Meet The Haven Collective
We are a curated collective of experts who believe your business deserves more than a template. Meet the people turning your "someday" projects into your current reality.
Layne Kangas
founder + chief keeper
A West Michigan native, Layne is a strategic leader who thrives at the intersection of "big-picture" vision and disciplined execution. With a professional history that includes architecting the operations for a multi-million dollar digital publishing company from the ground up, she has mastered the art of turning ambitious ideas into productive, profitable realities.
Layne brings a lifelong commitment to community and inclusion to her work, with a deep-seated passion for creating spaces where individuals are empowered to be their authentic selves. This leadership extends to her local community in Grand Haven, where she maintains an extensive record of service. She currently serves on two Parent Teacher Organization boards and the Grand Haven Pride Committee, and is an active member of the local Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club.
Whether she is scaling a digital enterprise or advocating for local education, Layne brings a unique blend of high-level business acumen and genuine heart to everything she touches.
At home, she is a dedicated wife, a mama to four, and a proud "Mimi" to one. She is a firm believer in the power of a good book, a strong cup of coffee, and the rare, elusive magic of an empty laundry basket.
Lenore Ortyl
Lenore believes a brand’s digital presence should be as intentional and hardworking as the founder behind it. With a background rooted in professional photography and years of project management, she brings a rare duality to Haven Collective: the eye of a creative and the organization of a strategist.
Lenore specializes in dismantling the "overwhelm" of the design process. She acts as the steady hand behind a brand’s next chapter, bridging the gap between high-level vision and technical execution. By handling the weight of the how, she allows founders to return to the heart of their why.
When she isn’t working, Lenore is likely discovering a new artisanal cheese, enjoying a hazelnut latte, or spending time with her husband and their five amazing kids.
Kacie SteigmanÂ
Located right here on the lakeshore, Kacie has spent 15 years in the manufacturing setting, specializing in a variety of administration and project management roles. With a professional history that includes launching new software systems for a machine builder as well as a production facility, Kacie knows that each step in your business effects the next and keeping flow clean and simple while also staying organized is a top priority.Â
Kacie specializes in understanding the steps to get a product out the door on the production floor, while also prioritizing the organization of the data to get your products shipped. From procurement, to scheduling workflow; time management to project cost analyses. Combined with knowledge of SAP & ERP software, ISO compliance, 6 years in inside sales support and 5 years in outside sales, customer interfacing and meeting needs both internal and external is a pillar in her expertise.Â
In her free time, Kacie is a mother, an avid baker, a dog lover and an advocate for mental health. Kacie spent 3 years crafting and leading group empowerment courses to inspire the community to take practical steps to caring for your own wellness. Through these community offerings, Kacie shared tools, knowledge and research as well as implementation practice to help individuals feel less overwhelm and more balance in life. Her passion is caring for others and helping people find ways to find balance, moving forward with strength and confidence both professionally and personally.Â
Dawn Wells
A Wisconsin-based entrepreneur and strategic growth partner, Dawn thrives at the intersection of marketing, operations, and creative execution. She is known for helping businesses move from scattered efforts to focused momentum — aligning messaging, systems, and team structure so growth feels intentional rather than overwhelming. With a career spanning retail management, HR leadership, marketing strategy, and multi-business ownership, Dawn brings a rare blend of strategic insight and hands-on execution. Early in her career, she led retail teams and oversaw recruiting, hiring, onboarding, training, performance management, and daily operations — building a strong foundation in team development, organizational structure, and operational efficiency. She later expanded into digital marketing and business development, leading growth strategy for established service-based and national brands. Her expertise includes paid media, influencer marketing, lead generation funnels, CRM automation, and revenue optimization — building systems that not only attract customers but support long-term scalability. As a multi-business founder herself, Dawn understands the real pressures leaders face — balancing growth, staffing, marketing, and operations all at once. Her approach is collaborative and practical: simplify what feels overwhelming, build intelligent systems, strengthen teams, and create measurable forward movement. She believes businesses shouldn’t have to build an entire in-house department to operate at a high level — they should have access to experienced partners who can step in, assess, support, and scale alongside them. She also collaborates with a talented animation and graphic design artist, providing clients access to elevated branding, custom graphics, and dynamic visual storytelling that strengthen both internal and external communications. At home, Dawn is a wife, mom, and lifelong maker who finds joy in a well-built system, multiple cups of coffee, and a crochet project in progress.