07 March . 2025
There's a New HOA in Town: Meet Cohere
Keeping Tehaleh Coherent
This spring season, Tehaleh is stepping into refresh mode with a change in leadership for the community’s association management. The parks, the trails, the strong sense of camaraderie that defines Tehaleh? Those remain unchanged. Don’t worry, Mt. Rainier isn’t going anywhere. But moving forward, a new company with some familiar faces will be at the helm of the community’s day-to-day management.
Meet the Executive Director at Cohere (and fellow Tehaleh resident): Michael Shaheen. He’s excited to combine his expertise in community management and respect for the Tehaleh community to invigorate a slate of new ways to join together.
“With Cohere, we’re creating a sense of participation and engagement with residents that goes beyond the norm,” Shaheen says. “It can be hard to break through that fourth wall to show we’re all striving towards the same goals. We want to bridge that gap and help residents feel like there's a sense of belonging.”
This transition is more than just a changing of the guard: it’s an opportunity for Tehaleh to evolve, to build upon its principled foundation, and to ensure the community continues to thrive as it grows. “We’ve opened all of our board meetings to Tehaleh members,” he says. “We're opening more transparency to the community. That's the first step.”
What or who is Cohere?
Cohere specializes in supporting master-planned communities, helping them to function smoothly and to encourage them to flourish. Cohere’s experience around the Western US (notably in Arizona, California, Colorado, and Texas) has shown they’ve innovated for years and finely-tuned their approach to make communities stronger, better connected, and also well-supported.
Cohere approaches community management where the community meets them. Not with rigid rules and bureaucracy, but with a focus on trust, connection, and shared values. From their own guiding principles:
Trust: Stewardship, respect, confidence, equality, responsibility.
Reciprocity: Strength, interdependence, leadership, teamwork.
Spirit: Culture, pride, engagement, passion, kindness.
Legacy: Traditions, shared experiences, collective memory.
In short, Cohere and Tehaleh share many (if not all) the same core values. Together they’re here to help Tehaleh become an even better version of itself.
Serena Pearson, Engagement & Communications Manager at Cohere, has been a key member in planning Tehaleh events in the past and looks forward to bringing the community together in new, alluring ways. “Cohere gives us the support we need to bring more engagement to the events Tehaleh loves,” Pearson says, “We can look at the successes of Cohere’s other communities and implement feedback from residents to develop our plans moving forward.”
What Will Cohere Bring to Tehaleh?
One of the biggest advantages of this transition is centralization. Tehaleh residents may have relied on a mix of platforms for communications before. Cohere aims to keep that communication accessible. Shaheen highlights the resident hub as a focal point to find, receive, and send pertinent information about all things Tehaleh. “Everything connects to the resident hub,” he says, “When you enroll, you will receive regular Tehaleh’s e-blasts and Cohere newsletters. It's all incredibly relevant info sent right to residents’ email.”
In many ways it’s about making Tehaleh’s ownership association more accessible, welcoming, and functional. Especially as people are looking to bridge the gap between the digital universe and in-person meet ups.
What Cohere Is Not
Association management companies can sometimes get a bad rap. No one wants a ruler-wielding enforcer measuring your lawn in millimeters or issuing fines over a coffee spill on your driveway. There are plenty of bad apples out there, but Cohere’s Tehaleh team is ready to show how they’re the best of the bunch. They aren't your typical association management company-- they are all about creating places and fostering relationships that inspire people to find purpose, live authentically, and thrive together™.
“I’ve been in this industry for awhile,” Shaheen says, “so I know there’s a stigma against homeowners’ associations. We want to change that. We want to increase our exposure. We want people to know who we are. We want to actively participate.”
Keeping open office hours to the community? That’s one way they’re hoping to set the best foot forward to ensure Tehaleh remains a place where people feel at home and not overly scrutinized.
Their deep experience in master-planned communities has given them a clear picture of what residents truly want in an HOA:
- Transparency: Clear communication and easy access to resources.
- Support: Problem-solving alongside a resourceful attitude.
- Flexibility: Adapts to the needs of the community as it evolves.
It’s about striking the right balance: keeping Tehaleh organized and well-maintained while making sure the things that make Tehaleh special, remain at the forefront.
What Comes Next?
Cohere knows that transitions take time. There may be some bumps along the way, and they don’t expect everything to be perfect from day one. That’s why they’re inviting residents to learn, engage, and provide feedback.
Right now, you can find Tehaleh’s Cohere team at their office on Myers Road, with an open-door policy to residents to come meet them in-person (M-F 9:00am – 4:30pm). As their team grows they’re expected to extend these hours. Team members will always be at Cohere events and board meetings. Drop in, say hello, and they’d be happy to help you!
For more information on Cohere, or to speak to someone on the Cohere team, check out their website here.