Interior of a salon with a sign reading 'refuge' on a white wall, green cabinets, and salon chairs in the background.

Meet the Team

At Refuge Salon, we believe your hair is a reflection of your unique style and confidence. Our team of expert stylists is dedicated to crafting personalized experiences, offering modern techniques with a touch of effortless beauty. More than just a salon, we are a space where artistry meets relaxation—a place to feel truly at home.

Smiling woman with long blonde wavy hair in a black dress, standing indoors with shelves of hair products in the background.

Charynn Meoak - Owner, Master Stylist & Color Educator

  • Color Services / Bobs & Long Length Hairstyles

  •  Charynn’s journey to becoming a stylist began in 2005 when she completed her training at Douglas J AVEDA Insitute in East Lansing, MI and the Douglas J Advanced Academy in Ann Arbor, MI.  After completion she continued to work for Douglas J until moving to San Diego, CA in 2008. After a brief time in CA she returned to Michigan where she began to manage an AVEDA salon and grow a new clientele. During the 12 years she spent in the Metro Detroit area, Charynn became a Certified Color Educator with AVEDA and continued to implement advanced training programs for her fellow stylists while also creating a successful assistant training program for new stylists.

    After a deal to open a salon in the Metro Detroit area fell through, Charynn and Mitch decided to fast track their dreams of moving to Northern MI permanently. With a lot of hard work and planning, Refuge Salon was finally able to find its forever home in Suttons Bay. The fast success of Refuge far exceeded what they had planned, so after growing the Suttons Bay Salon and Spa, they quickly realized it was time for a second location. Glen Arbor had the perfect space available and after another long build out, Refuge Glen Arbor was born and is thriving.

    Charynn’s spare time is spent being a mother to her young children, exploring the outdoors and expanding her knowledge of new AVEDA rituals and techniques to continually educate other stylists.

Kerri - Master Stylist & Manager
Smiling person wearing a black dress standing in a salon environment with shelves of hair products in the background.

  • Color Services / Womens Hairstyles / Nail Services

  • Kerri’s true passion is to help make guests feel beautiful on the inside and out!
    She completed her education at the Douglas J Aveda Institute in Grand Rapids MI and has been working with the Aveda line ever since!

    During those years she has learned and embraced the importance of using naturally derived products on your skin and hair.

    Kerri constantly strives for excellent communication and customer service, believing those to be the key factors in delivering a great service and salon experience. She has spent her career working to perfect her techniques in a varied set of skills to deliver any style! She specializes in women’s color & hair cutting, especially dimensional color.
    Kerri is a Michigan native from the Kalamazoo area who relocated to Northern Michigan when her husband accepted a job in Traverse City in 2020. Since moving up north Kerri is now a mom to two young children & is loving her new (and busy) role in life! You can mostly find her at home on her days off spending time with family & spending time relaxing outdoors whenever possible!
    Licensed Since: 2011

Smiling woman with red hair in a black outfit standing in a salon with shelves of hair products in the background.

Melissa - Master Stylist & Education Director

  • Color Services | Mens Cuts | Women’s Short Hairstyles

  • Melissa has a lifelong passion for the beauty industry.
    She prides herself on forming connections with her
    clients and providing them with a style, cut and color
    that is as unique as they are.
    Melissa is a graduate of Douglas J Aveda, Ann Arbor.
    She has spent the last 12 years refining her skills
    while developing a strong clientele in Brighton,
    Michigan. She is very excited about her recent
    relocation to Suttons Bay to be closer to her family and
    lake life. She looks forward to joining this beautiful
    community and bringing her art and technical skills
    with her.

    After plans to open a salon in Metro Detroit shifted, Charynn and Mitch embraced their dream of moving north, establishing Refuge Salon in Suttons Bay, MI. When she’s not behind the chair, she’s enjoying time with her family, exploring the outdoors, and continuing to educate and inspire fellow stylists.

Smiling person with curly hair, wearing black clothing, stands in front of shelves with hair products in a salon.

Katie - Senior Stylist

  • Mens Hairstyles | Curly Hair Styles

  • Born and raised in Traverse City, at the age of 6 Katie told her parents that when she grew up she wanted to be a “hair cutter!” After graduating high school she took an opportunity in California to join the Young Americans Performing Arts Group but after 4 years of that she returned to Traverse City to pursue that dream of becoming a licensed cosmetologist.

    In 2020 Katie attended the Epiphany Advanced Academy in Traverse City and after completion she passed her state boards in September of 2021. Shortly after, she joined the team here at Refuge where she is already proving herself to be a major asset. She is currently busy building a loyal clientele after successfully completing our Assistant Training Program.

    Katie recently married her husband who also works in Suttons Bay and together they hope to find a new home here in the county.

    We are very thankful that Katie has chosen to join our team and can tell that she has a very bright future ahead of her!

Person wearing a brown and black sweater with one hand on their hip, standing in front of shelves with various hair products.

Kora - Advanced Stylist

  • Blonding, blowouts and styling.

  • Kora was born and raised in Leelanau county. After graduating high school, Kora worked at refuge as our receptionist, while planning to go to cosmetology school after taking a year off. 

    In 2023 She attended the Douglas J. Aveda Institute in East Lansing. Kora then graduated in June of 2024 obtaining her license. She has since completed our assisting program and is now a junior stylist. 

    Kora enjoys blonding, blowouts and styling. Kora loves making her clients feel and look their very best! 

    Outside of work she also enjoys spending time outdoors with her pup Nemo.

Woman in black blazer with curly hair standing in a salon with shelves of hair products in the background.

Hope - Advanced Stylist

  • Blonding, mens cuts and styling.

  • Hope is a hairstylist with a passion for creating dimensional color and stunning blondes. She began her career at the Douglas J Aveda Institute in Grand Rapids, where she honed her skills and developed a love for creative color work. After graduating, she worked at the Douglas J Salon in Okemos, gaining hands-on experience and refining her craft.

    Originally from Traverse City, Hope decided to return home to settle down and continue her journey in the beauty industry. She found her place at Refuge Salon, where she brings a fresh, artistic approach to every service. Her goal is always to make clients feel confident and beautiful, using her creative eye and technical expertise to deliver personalized, radiant results.

Woman smiling in black top

Jess - Junior Stylist

  • Nails & Mens Cuts

  • Jess is a recent graduate of Epiphany Advanced Academy, she is a passionate cosmetologist, specializing in hair styling, coloring, cutting, & nails; with a focus on creating styles that make her clients feel their absolute best. 

    She is a big fan of using high-quality products, and always reaches for Nutriplenish and Smooth Infusion to give her clients’ hair the nourishment and sleek finish it deserves. 

    When she’s not in the salon, you’ll find her enjoying the beauty of the outdoors in Northern Michigan, where the changing seasons inspire her creativity for whatever crazy DIY crafting project she’s got going on.

    Jess has a big passion for transforming looks and boosting confidence, she brings expertise and creativity to every appointment and can’t wait to see your smiling faces in her chair at Refuge Salon!

Smiling woman with long brown hair wearing a black shirt and necklace, standing indoors.

Lauren - Massage Therapist

  • Lauren graduated from the Naturopathic Institute of Therapies and Education in 2019. She has been practicing massage therapy for the past six years.

    Lauren recently moved here from Brighton, Michigan six months ago for her husbands new job. They've always loved the area and spent a lot of time here growing up. You can find Lauren and her husband hiking new trails with their two Australian Shepard pups and trying new restaurants!

A young woman with long blonde hair wearing a black sweater, smiling in an indoor setting with shelves in the background.

Olivia - Esthetician 

  • Facials, Body Waxing, Dermaplane, Lash Treatments

  • Olivia was born and raised in Traverse City. After she graduated high school, she attended Epiphany Advanced Academy to become a licensed esthetician. She started out at Refuge as a receptionist and is now taking on clients as an esthetician. Olivia combines her technical knowledge with a warm, welcoming approach, ensuring each client feels relaxed and confident in their skin.

Smiling woman in black clothing holding a clipboard in a salon with hair products on shelves in the background.

Jillian - Receptionist

  • Jillian was born and raised in Michigan, spending her summer months in Leelanau County with her family before making it her permanent residence in 2021. While she is still living at home she is excited to move in with her future husband in Traverse City after her wedding in May 2024.

    Jillian is a Fine Artist who studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for Fine Art Painting & Illustration, Graphic Design, Typography and Comics. She is an emerging Christian artist in the northern area who has been featured at Crooked Tree Arts Center, Traverse City, Suttons Bay Art Walks and other events. She also sells her prints in local shops- including Refuge! Find her work and event updates at: jillianmateusart.com

    Jillian has worked in customer service for years and thoroughly enjoys interacting with the public. She strives to bring the best possible customer service to our clients and staff to ensure the peaceful experience that is Refuge Salon.