EPISODE 7: AGING AT HOME: HOPE IS ON THE WAY
Subscribe on: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart
In this heartfelt and inspiring episode of Not Ready for the Farm, Judy and Jess sit down with Nora Spencer, founder and CEO of Hope Renovations, to explore how one innovative nonprofit is changing lives across North Carolina. From empowering women and non-binary people through construction training to helping older adults safely age in place, Nora shares the deeply personal experiences, bold ideas, and unlikely path that led her to create a nationally recognized organization. The conversation dives into aging, purpose, community impact, entrepreneurship, and the power of building systems that allow people to live with dignity and independence — all with plenty of warmth, humor, and heart.
NORA SPENCER
Nora El-Khouri Spencer is a Licensed General Contractor, a Social Worker, a consultant, a speaker, and a fierce champion of women’s empowerment in the spaces where they are missing. She is Founder and CEO of Hope Renovations, a nonprofit with a dual mission: to empower underemployed women and gender-expansive folks into careers in construction while helping older adults stay in their homes their whole lives. After a 15-year career in corporate human resources and ten years of side hustle as a self-taught remodeler, Nora decided to switch directions to pursue a Master of Social Work from UNC Chapel Hill with a focus on social entrepreneurship. In Summer 2020, Nora combined her passion for women’s workforce development, her interest in preserving housing for older adults, and her love for construction to launch Hope Renovations.
She has received multiple honors for her work, including receiving the 2025 Goddess Award at the NC Conference for Women, being named One of AdWeek’s Most Influential SMB Marketers in 2024, the National Association of Home Builders’ Woman of the Year in 2023, and a Top Ten CNN Hero in 2022. She speaks about gender equity in the trades and the importance of supporting Aging-in-Place throughout the country.
Nora is a UNC Tar Heels and LA Dodgers fan, a Master Gardener, a crazy cat lady and a beach addict. She lives in Chapel Hill with her husband Brian and her beautiful toddler, Isaac, a future feminist tradesperson.
LINKS:
If you’d like to make a contribution to the work of Hope Renovations, please click here
Video: UNC School of Social Work spotlights Nora Spencer & Hope Renovations