Watauga Community Housing Trust Board Election Candidates 2023

In September 2023, Watauga Community Housing Trust is holding its first election to fill five additional Board of Directors seats. The original WCHT Board is seeking to expand the organization’s leadership and create an annual process for the Watauga community to democratically decide on WCHT’s leadership. Read more about our election and nomination process here.

Between September 1st and September 8th, all WCHT members will be sent a unique link to make their vote for new Directors to join the WCHT Board. All Directors serve a two-year term, and take an active role coordinating WCHT’s Working Groups.

We invite and encourage all Wataugans to become WCHT Members and vote for your choice of candidates in our ranked-choice poll. For more information, please contact wataugacommunityhousingtrust@gmail.com, and look out for a link to cast your vote on September 1st.

Election Dates

  • Deadline for Board Member Nominations: August 14th

  • Board Member Candidates Information Posted: August 25th

  • Voting Period: September 1st-8th: Voting Period (online)

  • New Board Member Announcement: September 11th

2023 Candidate Statements

Each 2023 Board of Directors candidate was asked to submit a short bio and statement about their interest in being part of WCHT:

Arezou Sadoughi, Ph.D.

Dr. Arezou Sadoughi has more than 15 years of experience in architectural design and engineering and 10 years of scholarly work on sustainable and healthy housing. She spent her past four years on sustainability analysis, particularly for affordable housing, life cycle cost analysis, building design for manufacturing and assembling, and mass timber structures. Her Ph.D. is in Sustainable Construction and policies for Affordable Housing. She is now a faculty at Appalachian State University, the Department of Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment in Boone, NC, teaching and researching mass timber structures, modular prefab design and construction, and zero-carbon homes for low-income populations. She also provides building design and engineering consultations through her company, MassTiMod. She is willing to serve her local communities through WCHT helping the low-income population to shape healthy affordable homes. She recently secured a $200,000 research project funded by Forest Services to decrease carbon emissions and increase the quality of structures of affordable homes. She will bring design and engineering services to the communities through WCHT and connect the communities with the industries that produce cutting-edge affordable zero carbon materials and methods.

Jeanne Supin

I passionately believe that safe, affordable and inclusive housing is essential for our community to thrive. Our physical homes ground us in incalculable ways, enabling us to nurture our families, our lives and our dreams. 

I’m excited about the Watauga Community Housing Trusts ambitions to creatively expand opportunities for permanent homeownership, and I recognize Board membership as a way I can support that mission. 

I’ve lived in Watauga County 28 years and run my own consultancy helping non-profits deliver on their promises. I help design strategy, strengthen governance and infrastructure, raise money, and make cool things happen. I would bring the wisdom of my clients to my work with the WCHT board. 

I’m also a local landlord, just a tiny one, (hopefully a compassionate one, too) so I hear a lot about the housing market. And I’ve bought & sold, renovated and built several houses so I admire and appreciate our fabulous local tradesfolks and those who keep real estate transactions humming smoothly. 

I’d love to support the Trust as it grows to its fullest potential, and I appreciate your consideration. 

Lynnwood Brown

I have a lifelong connection with Watauga County having spent my childhood summers in Blowing Rock, attended ASU as an undergraduate, worked construction here in my early twenties, and have lived here full time since returning with my family in 2007. Earned a Masters in Community and Regional Planning from University of New Mexico and worked as town planner in New Mexico for 25 years. I served on the Town of Boone's Affordable Housing Task Force from 2010 to 2015 and became very aware of the particular challenges to creating affordable housing in Boone and surrounding areas. I  believe Watauga Community Housing Trust represents the strongest long-term strategy to create a pool of affordable housing in the county. Skill areas I will bring to the board include knowledge of construction, zoning, and building codes and experience with building grass-roots, community-based organizations.

Kaylor Mead

Kaylor Mead is an Interior Designer currently working with STITCH Design Shop in Boone, NC. With a background marked by diverse experiences and a steadfast commitment to community welfare, Kaylor stands as an ideal choice to contribute to the Watauga Community Housing Trust's mission and vision.

Kaylor was first introduced to the WCHT through her engagement with Appalachian State University's Solar Decathlon, where she helped lead a team of students in an in-depth exploration of sustainable and affordable housing solutions for Watauga County, using the Trust’s model.

Ever since her involvement in the Solar Decathlon project, Kaylor has remained an engaged member of the Watauga Community Housing Trust by participating in member meetings and building committee sessions. Kaylor has an unwavering commitment to the Trust's goals and objectives and her passion for sustainable housing solutions is evident in her continuous pursuit of innovative strategies that address the housing needs of the community.

Kaylor’s professional journey encompasses a breadth of experiences beyond the realm of design. Prior to her tenure in the High Country, she spent 9 years serving as a Paramedic, gaining invaluable insights into community health and safety. Her service extended to her role as Division Chief for Cary Area EMS, where she exhibited exceptional leadership and organizational skills, further enriching her capacity to contribute effectively to community-oriented initiatives.

Rooted in a deep-seated desire to serve the local community, Kaylor seamlessly integrates her experience in interior design, paramedicine, and leadership roles to bring a holistic perspective to the table.

2023 Election Process

  • Candidate information will be posted on August 25th, 2023 and shared with WCHT members and the public.

  • Voting will take place the first week of September. Each voting member will be sent a unique link to cast their vote.

  • WCHT will utilize the nonprofit voting platform rcv123.org.

  • The election will be ranked-choice, allowing members to select their top five picks for Board of Directors candidates.

  • Votes will be gathered through Friday, September 8th, and results will be announced the following Monday.

  • After confirming with each candidate, new Directors will be announced.

  • New Directors will be provided an onboarding packet, and a first Board Meeting with new Directors will be scheduled.

To vote, register as a WCHT Member. Annual Membership dues are $25, or two hours of volunteer time. No Watauga community member will be turned away for not being able to pay however, just email wataugacommunityhousingtrust@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Thank you!