Kalah Horton, CPA, CFE, Partner
Business leaders turn to Kalah and the HM&S team when they need worry-free financial reporting and business advice. Kalah’s focus is working with organizations that support and make life better for people and their communities. She approaches this from a few angles.
Education. As a leader of HM&S’s education service team, Kalah works directly with business officials, superintendents, and other key directors of local educational agencies (LEAs) including K-12 school districts, non-profit charter schools, and county offices of education to help them reach their goals. Whether LEAs seek professional guidance to adhere to complex regulations, qualify for funding, or meet local constituent expectations for accountability, Kalah’s expertise leads to positive results.
Kalah helps schools identify their unique needs, then assists through all phases of implementing new programs, ideas, or improvements. More often than not in today’s education climate, she’s sought after to help streamline processes and make more efficient use of precious resources.
LEAs that receive federal and state funding require a distinct brand of audit support. For these clients, Kalah specializes in the application of the Single Audit Act, Uniform Guidance, and state compliance testing.
Special districts. Kalah works with a variety of California special-district governments, including irrigation, fire, cemetery, and sanitation districts. These critical local government agencies rely on Kalah’s eye for detail and the sound advice she provides.
Non-profits. Kalah works with non-profits that serve the community in many different ways. Many of these organizations operate on grant funding which require Kalah’s expertise in the application of the Single Audit Act and Uniform Guidance.
Here are some recent examples illustrating Kalah’s impact on organizations she works with:
• A school district facing stiff penalties sought her help with a management comment appeal process resulting in waived penalties of nearly $80,000.
• A school district utilized Kalah’s knowledge on electronic attendance procedures to eliminate mountains of attendance paperwork and improve attendance processes.
• A non-profit organization brought Kalah in to develop and guide them in implementing a streamlined and more effective revenue-accounting process. The result was a real-time view of performance and ability to produce accurate information to report to the grantor on $2 million in federal grants.
Kalah views her work as a huge puzzle; she sees her role as finding all the pieces and matching them together to present a true financial picture. Passionate about working in her chosen industries, Kalah develops long-term relationships with her clients who, in return, express a high level of confidence and trust in her work.
EDUCATION
• B.S., Business Administration, accounting, summa cum laude, California State University, Chico
• President’s Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement
• Outstanding Academic Achievement Award 2008, 2009, 2010
CREDENTIALS
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA), licensed in California
• Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)
• Advanced Single Audit Certificate
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
• California Society of Certified Public Accountants
CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS
• State Theater Arts Guild, finance team (past)
PERSONAL INTERESTS
• Running destination races, enjoying performing arts, getting creative with Pinterest