The Promoters of Plymouth (PoP) Ambassador Board is a group of young professionals in the Seattle area who support Plymouth’s mission to end homelessness. Each year, the PoP Ambassador Board hosts educational events, fundraisers, and direct service opportunities to advocate for Plymouth’s essential practices like Housing First, permanent supportive housing, and harm reduction.
Leading up to the group’s signature fundraising event, Pop Some Tops, we spoke to some 2025 PoP members — Brittney Guzzi, Mick Newell, Amber French, and Hayley Sherman — to find out more about their professional work and their motivations for serving Plymouth. Get tickets now to Pop Some Tops: Emerald City Magic on Friday, June 13!
Members of the 2025 PoP Ambassador Board serve a meal at a Plymouth building
Amber French
Amber French is Senior Project Architect and Director at Environmental Works, a non-profit architecture firm and community design center. Environmental Works is the architect for Plymouth’s new permanent supportive housing in Redmond, which is scheduled to open in 2026.
Amber at Pop Some Tops 2022; At a jobsite
What inspired you to become part of the PoP Ambassador Board?
I was introduced to Plymouth Housing when I attended their Key to Hope Luncheon in 2018 and I was immediately inspired by their work. I joined the PoP Ambassador board soon after and have been a member since 2019. It has been a wonderful way to get involved.
What about Plymouth’s work resonates the most with you?
Plymouth’s Housing First approach provides safe housing with no preconditions, allowing people the stability of a roof over their heads first. Then they can focus on healing with the support of onsite services, like a case manager. Plymouth’s success rate, keeping 95% of their residents housed speaks for itself!
What do you wish people knew about homelessness?
Our unhoused neighbors have the unfortunate circumstance of living on the margins. Many were one medical bill, job loss, or family crisis away from losing housing, and our market where people are being priced out of housing due to unprecedented rent increases only adds to the problem. I encourage people to look at all your neighbors as you pass them and say hello. We are all human beings, and you have more in common with them than you think. Give grace.
Brittney Guzzi
Brittney Guzzi is a project specialist at PATH, a global health non-profit. Her work currently focuses on implementing projects related to increasing access to medical oxygen and respiratory care equipment in low- and middle-income countries.
Brittney, second from right, at the 2024 Pop Some Tops gala
What inspired you to become part of the PoP Ambassador Board?
Housing is a cause that has been near and dear to my heart for many years. I’ve previously worked in social services and sheltering in Portland, OR, and knew when I relocated to Seattle two years ago that I wanted to get involved with a housing organization here, too. PoP seemed like a perfect opportunity to get to know, and give back to, my new community here in Seattle.
What about Plymouth’s work resonates the most with you?
Plymouth operates on a Housing First model, which I wholeheartedly support and believe in. I believe that access to safe and stable housing is a human right, and an essential precursor to tackling any other barriers or challenges someone might face.
What’s the biggest misconception about homelessness that you’ve observed?
People often misconceive of houselessness and its causes as a “single story”. In reality, there’s not a singular cause of homelessness, but more a variety of complex issues, unfortunate events, systemic failures, and individual experiences that can lead to someone losing their housing.
Mick Newell
Mick Newell is Vice President of Leasing at Washington Holdings, a Seattle-based real estate investment company. He oversees leasing for One and Two Union Square, premier office space in downtown Seattle. Washington Holdings is a longtime Plymouth supporter that recently built out (with volunteer labor and donated supplies) the new Plymouth Supply Center, a place where residents can shop for home essentials free of charge.
Mick, right, and his husband at Plymouth fundraiser Seattle Dances 2025
What inspired you to become part of the PoP Ambassador Board?
Working downtown every day, I see the firsthand effects of homelessness in our area and wanted to get involved with an organization that is truly making a difference in our city and region.
What about Plymouth’s work resonates the most with you?
I’m consistently impressed and remind others of the incredible success rate of Plymouth’s programs. Nearly all of its participants remain in permanent housing and I appreciate the harm reduction, Housing First model of tackling this important issue.
What’s the biggest misconception about homelessness that you’ve observed?
I think most people feel they’re removed from the possibility of homelessness. They don’t realize that all it takes is one major medical event, or unfortunate life event and any of us could end up in a similar unhoused position. I think once you hear the stories of the individuals Plymouth helps, you realize they’re just like the rest of us. That’s what makes the work even more important!
Hayley Sherman
Hayley Sherman works for a French software company called Botify as Product Marketing Manager, where she helps develop, launch, and market new products and features.
Hayley, right, at Pop Some Tops 2022 with Board member Olivia Doyle
What inspired you to become part of the PoP Ambassador Board?
I joined the PoP board in 2017. At the time I was new to Seattle, commuting into downtown for work, and seeing how the housing crisis was impacting our unhoused neighbors. I learned of Plymouth’s mission rooted in the Housing First model and immediately felt compelled to get involved. Our unhoused neighbors deserve the support of our community to help them leave homelessness behind.
What about Plymouth’s work resonates the most with you?
I believe housing is a human right, and providing a stable, supportive foundation for someone to start anew is so vital. Without a home, basic needs cannot be met — let alone more complex ones. Plymouth believes in meeting people where they are at, without conditions. Wraparound services help support Plymouth residents comprehensively, from medical and behavioral health treatment to community building.
What do you wish people knew about homelessness?
How can we expect someone to get a job, be in recovery, or address mental health challenges, when they don’t have a roof over their head? If we can provide a safe, supportive, stable home for someone, they can then begin to address the other aspects of their life that they want to change.