Leadership

Katie Ward, Region President for West, leads a team of experts to deliver unmatched service and support to the communities and properties we serve in these high-growth markets.

Katie has had an accomplished career in residential association management, marked by decades of progressive impact and responsibility. Most recently, Katie served as President of the Texas region, where her dynamic leadership and strategic vision were instrumental in fostering the region's expansion and reinforcing a culture dedicated to service excellence and associate empowerment.

Before her role in Texas, Katie honed her expertise in California, fulfilling pivotal positions that shaped her comprehensive understanding of the industry. As the Executive Vice President of Community Management in California, she demonstrated an unwavering commitment to client satisfaction and operational excellence. Her tenure as President of FirstService Association Consulting drove proficiency in forward planning and budget consultancy, further solidifying her status as a thought leader in the field.

Katie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Irvine, and is a longtime member of the Urban Land Institute. Katie serves as co-chair of our Women's Leadership Network and of our Master-Planned and Lifestyle Council. She also advises on development strategies as part of our FirstService Development Advisors group.

Shannon Pulse serves as Vice President, Property Management where she is responsible for operations, growth, retention and client relations. She leads and supports a team of regional directors and property managers to ensure consistent delivery of service excellence.
 
Shannon joined FirstService Residential in 2006 as a Property Manager, managing single family developments, townhomes, villas and condominium associations in 2016 she was promoted to Regional Director.  In 2020, Shannon relocated to the FirstService south Florida market, where she provided oversight and operational leadership to the portfolio and onsite community association managers along with the onsite associates.  In 2023, Shannon was promoted to Vice President, Property Management and moved back to Kansas City.  
 
Shannon brings a wealth of knowledge and in-depth professional experience through her oversight of a vast range of communities throughout Missouri, Kansas and South Florida. Shannon is recognized as a reliable and strategic problem solver. She exemplifies our core values each day.
 
Shannon is a member of the Community Association Institute (CAI), where she holds a CMCA and AMS designation. Shannon earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology at the University of Central Missouri and graduated from Baker University with a Master of Science Management degree. Shannon holds a Community Association Manager license with the State of Florida and a Salesperson license in Missouri.
 

Jessica Ballou currently serves as Controller for FirstService Residential, where she is responsible for all accounting functions and activities. Previously, she was a team leader for the homeowner’s association division of the accounting department. Before joining the company 14 years ago, she worked with Government contracts, sub contracting, manufacturing and evaluating job costs of projects. Jessica graduated from Jewell University with degrees in accounting and business management.

Jason Wortman has been with FirstService Residential Property Services department since 2017.  Gaining experience working at properties we manage with our maintenance, specialty services, and pool teams, he was promoted to Director in January of 2023.  Jason has an extensive background in property maintenance, construction, landscaping, & pool service and values the opportunity to improve and maintain community amenities.  At 15 years old Jason rode his bike to his first summer job, cleaning and vacuuming his neighborhood pool.  He often tells his team he was doing maintenance work before he could drive.
 
Jason has a degree in Horticulture & Forestry from the University of Missouri and still looks for opportunities to talk trees and plants with residents and board members.  In his free time Jason loves to mountain bike, collect and listen to records, and play board games around the diner table with his wife and son. 
 

Shelli brought over 20 years of experience to First Service Residential with emphasis on multifamily and condominium association property management.  She is a highly motivated and experienced management professional and places great emphasis on customer service.  Shelli joined the First Service Residential team in November, 2020, as a Regional Director.  She advises a team of property managers with their portfolios which include, townhomes, villas, single family developments, and condominium associations overseeing their day-to-day operations. 

As Regional Director at FirstService Residential, Dalton oversees a team that manages single-family homes, townhomes, and condos in the Kansas City area. He also manages a small portfolio of legacy accounts. Dalton joined FirstService Residential in 2018 with five years of prior experience in property management, managing condos, HOA’s, single-family rentals, and large-scale luxury apartment communities. 

Dalton is a graduate of Nebraska Wesleyan University and currently holds a CMCA designation from the Community Association Institute (CAI). 

With nine years of experience in property management, Jen has cultivated a deep understanding of the industry, starting in a customer service role and steadily advancing through various positions. In 2016, Jen obtained her Illinois CAM license and began managing an onsite condominium property. They transitioned to portfolio management in 2018 and relocated to Kansas City in 2021, where she currently serve as Regional Director.

Jen is set to graduate from William Woods University in 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in business, emphasizing organizational leadership. She holds the CMCA certification and her Illinois CAM license.
Jen's diverse portfolio includes managing a variety of properties such as low-rise and mid-rise condominiums, duplexes, townhomes, single-family homes, and co-ops.

Jen is passionate about simplifying complex property management processes for board members and managers alike. She thrives on educating teams about their communities to create a more enjoyable and efficient management experience.

In her free time, Jen enjoys outdoor activities with their two sons, ages 15 and 10, including camping, boating, ice skating, and spending time at the beach or pool. Property management runs in the family—Jen's mother and father were also in the industry, making it a true legacy. A fun fact: the first property Jen managed was the same condominium association where her mother began her career two decades earlier.
 

Kasey Mayer currently serves as Director of Operations overseeing all corporate administrative staff and project management initiatives. He recently joined FirstService Residential and brings more than 15 years of operations experience to the organization. Previously he served as Director of Operations in the higher education field and managed all college auxiliary services. Kasey graduated from Park University with a degree in Business Administration & Management.

As the Manager of Human Resources, Susan supports a team of directors and managers focused on Kansas City’s associates. Susan is the strategic business partner for designing, implementing, and executing human resources strategies to support our vision, mission, values, and goals. The Human Resources team supports all associates, from recruitment and onboarding to career development and recognition. Susan and her team support all corporate and on-site associates.

Susan joined FirstService Residential in 2014, working partially in accounting and Human Resources; then, in 2017, she was promoted to a full-time HR Generalist before becoming Manager.

Susan has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Missouri Western State University, in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Bailey joined FirstService Residential in 2020 as a property manager. Her experience includes developing, planning, and executing multi-million dollar capital projects and management of mid-rise and high-rise condominiums, townhomes, rowhomes, coachhomes, and single-family associations.
 
Bailey has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management, Human Resources and Organizational Behavior.