CHF BC AGM Election 2021
There are five at-large board positions to be filled at this year’s CHF BC Annual General Meeting on Sunday, November 21st. At close of nominations on November 15, we had enough candidates to fill the available positions but not enough to have an election. These candidates will be acclaimed to fill two-year terms effective at the conclusion of Sunday’s meeting. There were no candidate submissions for the Finance Committee.
Members of the Board of Directors are responsible for the governance of the Federation, providing overall direction for CHF BC, including approval and evaluation of CHF BC’s strategic vision and policies. You can meet our at-large candidates below, then make sure you register to attend this important event so you can share our successes and hear the report on CHF BC’s work representing housing co-ops and inspiring, thriving co-operative communities.
Val Embree
I am a big supporter of CHF BC’s advocacy for co-operative housing.
After many challenging years of limited senior government support, we now have new federal government affordable housing programs, and new support at the City of Vancouver.
I am a retired planner and long time member of False Creek Co-operative Housing Association (FCCHA), a 170 unit co-op in False Creek South on land leased from the City of Vancouver. I have served on the Board of Directors at different intervals, retiring this month after 3 years as BoD Secretary.
FCCHA is an active member of False Creek South Neighbourhood Association’s RePlan initiative – linking co-ops, other non-profits, and stratas and local residents in conversations about land lease renewal, while imagining a changing neighbourhood that sustains the vision of mixed incomes and mixed tenure types. In the early days of RePlan, I helped design and deliver education sessions in Co-ops to foster member understanding of the issues and opportunities we face.
Recently, the Neighbourhood Association formalized a Community Housing Trust. I am keenly interested in how such a Trust might facilitate the expansion and renewal of affordable housing in False Creek South. CHFBC’s experience with Housing Trusts will be an important resource.
I hope to be a good resource for both CHFBC and False Creek South as we pursue positive and possible futures for co-op housing. Thanks for your support.
Eric Finkel
I am seeking your support for election to the CHF BC Board.
This is a critical time for CHF BC and the sector. Co-op housing is an excellent answer to the affordable housing crisis that grips the province. Yet, co-op housing has been under threat. So, we must continue to fight to preserve our co-ops while we advocate for even more affordable, safe, community-based housing.
Co-op sector experience:
I have lived in Marina Housing Co-op for more than 10 years and have served on the Board of Directors and the Maintenance, Finance, Parking and Land-Lease Committees. I am also a member of other co-ops focused on banking and transportation.
Work experience:
I am a goal-oriented, problem-solving critical-thinker drawing on best practices from careers as a lawyer, management consultant, entrepreneur, and content-creator. I have over 20 years of experience across a range of industries, including real estate, media, legal technology, healthcare, and social enterprise. I currently work in operations, strategy and growth for a company focused on access-to-justice. My volunteer experience includes fundraising for international spinal surgeries, supporting women affected by HIV, and mentoring entrepreneurs.
If elected, my priorities are to:
- Ensure that CHF BC continues its great work of putting co-ops and co-op members first.
- Advocate for the development of more co-op homes.
- Strengthen our organization to ensure that the co-op housing movement is prepared to continue to lead into the future.
Thanks for considering me for a director position and for all the work you do to make co-ops thrive.
Deanna Overland
Hello! I am Deanna Overland and I am once again seeking your support for my bid to serve on the CHF BC Board of Directors.
I have served on the board for the past two years and am seeking re-election. In the past two years I have had the pleasure and honour to serve on the Executive, the Governance, Education and Climate Emergency Task Force Committees. In this time, I have also served as the delegate to the BCNPHA (BC Non-Profit housing Association) and Central One. The past two years have been extraordinary and unprecedented times throughout the world, our country, our province, and our region as we all learn how to adapt to the pandemic. It has also been an exciting time within the co-operative sector as we advocate for real change in affordable, equitable, secure housing for all. The work the board has completed in the past two years has only fortified my desire and emboldened me to press forward and want to do more.
I continue to hold the beliefs I did when I ran two years ago. I continue to be passionate about affordable housing and building a strong sense of community. I am interested in proactively engaging politically at all levels in order to continually pursue effective, respectful, responsible governance for all. I believe in listening to members and finding ways to amplify their voices. And my interest in creating more affordable housing in BC with a focus on greener initiatives has not waned.
Professionally, I am a leader, mentor, artist and performer in the theatre and film communities, where I am a proud member of the CAEA, UBCP/ACTRA unions. I have a post graduate diploma from Queen’s University in Arts Management. For the past 10 years I have been an instructor in the theatre department at the Shadbolt Arts Centre in Burnaby BC, where I teach music theatre and speech arts where I encourage children to find their voices.
I look forward to the opportunity to serve the CHF BC members as I strive to ensure continued strong governance, policy and risk management, ongoing equitable development for the sector and future creation and protection of co-operative homes that meet our community’s needs.
Sahara Shaik
Youth engagement holds the key to the future of co-op housing.
That’s what I want everyone to understand, and part of my work previously on the Boards of CHF BC & CHF Canada has been finding ways to engage young members effectively and bridge the generation gap.
Some of you may recognize me from my work on the board of CHF BC. I was elected to the CHF BC board in 2017, served as Board of Directors from 2017 to 2021. I am seeking your support for re-election to the Board of CHF BC.
My co-op sector involvement:
- At Large Director, Board of CHF Canada
- At Large Director, Board of CHF BC
- Finance & Audit Committee, CHF Canada
- Aging in Place Committee, CHF BC
- Governance Committee, CHF BC
- Risk Management Committee, CHF BC
- Co-Champion: Young Member Network, CHF Canada
I intend to bring along my volunteer & professional experiences and leadership skills to provide governance for the organization and its members. In addition, I hold a Masters of Finance and Business Administration graduate degree & have over eight years of marketing & finance experience.
Young members should be the vehicle to drive the co-op movement forward. I draw inspiration from the early leaders of the co-op housing movement, many of whom, like me, were young people searching for affordable and community-driven housing.
If re-elected as the board of directors to the CHF BC, I look forward to working to ensure & provide policy & planning oversight, regulatory compliance, and governance for the organization & its members. It would be my honour to serve on the CHF BC board.
Sally Yee
My daughter and I moved to Fraserview Co-op in Vancouver in September 2020, where we have been embraced by the warm and friendly community.
I am a civil litigation paralegal (Constitutional/human rights/Aboriginal) and work from home.
My long history of volunteering includes: 2 years on the initial Board of Directors as Secretary of a co‑op being developed in the early 80’s, 14 years with BC Special Olympics serving in the capacity of Provincial Coach and on the Executive Committee and head coach with Vancouver Special Olympics, 2 years with SOS Children’s Village on their Development Committee, 5 years with the Adoptive Families Association of BC on their Financial Development Committee, 14 years on a strata council, as well as being a general volunteer for a variety of non‑profits and festivals. Currently I am on Fraserview’s Social and Membership Committees.
Passionate and dedicated to whatever I become involved in, I use common sense and reasoning, organizational skills and knowledge, and understand the importance of being discreet, impartial and/or having a conflict of interest. If elected, I will have an open ear to the members and make decisions and follow through on decisions of the Board to further the best interests and sustainability of BC’s co-ops.