Meet CHF Canada’s newest Board and Council members

Published September 23, 2020

The members of CHF Canada’s Board of Directors and Ontario Council bring a wealth of diverse experiences and knowledge to the table.

Read on for some quick facts about those elected to our Board and Council in 2020. You can also read the full bios of all of the governance members at our Board of Directors and Ontario Council pages.

Coral Hetherington

Westboine Housing Co-operative

CHF Canada Board:  Manitoba

• A member of CHF Canada’s Aging in Place Committee since 2016.
• Was inspired to run for the Board after her own co-op went through a difficult experience.
• An avid gardener

Dawn Obokata

Saint Nicholas Housing Co-operative

CHF Canada Board:  At-Large

• Has been a member at her co-op for over 30 years
• A professional actor who has been involved in the governance of her professional association.
• Currently working as an ESL instructor for newcomers to Canada.

Don Goss

High Hopes Housing Co-operative

CHF Canada Board:  Nova Scotia

• A long-time labour union and LGBTQ activist.
• One of the founding board members of Needham Housing Co-operative.
• A retired library technician, Don describes himself as “a nerd who loves books”.

Isabel Ciok

Sarcee Meadows Housing Co-operative

CHF Canada Board:  Alberta/Northwest Territories

• Was five years old when she moved into Sarcee Meadows.
• Has a Bachelor of Health Sciences and is currently pursuing admission to law school.
• Enjoys partner dancing and other social events.

Lindsey Murphy

Vancouver International Housing Co-operative

CHF Canada Board:  At-Large

• A member of the Tenant Leadership Group, an initiative of the Canadian Housing Renewal Association.
• President of her housing co-op
• When not busy with her young son, Lindsey can be found maintaining her balcony farm or reading a thriller.

Michelle Maldonaldo

Swansea Village Housing Co-operative

CHF Canada Board:  At-Large  (Michelle resigned from the Board this month after moving out of her housing co-op. The vacancy will be filled in the 2021 election of CHF Canada’s board of directors.)

• Grew up in Swansea Village, the co-op in which she still lives, now with her husband and eight-month-old son.
• As a teen, she encouraged her co-op to apply for LEAF, a Toronto tree subsidy program. and they managed to get about two dozen trees.
• Works as a social policy instructor at George Brown College and runs her own natural soap and beauty product business.

Sarah Jensen

Castlegreen Housing Co-operative

Ontario Council:  Northern Ontario

• Has lived in Castlegreen Housing Co-op since she was seven years old. By the age of 14, she was heading up a community garden committee, and by 18, she was elected to Castlegreen’s board.
• Enrolled in the pre-law program at Lakehead University
• Has a keen interest in biology and can often be found working with her bees or enjoying the great outdoors in a kayak or on a hike.