For KMA’s third installment of our Catching Up With series, we turn our focus to Reena Patel.  Reena joined KMA’s San Diego office in 2003 and has become a cornerstone of our affordable housing practice.  In her own words, Reena reflects on her KMA career.

What are your roles at KMA?

I started at KMA in 2003 as an intern and worked on housing related land uses almost immediately. I am now a manager at KMA and advise primarily on all things affordable housing related, specifically working on developer solicitations, developer selections, and negotiation of affordable housing transactions.

 What is your favorite part of working at KMA?

While transactions may look familiar at first, no two are ever the same, so I’m always learning something new. I also love tailoring the work to the audience, whether that’s a presentation, a report, or one of my color-coded Excel models (so fun!).

What do you do in your free time?

I enjoy going to baseball games (go Padres), diving in to a good book (fiction, mainly), board games (I take winning very seriously), or working on a jigsaw puzzle. I was on the PTA (as Treasurer, surprise!) for three years at my kids’ elementary school but now volunteer and room parent instead. As a bonus, my pre-marriage/kid days have really set me up for success in supporting the kids’ events at school!