About Us

Yarrow Brown joined Housing North in May of 2020 and brings over 15 years working for a non-profit. Yarrow spent over 12 years working for the Leelanau Conservancy and brings a diverse background in real estate transactions, project management, watershed and strategic planning, mapping and other technical skills. Her background includes working diverse groups of people from landowners to government employees, lake associations, township officials and many more. She is part of the Executive Committee for the Northwest Michigan Coalition to End Homelessness and sits on the Board of the Fair Housing Center for West Michigan. Through private consulting, Yarrow has worked across the U.S. and throughout northwest lower Michigan. She served on the Cleveland Township Planning commission in Leelanau County for 2.5 years.

Yarrow is a graduate of Antioch College with a degree in Environmental Science, and she attended Antioch New England for graduate work in Conservation Biology. She is working on her certificate in Fundraising Management and becoming a Citizen Planner through MSU Extension. She resides in Leelanau County and owns a 13-acre farm with her husband and daughter.

yarrow@housingnorth.org | 231-335-1685

Andrea is a native Michigander, living, working and raising her family in Emmet County since 2008. Andrea has a BA from Kalamazoo College, where she studied Sociology, Psychology and English.

Her liberal arts background and a long career in hospitality have prepared her to be a creative and dynamic problem-solving individual. Andrea has a passion for community building and knows that housing is one of the pillars in emotional and physical health, success in education and overall quality of life for every citizen in Emmet County. She is dedicated to the future generations of the area, working to promote a vibrant economy, while preserving the unique identities of the communities we all love. Andrea works with partners and organizations in Emmet County to help them achieve their housing goals and become more 'Housing ready'.

andrea@housingnorth.org

Tracy Davis is thrilled to return to her roots in her hometown of Manistee County, where she, her two daughters, and her puppy, Wookie, live, work, and play. She is a Northwood University alum, where she obtained her degrees in Business Administration and Marketing.

Tracy plans to utilize her extensive leadership experience and community engagement expertise to serve as an agent of change in Manistee County. Tracy strives to empower her community through dynamic problem solving to be part of the housing solution in Manistee County.

tracy@housingnorth.org

Zach has worked with the Genesee Metropolitan Planning Commission, Manistee County Planning Department, and City of Petoskey. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Natural Resources Management from Grand Valley State University and a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from Michigan State University, as well as accreditation from the American Institute of Certified Planners. In his spare time, he enjoys being an avid outdoorsman and spending time outside with his wife and birddog. Zach has joined Housing North as a contractor serving the Housing Ready Program in Charlevoix.

zacharysompels@gmail.com

Kent Wood has over a decade of experience working in and around Michigan’s legislative system. Prior to forming the government relations consulting firm Borealis Strategic, LLC in 2019, Kent was the government relations director and lead lobbyist for the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce (now called Traverse Connect) and before that the Michigan United Conservation Clubs. He also served on legislative staff for two members of the Michigan House of Representatives.

Through his career, he has helped organizations and clients develop policy, change laws, navigate the appropriations process, lead coalitions, and become action oriented advocates.

Kent has a J.D. from Michigan State University College of Law, and a B.A. from Albion College. He resides in Traverse City, Michigan with his wife Glenna and their four children.

kent@borealisstrategic.com | 231-883-4374

Lissette has been working in community outreach, engagement and project management for the last five years as she started her professional career. She moved to Michigan in 2016 from the Dominican Republic to earn her Graduate degree in International Development at WMU in Kalamazoo through an international Graduate Scholarship Program. Lissette was highly recognized in the region through her role managing Project Rising Tide and each one of its initiatives in Manistee, earning the Young Professional Making a Difference award by the Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce and Manistee Jaycee's Young Professionals Group. She's had experience with policy analysis, international development project management, process improvement, community communications and she led in the launch and management with our executive director of the Homes for our Future campaign and works with the communication ad outreach of activities for Housing North.

info@housingnorth.org

Heather Spooner has had her hand in planning and executing events for the last 15 years with a number of local non-profits and community groups. Stepping in to coordinate the 2023 Northwest Michigan Housing Summit, Heather has chosen to continue to work with Housing North to create memorable, impactful and meaningful events moving forward. Moving to Northern Michigan in 2017, she has worked tirelessly to get involved in the community to gain a better understanding of the people and the culture of the place she now calls home. When she’s not working for Housing North she is creating artwork and events to promote community and connection. If you’ve ever found yourself posing for a photo in front of the wings in downtown Traverse City, you’ve interacted with a piece of Heather’s art!

events@housingnorth.org