Celebrating the Promotions of Grace Kunde and Dayna Hathaway at Extra Space Storage

We are pleased to recognize the recent promotions of two of our senior leaders at Extra Space. Grace Kunde has been promoted to Chief Accounting Officer (CAO) and Senior Vice President, and Dayna Hathaway has been promoted to Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Senior Vice President. These new titles reflect the significant contributions Grace and Dayna make to our organization and their exceptional leadership. Their promotions are also a marker of our company's growth and stability, and we are proud to celebrate the achievements of these two long-tenured leaders.

Grace Kunde, Chief Accounting Officer and Senior Vice President

Grace Kunde has been with Extra Space Storage since 2005, joining the company when it had 630 properties and had just become publicly traded. Since then, she has led the accounting team of 100 employees, overseeing SEC and financial reporting for Extra Space, as well as for over 300 partners. Grace and her team now support the accounting needs of over 4,000 properties across the company. Additionally, Grace has led several committees and projects at the company and has been critical in supporting and expanding the Extra Space culture and values. She has been and will continue to be the Principal Accounting Officer for Extra Space.

Outside of work, she loves spending time with her husband and two kids, camping, hiking, and enjoying all the outdoor activities of the Mountain West. We asked those who work closely with Grace to share their thoughts on her leadership and impact. Here’s what they had to say.

What makes Grace a great leader?

“Grace is an excellent leader because she genuinely cares about people and their development. She challenges the norm and always looks for ways to improve our company. She’s also crazy smart and has extreme ownership in all that she does.” - Mike Picklesimer, VP, Accounting

“Grace has a clear vision for how our department can provide excellent service to our partners and meet the challenges of continued growth. What I find inspiring is her ability to balance that vision with genuine care for the people around her. She sets ambitious goals but makes sure each of us feel supported in our efforts to achieve them.” - Kristin Malmstrom, Sr. Director, Accounting

“I feel very privileged to work directly with Grace on a daily basis. She is great at encouraging me and my team by asking thought-provoking questions to help foster creativity and innovation.” - McKay Bates, Sr. Director, Internal Audit

“Grace does an excellent job valuing every individual member of her department. She is open to considering opposing points of view and offers individualized development opportunities.” - Andrea Kitterman, Sr. Director, Accounting

How have you seen Grace support your or your team member’s career growth?

“Grace supports our team members’ career growth because of her genuine care for people. She notices individual skillset and interests and matches them with specific job responsibilities.” - Andrea Kitterman, Sr. Director, Accounting

“Grace looks for ways to get you out of your comfort zone and take on new challenges. She is a great sounding board, and she freely shares advice and perspectives that she’s gained throughout her career.” - Mike Picklesimer, VP, Accounting

Tell us about a time when Grace exemplified one of the Extra Space values—Teamwork, Passion, Excellence, Innovation, or Integrity.

“During the Life Storage merger, Grace exemplified the values of Teamwork and Passion. She led our department from the overall strategy point of view as well as from the nitty-gritty execution of countless assignments and side projects to help everything come together. Nothing was too big or too small to run by her for input and suggestions. She helped provide alternatives when a current path was approaching a dead end, and she helped keep us all pointed toward the end goal of integrating people, systems, financial information, and two companies. Throughout the entire project, Grace kept us excited and motivated about eventually crossing the finish line.” - Mike Picklesimer, VP, Accounting

“There have been times when someone on Grace’s team has made a mistake, and she has taken responsibility for the mistake as if it were her own. I’ve always admired that she protects her team and takes 100% responsibility, exemplifying the Extra Space values of Teamwork and Integrity.” - Andrea Kitterman, Sr. Director, Accounting

What is some advice or guidance Grace has given to you?

“Grace has often guided me during times when I’ve had to make a decision that is difficult but is also the best thing for the company. She’s supportive and goes through it with you shoulder to shoulder.” - Andrea Kitterman, Sr. Director, Accounting

“Grace has taught me to challenge the status quo. Debate and disagreement can be a healthy, positive aspect of teamwork that leads to better outcomes.” - Mike Picklesimer, VP, Accounting

Dayna Hathaway, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President

Dayna Hathaway has been with Extra Space Storage for over 25 years, joining the company as one of the first marketing employees, then managing Yellow Page ads and direct mail programs. Over the years, her career highlights include leading the strategy to move from print to digital advertising with the launch of the internet, playing a key part in modernizing our facility offices, launching our wasabi green brand color, and leading marketing efforts through major acquisitions like Storage USA and Life Storage. Dayna oversees the National Solutions Center and Marketing teams, working to develop and execute customer acquisition strategies. Additionally, Dayna leads several committees helping with cross-departmental initiatives and challenges.

Outside of work, Dayna enjoys playing a competitive game of pickleball with her husband and three boys, hiking in the Wasatch Mountains, or reading a good book. We asked those who work closely with Dayna to share their thoughts on her leadership and impact. Here are their responses.

What makes Dayna a great leader?

“Dayna is an empathetic leader. She easily builds connections with others by being a great listener, finding common ground, and offering thoughtful insights to make people feel heard, valued, and supported.” - Brooke Stencil, VP, Marketing

“Dayna is a great leader because she is able to provide guidance and feedback while still allowing you to have the freedom to do your job. She strikes the right balance between being involved and allowing you autonomy. She is also open-minded, which allows you to push back while still getting her input on whatever you're tackling. Dayna always encourages me to have a strong voice and be passionate about sharing my opinions.” - Nic Quagliara, Director, UX/UI Designer

“Dayna is a visionary who understands the importance of maintaining the proper pace. She asks the right questions for the business, the team, and individual team members. While she encourages innovation, she also recognizes that changes in one area can impact many parts of the company, and ensures her actions are precisely measured. Her expertise in Extra Space’s business and culture helps identify blind spots we often overlook, enabling us to develop better solutions as a result.” - Bill Hipsher, Independent Contractor, Marketing

“Dayna gets to know her team members well and cares personally about each one. Conversations don’t typically start with how performance is going, but with how things are going in general—how am I doing, how is the team doing, what challenges are we facing, and where do we need help. She seeks to understand these first and then helps find resources or guidance through challenges in a very supportive manner. Dayna is always willing to listen to different challenges one is facing and is great at helping provide guidance, being a sounding board for different ideas, or sometimes just listening if that’s what’s needed.” - Scott Hansen, VP, National Solutions Center

How have you seen Dayna support your or your team member’s career growth?

“Dayna has the ability to see others' potential and help them tap into that. She can recognize great talent and find opportunities to expand skillsets in a way that builds their confidence and impact on the company.” - Brooke Stencil, VP, Marketing

“I’ve seen Dayna regularly check in on people within my organization. Recently, one of our sales managers was considering moving from the National Solutions Center to a District Manager role in the field. Dayna had several conversations to help this individual think through possibilities, understand the benefits of both moving or staying, and give input that helped the individual make the decision that was best for them.” - Scott Hansen, VP, National Solutions Center

“Dayna has been instrumental in my career growth by offering invaluable guidance, challenging me with tough tasks, and believing in my potential. She consistently provides new opportunities for growth and encourages me to take on new challenges. Whenever I needed direction or advice, Dayna was always there to support me and help me find the right path. She has placed me in situations that pushed my limits, but her confidence in my abilities has always assured me of success.” - Jameson Spooner, Sr. Director, Digital Acquisitions

“Over the past eight years or so, I’ve witnessed Dayna completely transform the Customer Acquisitions team and marketing functions, and along with that, support many individuals' career growth. At the beginning of this transformation, Extra Space was performing well, but she recognized that there was room to improve and lead the industry, particularly in innovation. Dayna took bold yet well-calculated risks that not only delivered results but also reshaped how her team approaches opportunities. Through this transformation, Dayna also changed the culture of the team to one that rewards innovation and solution-based contributions. As a result, I’ve seen countless people at Extra Space grow into industry-leading experts. This personal growth has led to many individuals from the Customer Acquisitions team advancing into leadership roles across the company.” - Bill Hipsher, Independent Contractor, Marketing

Tell us about a time when Dayna exemplified one of the Extra Space values—Teamwork, Passion, Excellence, Innovation, or Integrity.

“Dayna is really passionate about the work we do as a marketing team. She loves getting the chance to spotlight the work that the team does, highlighting the value and innovation that the team brings. She's a great person to have on your team and leading your team.” - Brooke Stencil, VP, Marketing

“Dayna understands the importance of relationships and is an exceptional connector of people. These connections foster teamwork and are often the driving force behind the success of innovative solutions.” - Bill Hipsher, Independent Contractor, Marketing

What is some advice or guidance Dayna has given to you?

“Perhaps the best advice Dayna has given me was that when she puts me in a call, meeting, project, or committee, it’s because she expects me to have a voice and contribute. I used to be someone who would wait to be asked before speaking, but I realized that this approach wasn’t in the best interest of Extra Space or reflective of the opportunities Dayna was providing me. With her advice and encouragement, she has helped me tremendously in building confidence in my abilities, finding my voice, and learning how to contribute at the right level.” - Bill Hipsher, Independent Contractor, Marketing

Interested in a career with Extra Space Storage (NYSE: EXR)? Visit our careers page to learn more about our culture and job openings.