“Talk about being thrown into the fire!”, says Janet Goldberg, Director of Independent Living, “Nakia came to Kensington Park just a few short weeks before The Highlands’ lead concierge was about to leave campus. To say her training was “fast-tracked” would be an understatement. Nevertheless, she jumped in headfirst and has been doing an amazing job ever since. Her ability to learn and teach at the same time is impressive. She can multitask and yet remain focused. Her demeanor, even in a stressful situation, remains calm and collected. She is an honest, hardworking, dedicated and devoted team member who takes her job seriously.”
Nakia started working at Kensington Park in December 2017 as a part-time concierge. She quickly proved a great fit for the position, so much so that, when there was an opening for a full-time lead concierge, she was the obvious choice.
Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Florida, she returned to Maryland with her family for her high school years. She went to college in North Carolina and now considers Maryland her home. You might be surprised to learn that Nakia once worked as a TSA agent at Reagan International Airport. She found the work to be quite interesting and learned a lot about our country’s security issues.
Pasta Alfredo is Nakia’s favorite food, and she finds it hard to resist chocolate chip cookies. She enjoys listening to old R&B music and one of her favorite artists is Lauren Hill. In her free time, she likes to go to the movies and says she is happiest when she is spending time with her family and friends. Her favorite phrase is “Speak it into existence.”
Nakia enjoys being a part of the Kensington Park family, where she most appreciates the residents and the welcoming environment. Her advice to new hires is “Make sure you ask questions if you don’t understand something.” If she could switch jobs for a day with anyone at Kensington Park, she says it would be the hair stylist, although not for the work but the opportunity to spend quality time with our residents, listening to their stories and getting to know them better.
Nakia describes herself as hardworking, funny and caring. We see it every day in the way she welcomes our guests and serves our residents and staff with a kind attitude and a smile. We congratulate Nakia and thank her for her conscientious and attentive service!
October 29, 2018