Newtown Edgmont Friends & Neighbors is happy to usher in 2024 by introducing you to The Kalman Family: David, Alex, Ella, Emmy and their pup, 
Khloe. The Kalmans love to call Edgmont home in a neighborhood that stands the test of time, not just in years but for multiple generations of families.
David grew up here in Edgmont in a home just three doors away from where he now lives with Alex and the girls. He was born and raised here by his parents and three sisters, Tiffany, Brooke and Aliya. He attended Rose Tree Elementary, Springton Lake Middle School, and graduated from Malvern
Prep, where he played baseball. After graduation, David went to the University of Pittsburgh. He was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and graduated with his degree in Accounting in 2009.
“I moved to San Diego, CA, for a year, then to West Chester,” David said. “I began working as a Certified Public Accountant with KPMG in Philadelphia and decided to relocate to the city for the convenience.” David continues to work for KPMG as a Managing Director of Corporate Taxes and said he especially enjoys collaborating with his peers in Washington, D.C., on government tax policies.
Alex was born and raised in Doylestown with her parents and her younger (by one minute) twin brother, Harrison. She went to Pine Run Elementary School and Tohickon Middle School, where she participated in the school plays and played field hockey and soccer. Alex’s passion for sports continued at Central Bucks High School West, and she helped lead her soccer team to two state championships as their goalkeeper.
Alex’s success on the soccer field earned her a scholarship to Rider University, where she played Division I soccer for all four years. She majored in Accounting, earned her undergraduate degree, then decided to stay at Rider for a fifth year to earn her Masters of Accountancy. After graduation, Alex began working at KPMG in Philadelphia, where, you guessed it, she met David!
“David and I met in the winter of 2012,” Alex said. “I was in the Audit Department and David was in the Tax Department. At the time, in order to obtain your CPA license, if you were a tax professional, you needed 400 hours working in the Audit Department.” Alex and David were assigned to the same client that winter and became good friends. “We went on our first date to El Vez restaurant that summer,” David recalled. Alex laughed when she said that not long after their first date, she got a flat tire and called David to come help. “I was an expert in accounting, not necessarily changing tires,” he said. “So, thankfully, I did a quick online search of how to change a flat tire, and I got the job done,” he laughed.
Alex and David dated for a few years before David popped the question. They were both living in Philadelphia at the time, and David proposed to her in the beautiful and iconic Rittenhouse Square. “He had the whole thing planned out,” she said. “He asked me to marry him, I said yes, and we celebrated at a nearby restaurant with our families who were in on the plan. It was perfect.” The happy couple married in May 2017 at Old Saint Joseph’s Church in Philadelphia. “Our wedding was extra special because Father Flynn from Malvern Prep married us,” Alex said. The celebration continued with a beautiful reception at the Ballroom at the Ben.
The newlyweds headed west to spend their honeymoon between hiking in Lake Tahoe and touring Napa Valley, CA vineyards. When they returned, David and Alex decided that they wanted to settle down in Newtown Square, get a dog and start a family, in that order. Alex laughed when she said, “On our wedding day, Father Flynn read letters that David and I wrote to each other during the mass. David’s letter included a few sentences begging
me to let him get a dog.” Despite being slightly allergic to dogs, Alex agreed, and they adopted their adorable terrier mix pup, Khloe, from Providence Animal Center in Media.
“Our first home in Newtown Square was a townhouse in the Muirwood Hill development, but we really wanted a single-family home,” Alex explained. “We were fortunate to find the perfect one during the pandemic on the same street as David’s childhood home.” Alex and David said that the loca-
tion was ideal, but the home needed some work, which they have been steadily doing for the past three years. They had their dog and their home; next up was starting a family.
David and Alex’s firstborn is Ella. She’s four and a half years old and is a Pre-K student at St. Anastasia. “Ella loves dancing at From the Top, playing soccer and playing tee ball with her friends at Newtown Edgmont Little League (NELL),” David said. “She says she wants to be a doctor when she grows up, but she also wants to be a police officer!”
Ella’s little sister is two-and-a-half-year-old Emmy. “Emmy may be younger, but she’s tall for her age, so people often ask if she and Ella are twins,” laughed Alex. Emmy loves spending time with her friends at Newtown Square Presbyterian’s preschool almost as much as she loves chocolate! “Emmy dances to the beat of her own drum, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for her.”
Alex said that she cherishes the time she has with her girls while they are little. “While I enjoyed my work as an accountant, David and I decided that I would stay home with Ella and Emmy for the time being,” she said. “I did pick up a part-time assistant position with a Philadelphia-based wedding planner a few weekends a month.” Alex said she really enjoys being a part of a couple’s most important day and can see herself doing more wedding planning in the future.
For now, the Kalmans stay busy with dance, sports and family time. Alex really enjoys coaching Ella’s soccer team, and David coaches her at NELL. “I grew up playing for NELL and made some lifelong friends,” he said. “This past year, I coached Ella’s team alongside three of my best friends, Kevin Furnam, Jake Gallagher and Matt Catania. Life is coming full circle, and being a part of it is fun.”
When they’re not out and about in the community, David, Alex and the girls are happy at home spending time with friends and neighbors. “Our neighborhood is a great mix of families David grew up with and young families new to the area. “There are so many kids in our neighborhood,” Alex said. “The girls love to hop on their bikes and scooters with their friends, and David loves watching them make memories on the street that means
so much to him.”
Family time is fun, whether it’s Friday night pizza from Providence Pizza, spending time with David and Alex’s parents, siblings and extended family at home or at the beach or snow tubing in the mountains. “Nothing is more important than family, and family is what you make it,” Alex and David
agreed. “We are very close with our families, but also feel a sense of family here in Newtown Edgmont.”
On behalf of your Newtown Edgmont Friends & Neighbors, we thank you for sharing your story and wish you and your family health and happiness this New Year!
Do you know a Newtown Edgmont family, individual or nonprofit group who should become known by our community? Make your nominations for upcoming feature articles by emailing your ideas to Sheila Turner-Hilliard at STurnerHilliard@BestVersionMedia.com.