BOARD MEMBER, PRESIDENT

Andy has lived in Astoria since 2019. Originally from New England, Andy and his wife, Laura, settled in the Pacific Northwest after hiking the 2600-mile Pacific Crest Trail in 2016. As an avid hiker, explorer, and lover of history, Andy deeply appreciates this area's natural beauty, storied past, and the incredible people who call it home. Andy saw an opportunity to bring community members together to solve the critical housing shortage. He formed the Astoria Housing Alliance to be a strong community voice that could advocate for safe, affordable, and abundant housing.

BOARD MEMBER, VICE PRESIDENT, TREASURER

Through a series of moves that brought them ever closer to Astoria, Vance and his wife, Jaime, finally landed when they bought their Uppertown home in 2018. After training for a new career in Historic Preservation & Restoration through Clatsop Community College, Vance started a business restoring wood windows for historic buildings, working to preserve the historic housing stock that contributes to Astoria’s unique character. Vance believes that Astoria should be able to welcome everyone, which is why he sees a lack of housing as the most pressing issue facing our community. He is excited to be an advocate for increasing housing availability so that everybody who wants to call Astoria home can do so.

BOARD MEMBER, SECRETARY

Shelby arrived in Astoria in 2020, returning to her husband’s beautiful and special hometown. She currently works as the Director of Impact at North Coast Food Web, where she manages grants and supports programming that uplifts local food producers and increases affordable access to local food. With a background in landscape architecture and as a prior manager of Astoria Sunday Market, Shelby brings an understanding of the built environment and community engagement to Astoria Housing Alliance.

BOARD MEMBER

Andrea arrived in Astoria with her mom in 1989 and grew accustomed to the long, rainy winters and stormy nights. After decades of working in tourism-related industries and as a small business owner, she pursued her real estate license in 2017 when she noticed many of her peers were being priced out of the local housing markets. The ever-increasing cost of living and income inequality inspired her to get involved with local political processes and organizations that focus on improving the quality of life for fellow community members.

BOARD MEMBER

An artist originally from the sunny metropolis of Denver, Colorado, Brenda has lived in the great Pacific Northwest since 2005. After studying fine art in college, she showed photography and video work regionally in many venues and galleries. A sense of place and justice has always been a common theme of interest that Brenda values in her art and in working with others, as experienced in her many years as a library assistant at Clatsop Community College’s Dora Badollet Library and Astoria Public Library. Brenda looks forward to playing a part in making affordable housing less rare and more of a reality here in Astoria.

BOARD MEMBER

The issue of housing has been a common thread throughout Elissa’s varied career in community development, which has also touched on land use, transportation, economic development, legislative advocacy, and strategic communications. She specializes in collaborative regional approaches to community issues, recognizing that where people live and work, how they get around, and where they recreate are all interconnected issues that require solutions and approaches that go beyond any one government agency or geographic boundary. Elissa has lived in Astoria and worked in Clatsop County for two years. Before coming to the North Coast, Elissa lived and worked in the Portland Metro area for three decades, working at the city, county, and regional government levels.

BOARD MEMBER

Caitlin and her partner, Nord, have called the North Coast “home” since 2019. She currently works as an apprentice wireman in IBEW Local 48. As an active union member, she cares deeply about issues that impact her blue-collared brothers and sisters. Her varied background includes experience in historic preservation, nonprofit administration, construction, and civic service. In the last 5 years, she’s witnessed the collapse of Astoria’s affordable housing inventory and its troubling consequences for our local workforce. She advocates for housing policies that reflect the needs of our working-class community and provide affordable options for citizens at every socioeconomic level.

BOARD MEMBER

Sarah Jane moved to Astoria in 2007, drawn to the diverse architecture, history, and breathtaking scenery of the north coast. She studied architecture at Portland State University before realizing her real passion didn't lie in designing new homes but rather in preserving and restoring those already standing. Sarah returned to Astoria and completed the Historic Preservation & Restoration program, learning a hands-on approach to restoration and the history of northwestern architecture. She opened my first business in 2013, Eleventh Street Barber of Astoria. In 2015, she purchased her very own 1905 home on the hill and set to work restoring its original beauty. Since 2020 Sarah has been a broker with Cascade Hasson Sotheby's, assisting her clients buy and sell property all across the north coast. As a small business owner/ employer and real estate agent, Sarah Jane understands the need for housing in our area and advocates for housing for all.