Sawteeth Carpentry

Cole Starkey

Degree: Bachelor’s of Social Science - Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

Hobbies: Cross-country skiing, trail running, hiking and paddle-boarding

Hometown: Allentown, PA

Favorite Aspects of Projects: I truly enjoy woodworking and carpentry, from building custom built-in’s to designing something truly unique. But I enjoy the diversity of projects that accompany restoring houses in Essex and the Champlain Valley. I started my carpentry career in high school working on historic homes and have grown that love into Sawteeth Carpentry.

Fun Fact: My wife and I lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for 5 years. While there, I also worked as a preschool teacher for Teach for America.

Matt Daly

Degree: International Relations & Developement and Spanish - University of Deleware

Hobbies: I love spending time outdoors, including hiking and exploring the Adirondacks. I recently completed all 46 high-peak mountains in the ADK

Words from Cole: Matt Daly came to work for Sawteeth at the start of our growth into the team we are now. In his tenure at Sawteeth, Matt has shown that our capabilities for growth are far greater than I had ever imagined.
Matt is the type of person you build a team around. He has been integral to our success over the years in both his attention to detail and craftsmanship within the trades; but also in his unique ability to make those around him better.

Matt routinely wraps up a day’s work by going home and putting time into his own furniture-making and woodworking projects. Matt extensively researches and studies as he works, but his keen mechanical sensibility and artist's touch truly guide his technique and shine through in both his personal projects and his work at Sawteeth.

Matt's dynamic background prior to coming to work at Sawteeth fosters vibrant relationships with our clients, trade partners, and within the team. Matt has the heart of a teacher and helps all of us to sharpen our skills in our craft and in our team dynamic.

Julia Starkey

Degree: Graphic Design and Communication - SUNY Oneonta

Hobbies: Gardening, Cross Country Skiing, Taking walks with Penny and Cole

Hometown: Saugerties, NY

Favorite Aspect of Projects: I love envisioning our client’s spaces with them. It can be challenging to visualize what a remodel will look like, and helping our clients through that is really rewarding. Choosing paint colors is something that I love to assist with as well.

Words from Cole: Frankly, there is no Sawteeth Carpentry without Julia. Building a successful business is incredibly hard, especially in the building trades where competition is stiff and the stakes are high. You have to have grit and savvy, traits central to Julia’s personality. You also need to be patient, humble, and understanding. Julia’s kind and warm personality shines through to our clients and team alike.

Julia does it all at Sawteeth. Clients love Julia for her keen eye for design, impeccable sense of style, and responsibility around budget. The team loves Julia because she makes us soup when it’s cold, sits and laughs with us over board games, and ensures that all our insurance is up to date!

Devin LILJEDAHL

Degree: Ecology and Agriculture - Evergreen State College

Hobbies: Playing hockey and cross-country skiing in the winter, cold plunges in the lake, carving spoons, camping, and canoeing.

Hometown: Saint Paul, Minnesota

Favorite Aspect of Projects: Watching something manifest from brain space into reality; especially flooring, working with cool and different wood and making a space more functional.

Words from Cole: When he’s not at work framing, drywalling, or expertly weaving new material into a historic floor, you might find him playing the keyboard, shearing sheep, hiking, or spoon carving. Having grown up in St. Paul, Minnesota, he’s also no stranger to our cold winters. He enjoys playing hockey, cross-country skiing, and taking icy plunges in Lake Champlain when the temperature drops.
He’s a great team player, willing to tackle any project sent his way. This determination has quickly made him a talented carpenter. Devin’s grit, combined with his happy-go-lucky attitude and desire to learn, would make him a fantastic asset to any team – we are lucky to have him on ours!

Milan Fitzgerald

Hobbies: Motorcycles, spending time with my dogs

Hometown: Essex, NY

Favorite Aspect of Projects: I like the beginnings of projects because that's when you get to use your brain the most.

Words from Cole: It is hard to think back to the days at Sawteeth before Milan now that he is a part of our team. Milan came to us with as much individual experience in the building trades as we all have collectively. His work experience isn’t what makes “life before Milan” unimaginable; it’s his stories. Sure, Milan can apply his years of experience to solve just about any problem, but his contagious sense of humor and storied past makes him a joy to have around.

Milan is as much a staple in the community as he is in the Sawteeth family. Milan routinely closes out a full day of work, only to go to a neighbor’s to help them with something around the house; he also tops off a day of storytelling at Sawteeth by attending the open mic event at “Whitcombs Garage” to tell more stories. Milan is a good soul, and we are as proud and lucky to have him as a part of our team as we are to have him as a part of our community.

Brandon Moser

Degree: BS Fisheries Biology, Environmental Studies, GIS

Hobbies: Homesteading, foraging, painting and gardening

Hometown: Essex, NY

Favorite Aspect of Projects: I like seeing the look on clients faces when they see the amazing transformation we gave them when a project is complete. I enjoy landscaping and choosing the perfect plants and outdoor materials for our client’s homes.

Words from Cole: Summarizing someone like Brandon is exceedingly difficult. Brandon’s interests, experiences, and skillsets are layered and complex. Volumes could be said about his incredible skill and passion for landscaping and gardening. His keen understanding of plant biology and unique vision combine to allow him to reimagine the exteriors of our builds beautifully.

Brandon is an exceptional human in ways far more important than what he physically does on the job site. He cares about the people around him, from his wife and daughter at home to his teammates and our clients at Sawteeth. Brandon does an exceptional job listening to what the people around him need and value, and his consideration makes him an asset at Sawteeth Carpentry and beyond.

Lilly Kay

Degree: BS in Early Childhood Education

Hobbies: Vintage & antique shopping, reading, camping and canoeing, hosting dinner parties

Hometown: Philadelphia, PA

Favorite Aspect of Projects: Installing new or refinishing old wood floors, painting, tiling & grouting

Words from Cole: Before working with Sawteeth, Lilly worked locally as a farmer, and she brought that strong work ethic with her to Sawteeth. From watching her work, you would not know that she is new to the trades. She hit the ground running when she joined our team and quickly proved her worth. While working quickly, she doesn’t fail to plan ahead, a step that most young carpenters fail to implement and one that, when ignored, always catches up with you.

Early on, it became apparent that Lilly had an eye for design, and she quickly joined up with Ryan to learn the art of tile setting. Now, the two of them take on all of our kitchen and bath tile work, which requires meticulous attention to detail. That same eye for design has also led her to join Brandon on the landscaping side of things, from planting flowers to setting bluestone. However, her interests and talents go beyond her tile work and landscaping skills. When she’s not laying tile or building rock walls, she’s out there framing, roofing, sheathing, and installing windows with the rest of the crew. Lilly is a hard worker with a curious mind--precisely the combination that every employer looks for!=