Mick Thornton
Hometown:
Oklahoma, Kansas, & Nebraska
Connect: LinkedIn
Mick is excited about the opportunity to add peace and security into the lives of individuals who are currently experiencing disparate housing situations. He believes people have the greatest opportunity to be their best selves when they feel safe, and sub-standard or insecure housing creates ongoing crisis and toxic stress; he is eager to play a role in making this hope a reality for individuals and families in San Juan County, Utah.
Mick was born to build things. In his career he has been a pastor, radio producer, writer, app designer, trauma consultant, grant writer, program designer, and now an ERC Fellow. To facilitate this work he has a B.A in Political Science from Wichita State University, a Masters of Divinity from Denver Seminary, and a collection of other training and certifications.
All of these pursuits are united by his passion to build things and serve people. He is a serial creative, never more happy at work than when he is solving problems in new and creative ways. He envisions a world designed to bring out the best in us all and creatively care for our deepest struggles.
Mick has spent the last couple of years traveling the country full-time with his wife, children, and corgi in their RV while working mostly remotely. It has been a season of adventure and experience encompassing twenty-five states. His family looks forward to spending the next few years in San Juan County Utah designing opportunities to bring affordable and inclusive housing to this magnificent but underserved area.
For Mick, an ERC fellowship represents the opportunity to build upon his passion for creative community service that has been expressed primarily in the non-profit sector by connecting with IEDC and their decades of work in economic development. He is excited to see what this confluence will yield.
ERC Project
Project Title:
Post-Assessment Strategic Planning for Affordable & Inclusive Housing in San Juan County, UT
Host Community or Region:
Utah
Host Organization:
San Juan County, UT
The "Post-Assessment Strategic Planning for Affordable and Inclusive Housing in San Juan County, Utah" project focuses on addressing the critical issue of affordable housing in the largest and most diverse county in Utah. In collaboration with a consulting firm, the San Juan County Economic Development department aims to gather data through a county-wide housing assessment and develop a strategic plan to uplift the county and its communities by identifying strategies for more workforce housing. This assessment covers the entire county, including Navajo Nation and Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. The ERC Fellow will play a pivotal role in developing strategic housing plans, implementing study recommendations, and securing funding sources to aid San Juan County communities in activating their housing plans.
Interested in supporting this project or learning more? Contact the ERC program team here.
