Taylor Woods’ 5-Year Journey at Cardinal
At Cardinal, our culture embodies many different elements: it’s about improving as a team while having fun growing together both personally and professionally. Our team members are the heart and soul of our culture! We are so grateful for the efforts our team members put in daily to go the extra mile to help change the industry and challenge the status quo.
Today we’re celebrating Taylor Woods and her dedicated years of service to the growth of our team over the last five years.
Learn more about Taylor’s journey below!
What is your role?
Transitions Manager
Describe your Cardinal Journey
I first joined Cardinal Group Management in 2020 as a full time leasing agent at Westmar Student Lofts in Atlanta, GA. My goal was to obtain my Masters Degree while working a job I had previously enjoyed. Little did I know I would become further involved and strive for additional responsibilities within property management!
As a full time leasing agent, I worked closely with our Assistant Leasing and Marketing Team Lead on all events, resident retention initiatives, and outbound marketing needs. I was then promoted to the Resident Service Manager position, in which I was responsible for resident retention obligations such as, renewal send offs, resident events, and de-escalations. While still at Westmar I had the opportunity to transition into the Assistant Leasing and Marketing Team Lead position where I worked directly alongside the Leasing and Marketing Team Lead on all marketing tactics involving social media, university engagement, tours, and lease generations.
Seeking a broader scope, I joined the Travel Team for two years, connecting with and assisting teams in over 15+ markets nationwide with onboarding, operations, turn periods, and move-ins. After being able to work alongside so many team members I set my sights on becoming a Community Manager where I would be able to take everything that I had learned and pour it into my own team.
In 2023, I was promoted to Community Manager, leading a new development in Atlanta, Ga, where it all started. As a Community Manager, I learned how to navigate the ebb and flow of the new development realm, build and support a team, and fine tune my operational skills. I took on a second new development project in 2024 as a CM on Rambler Atlanta, a Private Label partnership, which provided valuable experience working closely with a client and a dedicated cell team.
This comprehensive background ultimately prepared me to become a Transitions Manager in September 2025.
Who has been influential in your life, and how have they helped guide you?
My first Community Manager at Cardinal, Tosan Huntley was a huge influence, helping me cultivate the skills and mindset necessary to excel in every role. She made time to meet with me weekly to discuss my professional and personal growth, exploring different areas of Cardinal and identifying where my natural passions aligned within property management. The terminology, skills, processes, and procedures I learned from her conversations are all things I continue to utilize daily.
How did you decide to join the Cardinal team?
I had previously worked at a student community while earning my bachelor’s degree and remembered how much I enjoyed the environment. When a former colleague reached out to me about an opportunity at Cardinal Group Management and shared the details of the company culture and vision, I decided to begin a new chapter- I packed up my car, and within a few weeks, my dog Boujie and I had relocated from New Jersey to Atlanta, GA!
What do you find most exciting about your job? Most challenging?
The most exciting part of my job is the ability to connect and interact with every new community and team member brought into Cardinal Group Management. It is a genuine blessing to witness the growth and evolution of our culture in real time and be a part of it firsthand.
The most challenging aspect would be maintaining the fast-paced demands of our department, effectively.
What does a perfect day off look like for you?
My perfect day off is a comfortable 75-degree day spent outside with my dog, family, and friends. We would be gathered in the yard, barbecuing, playing games, and listening to music—simply enjoying each other’s company, laughter, and jokes!
What is a skill you have developed during your career that you didn’t know you had?
The art of engagement- I’ve discovered a genuine love for connecting and engaging with everyone—team members, clients, and partners. Your light shines brighter when connected with others. Especially on the Transitions Team, simple daily interactions, like a quick smile or a “how’s your day going,” go a long way, creating lasting positive impacts on all critical players, especially our on-site teams.
What’s something you’ve learned at Cardinal that you carry with you daily?
I’ve learned the necessity of extending grace to others in every situation while always keeping sight of the big-picture goals that unify us. I remain grounded in this lesson through Cardinal’s Core Values and the unwavering support of my team each day.
