittedly unsure of what she wanted to do in life. Enter property management, stage left.

Kahla's entry into the field started during her last year at Slippery Rock, when she landed a job as a leasing consultant at an off-campus housing complex. From scrubbing toilets to answering calls, she wore many hats and got a real feel for the apartment world. Little did she know, this gig would lay the groundwork for her future role at Walnut Capital.

She admitted that she had no idea what Walnut Capital was until her encounter with our merch at Picklesburgh (yes, you read that right). While interning in the Strip District, she and another intern were told to head to the food festival and hand items to people. For some odd reason, all of it said Walnut Capital, even though the company had no affiliation with us.

She kept a tab on our name and decided to Google us when searching for a job out of college. During her search, she saw that we were hiring a leasing consultant.

Fast forward to Kahla's interview that included about six people, including Gregg and a couple of dogs, it was a little intimidating. She was hired at Walnut on Highland and went back to her college roots by studying all the property floorplans and the three different buildings.

After a year at Walnut on Highland, Kahla's journey took her to Hot Metal Flats when a Property Management position became available. She made the move to the South Side and settled in quickly. However, just seven months later, Gregg reached out with an unexpected offer to return to Highland as the Property Manager. The bounce back to the property was pretty seamless, thanks to her familiarity with the apartments from her initial stint at the property.

For roughly four years, Kahla served as the Property Manager at Walnut on Highland before she was approached by management once again. This time, they proposed a brand new role as Senior Property Manager for Walnut Capital. Spoiler Alert: she was ready for change and took us up on our offer!

Now, in her role as Senior Property Manager for our city properties, Kahla's days are a whirlwind of activity. She handles everything from resident concerns to lease renewals, ensuring the smooth operation of Walnut. Acting as the intermediary between our Regional Property Manager and Maintenance Supervisor, she allows the RPM to concentrate on other projects while collaborating with the MS to prepare units for future tenants.

She has witnessed Walnut's evolution firsthand, considering she's been a huge part in the changes that have taken place over the years.

What hasn't changed? This company is continuously evolving, which is awesome because you don't want to work for a company that is stagnant.

She explained that things were great when she started too, but policies, procedures and operations have improved overall.

When Kahla is off the clock, she spends time with her furry sidekick, Phoebe, and her parasocial bestie, Kendall, during her Peloton rides. She has also been setting some time to the side for her and her husband to welcome their first baby this summer - which coincides perfectly with her 30th trip around the sun.

While the journey at Walnut hasn't always been straightforward, Kahla wouldn't have it any other way. From navigating the ins and outs of property management to embracing new challenges and opportunities for growth, she's found her stride at Walnut Capital and the best part? It seems like she's just getting started.

So here's to Kahla, the queen of property management. Cheers to the journey so far, and here's to the adventures yet to come!