Our Team

We bring different perspectives to the table, but we’re united by a love for purposeful work, thoughtful design, and real connection.

A man standing outdoors next to a tree, wearing glasses, a cap, and a dark t-shirt with a logo.
A middle-aged man wearing glasses, a cap, and a white t-shirt is smiling outdoors in front of a tree.
Smiling woman standing outdoors in front of a tree, wearing a T-shirt that says "Kindness Crew" with an arrow and heart design.
A man with a beard and slicked-back hair standing outdoors next to a tree, wearing a checked button-up shirt and smiling.
Black and white photo of a woman with short, wavy hair, smiling slightly, outdoors with a blurred background of trees.
A man with a beard and wavy hair, smiling and winking, wearing a plaid button-up shirt outdoors.

  • Finance & Administration
    Co-Owner

    Before joining Equinox, I spent over 20 years in education and nonprofit leadership, including time as Head of School at Spruce Pine Montessori. I hold a BA in Outdoor Leadership from Warren Wilson and a Nonprofit Management Certificate from Duke. That background helped me build the skills to manage the systems, finances, and people that keep Equinox running smoothly. I enjoy problem-solving and making things work behind the scenes, but what I love most is the people—the clients and the crew. Outside work, I’m into traveling, trail running, and oil painting. Todd, the Company Manager, and I have been married for over 20 years, and our son is already learning the tools of the trade while we talk shop over dinner.

  • Carpenter II

    I joined Equinox in 2021 with a background in remodeling and an early education in demolition, courtesy of childhood projects with my dad. Before carpentry, I earned a BA in international relations—an underutilized degree on the job site, I must say!

    What I value most at Equinox is the variety of skills we practice, our commitment to sustainable methods, the camaraderie of the crew, and working outside in this incredible valley. Beyond the job, I’m building a house, helping to launch an intentional community, managing a small herd of cattle, and doing my best to be a good partner to Kam and a father to our 5½-year-old daughter. Also, my hammer’s name is Mjolnir, and I speak to the trees.

A man hiking with a small dog sitting in a backpack carrier on his back, outdoors with trees and a road in the background.
A smiling man with curly hair and a beard, standing outdoors in front of a tree, wearing a long-sleeve sweater with arms crossed.
A man with a beard wearing a baseball cap and a Chicago Bears t-shirt, standing outdoors near a tree in black and white.
A man wearing glasses, a baseball cap, and a fleece jacket stands outdoors in a wooded area, smiling at the camera.

  • Lead Carpenter

    I’ve been working as a carpenter for over 25 years and joined Equinox in the fall of 2024. One of the things I appreciate most about the job is the crew—it’s a good group of people to work with day in and day out. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time on the water and have recently started developing my property, which I’m looking forward to turning into a hands-on hobby.

  • Carpenter II

    Before joining Equinox, I spent nine years running a custom cabinet and furniture shop with my uncle, who brought over 40 years of experience to the craft. Working alongside him taught me a great deal about skill, precision, and the satisfaction of creating a finished product our customers can truly enjoy. I’ve appreciated seeing how projects come together from start to finish and take pride in well-crafted work. Outside of work, my wife and I, along with our three kids, love hiking in the Linville Gorge and exploring NC trails. I’ve also been an avid golfer since the age of seven.

A smiling man standing outdoors in a black and white photo, wearing a beanie, hoodie, and a sleeveless jacket.

  • Experienced Carpenter

    I trained in furniture making and design before finding my way into full-time carpentry in 2018, where I’ve been framing and handling finish work on custom homes ever since. Along the way, I was honored to be a Core Fellow Artist at the Penland School of Craft, an experience that deepened my respect for materials, detail, and the creative process. Most recently, I spent several years as Lead Carpenter with Green Light Custom Homes in Asheville, helping bring thoughtful, well-crafted homes to life with a focus on quality and care. I'm excited to be living in this community again and to start a new chapter for my family here.

  • Carpenter II

    I've done quite a bit of remodel work over the years, but what I really bring to this craft is an eye for detail and, honestly, a strange love of cutting wood and attaching it to other pieces of cut wood. The best part is when people actually get to live inside those pieces of cut wood attached to each other.

    What I enjoy most is working alongside good, hardworking folks who love building things as much as I do.

    Outside of work, I've been an artist for as long as I can remember; sculptures, painting, drawing, and music all have a place in my life, along with family time and ongoing work on my own house. A few things I hold as absolute truths: piano is the superior instrument, maple donuts are the superior donut, and being literate is my favorite skill. My favorite tool is a pencil.

  • Design Manager
    Co-Owner

    I trace the beginnings of my woodworking career back to when I was 7 years old when my Grandfather built me a tripod with a plumb bob to help me build my Lincoln Log towers perfectly plumb. I lived at the time in a suburban neighborhood that was just getting built out, and my friends and I would spend our evenings climbing through the partially framed houses like a giant jungle gym (before OSHA). Over the last 40 years of my career, I have built boats, climbing walls, timber frame barns and shops, and more recently, certified green built homes. A highlight of my woodworking career was building a Grand Canyon dory with my son and taking it down the Colorado River, through the Grand Canyon, on an 18 day trip with friends. I am fortunate to live in a wonderful community, and I continue to look for ways to ply my trade in support of my friends and neighbors.

  • Company Manager
    Founding Owner

    I started building long before Equinox Woodworks—over 20 years ago, digging into carpentry and craftsmanship with a real hands-on curiosity. I founded Equinox Woodworks in 2013 and, inspired by living in an intentional community that values consensus and shared resources, transitioned it into a worker-owned cooperative in 2023. As a licensed contractor and the Company Manager, I’m passionate about building homes that are not just beautiful and lasting, but also ethical and eco-conscious—high-performance, energy-efficient places that truly fit their surroundings. While I spend a lot of time managing projects and the business, I still jump in with the crew whenever I can. At home in South Toe, I recharge in the forests and mountains with my family, drawing inspiration from the land that shapes both my work and life.

  • Lead Carpenter
    Co-Owner

    I’ve been part of the Equinox Woodworks crew since 2019, bringing with me a background in the trades that goes back to 2012—and, before that, a stint in technical theater. I enjoy doing solid, high-quality work in a workplace that actually considers the needs of the people doing it.

    Outside of Equinox, I’m raising my kid and steadily improving my house—so I can sell it, buy another one, and do it all over again. Whether I’m on the job or at home, I’m probably thinking about how nice it would be to take a nap.

  • Lead Carpenter
    Co-Owner

    I’ve been with Equinox Woodworks since the very beginning, bringing over 30 years of carpentry experience and a strong passion for natural building. I especially love plaster work and other earthen techniques, which I’ve spent decades mastering hands-on. I live in a straw-bale, off-grid home I built myself. When I’m not leading a crew or mixing clay, you’ll probably find me on the soccer field or in the kitchen experimenting with my latest batch of homemade chocolate. I bring the same energy and teamwork to the job as I do to the game.

  • Apprentice Carpenter

    I am a novice woodworker with a love for learning (and attempting to learn) new things. I studied education in college, but after graduating I had a chance to work with a few builders, appreciating the feeling of creating something with my hands. I especially enjoy laying tile, and have really loved working with stone, something the South Toe river valley has offered an abundance of. When I'm not working, I love playing soccer, cooking, swimming in the river, and playing drums, clarinet and whatever odd musical instrument happens to be around. I’ve been with Equinox since the fall of 2024.

  • Carpenter I

    Before joining Equinox in May 2024, I worked as a picture framer. That background, along with a reliable tape measure, has made the transition to carpentry feel like a natural step. What I appreciate most about Equinox is being part of a team of skilled craftspeople who bring different perspectives and high standards to the work we do. Outside of the job site, I spend my time rock climbing and drawing. My partner and I relocated from Texas when she was awarded a residency at Penland School of Craft. We fell in love with the mountains and decided to make Burnsville home in 2024.

Multiple mountain ranges with a distant mountain peak at the horizon under a clear sky.

Our Mission & Values

Our journey has been anything but ordinary. Through every step, we've focused on staying true to our values and making space for thoughtful, lasting work.

Mission

Design and build beautiful, enduring structures with quality craftsmanship, environmentally-conscious practices and integrity - while using our skills and resources to strengthen our community. 

Craftsmanship

• Fully combine beauty, craft, and building science in our projects. 

• Produce work that will be loved and admired for generations. 

• Honor craft and those who practice it. 

• Embrace new ideas with a bold and flexible approach.

Sustainability

Practice environmental stewardship in all that we do.  

• Facilitate responsible energy use in our work and renewable energy use in our region.

• Design and build high-performance homes.

• Seek projects that are consistent with our values. 

• Grow only with purpose. 

• Use our craft and capacity to support the well-being of our neighbors.

• Invest in the strength and resilience of the communities where we live and work.

• Concentrate our endeavors in the South Toe Valley and surrounding areas.

• Strengthen our local economy. 

• Base our business decisions on long-term thinking. 

Integrity

• Create long-term, stable, meaningful jobs with living wages and exemplary benefits. 

• Nurture a culture of learning, cooperation, teamwork, and fun. 

• Encourage individual creativity, health, opportunity, and fulfillment in the workplace and in our personal lives. 

• Deepen our understanding and practice of employee ownership and workplace democracy. 

• Provide a superb experience for our clients from the beginning to end, and beyond. 

• Practice internal transparency and open book management.