2023 SPRING FORUM
FACILITATORS
At CHF BC, we believe in the power of belonging and are committed to creating a sense of community and inclusivity in everything we do. Our partnerships, advocacy work, programs, services, and decision-making processes are all geared towards fostering a sense of belonging among our members and their communities.
We are thrilled to have a team of talented facilitators who will be leading our sessions. Their expertise and experience will provide valuable insights into how we can create a strong sense of belonging in our communities.
Thom Armstrong
Chief Executive Officer, Co-operative Housing Federation of BC, COHO Management Services Society, and the Community Land Trust Foundation of BC, all headquartered in Vancouver.
He has held leadership positions in Saskatchewan, Ontario, and British Columbia during more than 35 years of service in the co-operative housing movement. Armstrong also chairs the board of Encasa Financial Inc., a registered Investment Fund Manager for the capital reserves of Canada’s community housing sector.
Thom will be the moderator of the Ask the Lawyers workshop, at the 2023 Spring Forum.
Alper Caglayan
Alper Caglayan is a registered clinical counsellor with a Master of Education degree from University of British Columbia.
Alper works as a counsellor for students at Vancouver Community College as well as having a private practice for individuals and couples in Vancouver. He has been actively involved with Compassionate Communication, known also as Nonviolent Communication (NVC), for 20 years. He has received extensive training in the model as well as finishing the North American Compassionate Leadership Program based in San Francisco. He offers workshops and practice groups based on Compassionate Communication. It was this model that actually inspired him to pursue being a counsellor, and he feels this is the most effective set of tools to help us with all our relationships in all levels.
Recently he has been offering workshops through the Active Resilient Communities program of the Co-operative Housing Federation of British Columbia and greatly enjoys working with the co-op housing communities.
Alper will be the facilitator of the Compassionate Communication workshop, at the 2023 Spring Forum.
Geoffrey Dabbs
Founding Partner, Gehlen Dabbs Cash LLP
Geoffrey Dabbs was licensed as a lawyer in British Columbia in 1990 and has been actively involved in the housing co-op sector the entire time. His firm, Gehlen Dabbs Cash LLP, currently acts for a large number of housing co-operatives and related management and advisory organizations, advising on various issues, including rules and occupancy agreements and membership terminations and related litigation, as well as governance and financing.
Geoffrey will be one of the lawyers in the Ask the Lawyers workshop at the2023 Spring Forum.
Grant Haddock
Founder, Haddock & Company, Lawyers.
Grant Haddock was called to the Bar of British Columbia in 1992 and is the principle of Haddock & Company, Lawyers. Grant’s core areas of practice are co-operative housing law, strata property law, residential and commercial tenancy, human rights, privacy and construction law. Grant has acted for numerous housing providers and construction companies, appearing for them at all levels of court and at various tribunals. Grant has been a course leader and frequent speaker at educational conferences sponsored by industry leaders.
Grant will be one of the lawyers in the workshop Ask the Lawyers workshop, at the 2023 Spring Forum.
Liz Weaver
Liz Weaver is the Co-CEO of the Tamarack Institute and leads the Tamarack Learning Centre
The Tamarack Learning Centre advances community change efforts by focusing on five strategic areas including collective impact, collaborative leadership, community engagement, community innovation and evaluating community impact.
Liz is well-known for her thought leadership on collective impact and is the author of several popular and academic papers on the topic. She is a co-catalyst partner with the Collective Impact Forum. Liz is passionate about the power and potential of communities getting to impact on complex issues.
Liz will be the facilitator of the Collaborate Leadership workshop, at the 2023 Spring Forum.