Aeon welcomes new board members

Aeon’s board of directors welcomed three new members: Billy Brownlee, Melissa Downey and Sharon Martin. “Our dedicated board serves with the passion and heart needed to have an impact on our community,” says Aeon CEO & President Alan Arthur. “We are excited to have individuals with new perspectives and diverse experiences join us to support Aeon’s mission.”

Billy Brownlee

Aeon resident Billy Brownlee manages and provides leadership for six Jimmy John’s sandwich shops in the Twin Cities. In his spare time, Billy is a motivational speaker and has volunteered to speak at events like Aeon’s fundraising breakfast, Beyond Bricks & Mortar. “My passion and dream is to help make affordable housing possible for all in need,” shares Billy. “I want to reach people on a larger platform to share my story and inspire those continuing to struggle with housing and with opioid addiction.”

Melissa Downey

Melissa is Vice President & Senior Compliance Manager with U.S. Bank, and a 24-year veteran of the financial services industry. She has been a volunteer for Aeon for more than 6 years, serving on Aeon’s fundraising committee. In the past she worked for the American Institute of Architects, where she was introduced to affordable housing problems in our community. She also volunteers for her city neighborhood association, recently coordinating its Neighborhood Night Out events, and previously volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, the Special Olympics and more. Melissa is a graduate of American University in Washington, D.C. and has a Bachelor of Arts in communication/international relations.

Sharon Martin

Sharon is a retired social worker and lives at Aeon’s Alliance Apartments. She is resident council president at The Alliance and leads a women’s group there. In the past she worked part-time at Harrison Park, where she helped tutor kids of all ages in subjects such as math and economics. Sharon is passionate about affordable housing issues and shares “affordable, clean, bug-free, rodent-free housing and safety are big issues with me.”