The Yampa Valley Housing Authority unanimously elected three new officers to its board of directors at its regular meeting Thursday afternoon.

YVHA board members serve three-year terms, with officer elections held annually, said Communications Advisor Robin Schepper.

Kathi Meyer, the current vice chair of the board who has been involved with the housing authority since its creation in 2004, was elected board chair, succeeding Leah Wood, the current board chair, who has served the housing authority board since 2021.

“When my family moved to this community five years ago, I was eager to bring my 14 years of experience in affordable housing to help tackle the housing crisis facing Routt County,” said Wood in a statement. “This role has been deeply rewarding — not only because of the mission, but because of the exceptional staff and the breadth of talent on the board.”

“Their dedication and diverse perspectives have made it easy to make thoughtful, strategic decisions that support our workforce,” Wood added. “In the past, I worked on affordable housing projects nationally, and to work on developments in my community is a dream come true.”

Meyer has decades of experience in affordable housing advocacy, including past leadership roles with Routt County Habitat for Humanity and the Regional Affordable Living Foundation. She also has an extensive background in local government, having served twice on City Council and as chair of the city Planning Commission. She has spent 25 years in banking and financial management.

Lou Tortora, elected vice chair, joined the housing authority as a board member in 2023 and has served on the city Planning Commission since 2020. Tortora brings a wealth of experience from his career in construction, engineering and consulting, including serving as an executive vice president at AECOM, a major global engineering and construction firm. 

Cole Hewitt, who was reelected secretary/treasurer, has been a YVHA board member since 2013 and previously served as board chair from 2018 to 2021. Hewitt is chief financial officer for Yampa Valley Bank and boasts 13 years of experience in debt, equity and fixed-income markets. He is also active in several local nonprofits and economic development organizations.

The term appointments, effective July 1, come during a period of transition for both the board and staff, with Wood departing in the summer to live in Mexico with her family “for the year.” Schepper is exiting her role as a communications consultant next month and Executive Director Jason Peasley is taking a 10-week summer leave. 

“Fundamentally, in my absence, Elliot is the guy,” Peasley said at the Thursday meeting, referring to YVHA Deputy Director Elliot Lawrence. “That isn’t to say that everything falls squarely on his shoulders, there is a significant level of support from staff … but ultimately, we don’t skip a beat this summer … this whole place is in incredibly capable and very good hands.” 

Schepper will help John Fancher, the newly hired communications and community engagement coordinator who starts the job on Monday, transition into the role over the coming weeks. Schepper owns a consulting business, Wayfinder Strategies, consisting of retreats and strategic planning primarily for government agencies and nonprofits, and she will be returning to that work. 

Fancher has worked as the chief of staff of technology operations at AT&T in Dallas, Texas since 2016 and has owned a second home in Steamboat for a number of years.