Jacob Horr
President
Position: President and Crime & Safety Liaison, CDOT Liaison
Bio: My wife, Caroline, and I moved to the 28206 side of NoDa in March 2016 (shout out to my Ritch and Benard neighbors). we have since welcomed our one year old son, Ben, into the neighborhood and we feel lucky to have found such a diverse, interesting, and accepting community.
While I am newer to Charlotte (moved from Washington D.C. in January 2016) and NoDa, I am passionate about this neighborhood and working with ALL of our neighbors and businesses to preserve and grow what makes NoDa so special.
I joined the board in 2018 to do just that. You can often find me, Caroline, and Ben sitting at the bar of Company Store, playing softball at North Charlotte Park at 6pm on Mondays, or attending neighborhood meetings and events. If you see us, please introduce yourself!
Hometown: Vienna, Virginia
Elected Date: 2018
Gavin Toth
Vice President
Hometown: Southport, NC
Sid Baxi
Treasurer
Position: Treasurer and NoDa News Liaison
Bio: No stranger to life in the streets of Philly, Sid went through a period of adjustment when he was sent to live with his rich aunt and uncle in Beverly Hills after a squabble on the basketball court. Needless to say, hilarious antics ensued.
Hometown: West Philadelphia Born and Raised
Elected Date: Undetermined
Kimberly D’Unger
Co-Secretary
Position: Co-Secretary, KnowNoDa Liaison
Bio: I have always had a love for the arts and dreamed of being an artist. I spent many hours of my childhood in lessons of some kind, be it music, drawing, dancing, or pottery. Despite all the practice, I never excelled past amateur status and have since realized that my grand talent is to support those that are truly artistic. My wonderful husband, Dan, shares that admiration and overall artsy, hip, and colorful nature with me.
Although our careers are as corporate engineers, our heart and soul will always belong to the arts; so when work relocated us to Charlotte in June 2012, we knew immediately that we wanted to live and play in NoDa. We love that our neighbors have yard art, chicken coops, and dragon murals, and that no one batted an eye when we painted our front door bright Clemson orange before moving in even a single piece of furniture.
Our addiction to NoDa was solidified on our first Saturday morning in our old mill home. We were greeted at 9:00am with a mimosa bar and a rock band playing “Eye of the Tiger” in the neighbors’ front yard! We have a passion for local food and beer, and you’ll often find us meandering the streets with our two black labs, Harper & Bowser. There truly is no place like NoDa, and I am proud to be a part of it.
Hometown: Pocatello, ID
Elected Date: 2016, 2019
Sema Yap
Co-Secretary
Position: Co-Secretary, NoDaRioty Liaison
Bio: We decided that life was dim and unfulfilling in Sydney, so we scoured the globe to find a better place to live. After a tenure in Midtown Nashville we were still not satisfied. So, we moved closer to the coast -but not too close- as water is unpredictable these days, trust me I’m a doctor #notthatkindofdoctor.
Settling on Charlotte as an appropriate city we hunted through the nooks and crannies of the metropolitan area and fell head over heals for NoDa. If you’re interested in the arts please come find me!
Hometown: Melbourne, Australia
Elected Date: 2019
2020 Board Members (Alphabetically)
Melanie Allen
Position: Back in the Day Liaison
Bio: My husband, Matt, and I moved to NoDa in 2014 from South Charlotte. We wanted to get out of the suburbs and move somewhere we could enjoy the arts. We fell in love with NoDa immediately. We are involved in NoDa 16″ Softball, Ghosts and Legends Tours, NoDa Historic Tours, Back in the Day Committee and Krampus Krawl. If you ever see us around, please stop and introduce yourself to us! I look forward to meeting you.
Hometown: Tonawanda, NY
Elected Date: 2018
Matt Alvis
Position: Social Media Manager, Website Administrator, Business Committee Liaison
Bio: Bartender at Idlewild, customer at Salud. Web Designer
Catch me creating or consuming some of the area’s best cocktails and craft beers. Want to get your business involved with the NoDa Neighborhood & Business Association, on the map, or in the directory? I’m your guy!
ig: @iguessineedaninsta
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Elected Date: 2019
Matt Betzel
Position: Education Liaison
Bio: My wife, Lindsay, and I are Charlotte area natives and moved back in 2017 after living in DC for eight years. Since we’ve been in NoDa we’ve adopted a cat from the used bookstore on Central Ave, and had a daughter, Margot.
During the week I take the blue line to uptown where I work at a small software consulting firm called Skookum. In my down times you’ll probably find me at one of the NoDa parks pushing Margot in the swing.
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Delphine Koustmer
Position: Welcome Committee, Crime & Safety Liaison
Matt Mahoney
Position: NoDa News Liaison
Bio: Matthew was raised in Mobile, AL, attended college in Nashville, and worked in book publishing in New York City before moving to Charlotte in 2011. He and his wife Catherine moved onto Holt St in 2016, and had daughter Maggie in 2018. Matt was interested in serving on the NBA Board to give back and become an involved neighbor. In his quickly-diminishing free time, Matt enjoys mountain biking, good movies and books, and checking out new eateries around Charlotte.
Hometown: Mobile, AL
Elected Date: 2020
Dave Poland
Position: Vision Committee Liaison
Bio: My wife, Kiersten, and I moved to Charlotte in February 2016 and came straight to the neighborhood. Originally from West Virginia, we immediately fell in love with the small-town feel of NoDa that made it seem like home. Several years later, we’re still here raising a small farm of chickens on Yadkin!
I am currently the Community Manager of Industrious – NoDa and passionate about both the history and direction of the neighborhood. I’m always happy to have a beer and talk about the past, present, or future… and listen to jam bands.
Hometown: Martinsburg, WV
Elected Date: 2020
Dre Ross
Position: Land Use Liaison
Bio: I moved to Charlotte in 2005 and when it came time to buy a place, moved to NoDa in 2007, and have been here ever since. I have been a member of the neighborhood association since I moved here and have participated in a variety of neighborhood events and activities. It didn’t take long for my husband, Tony Ross, to be convinced that this is the only place where we would begin our life together. In fact, he even beat me to serving on the Board first!
I was initially drawn to NoDa as the arts district and I love the neighborhood for its unique spirit, diversity and inclusion, and small-town / neighborly feel. I am excited for the opportunity to serve on the Board to help preserve NoDa’s history and character while respectfully setting NoDa up for future growth.
I enjoy traveling, concerts, working out, reading and spending time with friends and neighbors. You are most likely to find Tony and I hanging out at the Company Store, Salud Cerveceria, or on our front porch. Please feel free to stop me and introduce yourself. I love meeting and learning from new people!
Hometown: Warren, OH
Elected Date: 2020
Eric Zaverl
Position: Transportation Liaison
Bio: Eric is Urban Design Professional and has been a strong advocate for walkable, bikeable, and transit-oriented design in Charlotte’s neighborhoods for years. Eric was the President of the South End Neighborhood a few years back. While president, he advocated for more green space in the neighborhood, safe crossings on the Rail Trail and the creation of the two corridor studies on South Boulevard and South Tryon Street. After leaving the neighborhood association, he attended the University of North Carolina Charlotte. While there Eric received his Masters in Urban Design and finished at the top of his class. Eric has studied Urban Design abroad in Brazil and is a member of the Congress for the New Urbanism. He has been a NoDa neighborhood resident since 2017 and a Charlotte resident since 2010.
Hometown: Forest City, Pennsylvania
Elected Date: 2020
