Our Team

Every great organization is led by a hardworking team. We are so thankful for each of the dedicated and enthusiastic people that make up our Board of Directors and Habitat staff.

Our Board of Directors

Gavin Liddy

Board Chair

Gavin Liddy

Gavin Liddy is a retired Public Servant who held a variety of positions within the Federal Public Service and the Canadian Armed Forces over a 36 year period. After many years of volunteering in support of various children’s sports activities and several years on the Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign cabinet, he participated in a Habitat for Humanity build and became fascinated by the mandate. As a Board Member, he continues to learn more about Habitat for Humanity and enjoys helping the families and community that it supports.

Ian Nicol

Vice Chair

IAN NICOL

Ian Nicol was born and raised in Ottawa. Ian recently retired from a long and successful career at local home building company, Tartan Homes. With a desire to give back, merging Ian’s work skills with Habitat for Humanity is a great fit.

Ian looks forward to serving the organization in helping families realize their dream of affordable homeownership.

Habitat Greater Ottawa Board Director: Lindsay Amundsen

Lindsay Admundsen

secretary

Lindsay Amundsen

Lindsay is the Director of Workforce Development for Canada’s Building Trades Unions, an umbrella organization that represents over 500,000 working tradeswomen and men across Canada. Her primary focus is on the development and operations of Build Together, a national CBTU program that works to recruit and retain tradespeople from underrepresented portions of the population: Women, Indigenous Peoples, the Next Generation & New Canadians.

Lindsay’s commitment to social justice and equity led her to the University of Manitoba to study Labour after completing her certificate in Human Resource Management. Lindsay was selected to participate in the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference in 2015, the Harvard Trade Union Program in January 2016 and completed the Strategic Communications & Change Management program through the University of Ottawa. Lindsay is a Canadian Certified Inclusion Professional (CCIP).

Lindsay loves travel & adventure and is most proud of her successful summit of Mount Kilimanjaro & most recently Everest Base Camp.

Wendy Grimshaw

Treasurer

WENDY GRIMSHAW

Wendy Grimshaw is the CEO of the Dementia Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County. Wendy has twenty-five years of leadership experience in the public, for profit, and not-for-profit sectors, with a strong focus on strategy and finance. She has an extensive governance background and has served on a variety of not-for-profit boards and committees including the Family Services Ottawa, the Champlain Hospice Palliative Care Network, the Pembroke Regional Hospital, the Perley and Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre, and the Champlain Maternal Newborn Regional Program. Wendy has a strong interest in supporting the important work of Habitat for Humanity in providing a hand up and a decent place to live for the families in our community. She is a CPA CMA with an MBA (University of Ottawa) and a BA Honours (University of Western Ontario).

Nancy Meloshe

CHAIR OF
LAND COMMITTEE

NANCY MELOSHE

Nancy Meloshe MCIP, RPP has over 37 years of urban planning and land development experience in the Province of Ontario in both the public and private sectors. She has a long history of land development planning in the Ottawa area and extensive knowledge of the municipal development approvals process. Nancy has expertise in the coordination and management of the complete planning and development approvals process. She has participated in numerous master planning studies. Nancy has appeared many times at the Ontario Municipal Board as an expert planning witness. She has represented both public and private sector clients on variety of controversial appeals. After many years as a planning consultant in her own firm Nancy joined Stantec in September 2016 as a Principal in Community Development.

Soley Soucie

CHAIR OF HUMAN
RESOURCES COMMITTEE

Soley Soucie

Soley is an Executive professional with board level experience. She is currently the Regional Director- Eastern Canada at HAYS Specialist Recruitment and sits on the Board of Directors.

A Queen’s University graduate who began her career with Scotiabank working in the Retail & Wealth Management divisions. Her ability to listen and deliver top notch customer service to her clientele gave her a great foundation for her career in recruitment.

Most Recently, Soley is a Habitat for Humanity Ambassador her passion to give back to her community shines through her active fundraising work and Co- Chairing the 2019 Habitat Women’s Build In Ottawa. Helping Women Leaders find a place to build community and network with other fabulous women while helping local families in need receive a home.

A Career Connector with a passion for people.

Arun Thangaraj

Director

Arun Thangaraj

Arun Thangaraj was appointed Associate Deputy Minister of Transport on July 6, 2020.

With over 20 years in the federal government, Arun has considerable experience in information technology, corporate planning, and finance and management.

Before joining Transport Canada, Arun was Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer at Global Affairs Canada where he was responsible for Information Management and Information Technology (IM/IT). In 2011, he was appointed Deputy Chief Financial Officer at the former Canadian International Development Agency. He also brings experience and knowledge on transportation issues, from his time at the Canadian Transportation Agency from 2002 to 2011.

Arun received the Queen Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013 for his contribution to the federal public service and to his community. He has served on various governance boards including the Finance and Operations Committee of the Global Fund, and is a member of the Public Sector Pension Advisory Committee. He is also a sessional lecturer in the School of Public Administration at Carleton University where he has taught courses in the management stream for many years. Arun is a Chartered Professional Accountant and holds a Master of Arts in Public Administration from Carleton University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Ottawa, and an Honours BA in Political Science from the University of Toronto.

Josh Kardish

director

Josh Kardish

As Vice President, Josh is responsible for the daily operations of eQ Homes, an affiliate of the Regional Group of Companies. Josh joined Regional Group in 2006 as a land development manager. In this capacity, he managed large-scale, master-planned residential developments from acquisition through to completion. Prior to that, Josh worked as a planning consultant for Novatech Engineering Limited, an Ottawa-based engineering consulting firm.

A multiple degree graduate from Dalhousie University – a Master’s degree in Urban & Rural Planning and Bachelor of Commerce, Josh was awarded the Rossetti Scholarship from the Faculty of Architecture & Urban Planning at Dalhousie University. Josh is the past- president of the Greater Ottawa Homebuilders’ Association, a volunteer member of the Board of CAHDCO, a non-profit housing provider, and a volunteer member of the board of Camp B’Nai Brith of Ottawa.

Scott Robertson

Director

Scott Robertson

Scott Robertson is a member of the Six Nations of the Grand River and an associate in the law firm of Nahwegahbow, Corbiere practicing exclusively in the area of Indigenous Law. Scott was the first lawyer in Ontario to be certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a specialist in Indigenous Legal Issues: Litigation and Advocacy.

Working directly with First Nation communities, businesses and organizations Scott has developed considerable insight into the growing economic needs of First Nations. Scott is regularly called upon to assist First Nations in negotiations with private and public interest groups to develop innovative economic growth strategies which incorporate First Nation traditions and knowledge.

In addition to his solicitor experience Scott is also a skillful advocate who has represented First Nation clients at all level of Courts and Tribunals. Most recently, he represented the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation before the Supreme Court of Canada on an appeal of an application before the National Energy Board. Scott has dedicated his practice to improving the quality of life, wealth and prosperity for First Nation communities while preserving the unique identity of Canada’s original inhabitants.

Scott is currently the President of the Indigenous Bar Association and a member of the Action Committee on Access to Justice in Civil and Family Matters.

Phil Jensen

Director

Phil Jensen

Phil has over 25 years of senior management experience in policy development, program management and the management of strategic transformations in the public sector. He also established and ran a small consulting company with clients in Canada and overseas for 10 years. He has worked with non-profit organizations for a number of years as both a front line volunteer and through strategic and board work. He first came to Habitat for Humanity during builds, which he participated in for four years. Phil is very enthusiastic about the work this organization does.

Vincent Wong

Director

Vincent Wong

Vincent Wong is the Senior HR Business Partner for the Rotary and Mission System Business at Lockheed Martin Canada. In this capacity, he is responsible for leading the talent acquisition, compensation, performance management, talent management, organizational development and learning strategy and program execution to drive business results and organizational excellence.

Prior to joining Lockheed Martin, Vincent served in several senior human resource positions at Canada Post Corporation including: Director of Executive Recruitment and Executive Compensation and Benefits; Director, Corporate HR; and Director/Senior HR Business Partner for Operations, Finance, Legal, HR, Sales and Marketing and Corporate Strategy. Vincent started his career with Accenture Canada in their Human Capital/Talent and OD practice, providing HR, Change Management and large scale change solutions to Clients in the Canada and the United States.

Vincent is a Certified Human Resource Leader (CHRL), holds the Strategic Human Resources Management Program certificate from the Rotman’s School of Business and graduated with Honours from the Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Commerce. He lives in Ottawa with his wife and two children.

Scott Stevenson

Director

Scott Stevenson

Scott Stevenson has been a senior executive in the federal real property community since 2007. He joined the public service in 1999 after being an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces for nearly 15 years, where he learned to lead groups of people to solve complex problems. He has performed leadership roles in policy and program management at the Department of National Defence and Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. He was the senior official responsible for the infrastructure and housing portfolios in these two large decentralized organizations. He has been an active volunteer in the community of Kanata over the last 20 years, coaching youth sports including soccer, hockey and rugby. He graduated from Queen’s University with a Master’s in Public Administration in 1999 and from Royal Roads Military College with a Bachelor of Arts in Military and Strategic Studies in 1988. He is aiming to use his professional knowledge and network to help advance the Habitat mission.

Brian Boucher

Director

BRIAN BOUCHER

Born and raised in Bathurst, NB, Brian is proud to call Ottawa home and to give back to this community. He and his wife, Marie-Paule, are raising two amazing girls (Emma and Sarah) with the help of the family dog, Rally.

Aside from being a husband and dad, Brian is the Director of Commercial & Residential Fuels at MacEwen Petroleum and an advisor for the Executive MBA Americas program with Cornell University and Queen’s University. He has held previous leadership roles with Euro Tile & Stone, Lee Valley Tools Ltd. and J. D. Irving, Ltd. and is a past Ottawa Business Journal and Ottawa Chamber of Commerce Forty Under 40 award recipient.

Brian earned his Bachelor of Science in Forestry (Honours) from the University of New Brunswick and his Executive MBA with a dual concentration in Finance and Marketing from Queen's University. He also studied leadership development at the University of Western Ontario’s Richard Ivey School of Business, international business at the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) in Shanghai, and is a certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.

A strong belief in Habitat for Humanity’s approach of providing a “hand up, not a hand out” is all the motivation Brian requires to continue his work as a Director on the board.

Peter Cartwright

Director

Peter Cartwright

Peter Cartwright is a seasoned urban and regional developer who is a graduate of the University of Guelph (BA – Geography).

His 39 year career includes all aspects of real estate development from project concept through to implementation. As such he has a strong background in real estate due diligence, land use planning, development financing, project management, and negotiating real estate transactions. This experience has been attained within both the public and private sectors in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. Peter is a member of the Canadian Institute of Planners (MCIP) and a Registered Professional Planner (RPP) with the Ontario Professional Planners Institute. In addition he holds the designation of Professional Land Economist (PLE) from the Association of Ontario Land Economists.

Notwithstanding Peter's commercial real estate background, he has had a long standing interest in providing affordable housing options. This started during his employment with the Ktunaxa Area Nation Council, a First Nation community located within the East Kootenay District of British Columbia. There he planned and implemented a number of affordable housing programs. In his recent role as the General Manager of Business Development with the City of Guelph, Peter led the creation of a strategic partnership between the City, the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Habitat for Humanity chapter and a local developer, which in part is intended to provide affordable housing options within a planned mixed use community.

Recently Peter retired from his professional career and relocated back to the Ottawa area (he is originally from Eastern Ontario). He views retirement as an opportunity to contribute further towards the provision of affordable housing, and is excited to be a new Board member. He is therefore looking forward to the opportunity of working with the Board, Habitat staff and local stakeholders.

Our Team

Our Board of Directors

Gavin Liddy

Board Chair

Gavin Liddy

Ian Nicol

Vice Chair

IAN NICOL

Lindsay Admundsen

secretary

Lindsay Amundsen

Wendy Grimshaw

Treasurer

WENDY GRIMSHAW

Nancy Meloshe

CHAIR OF LAND COMMITTEE

NANCY MELOSHE

Soley Soucie

CHAIR OF HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE

Soley Soucie

Arun Thangaraj

Director

Arun Thangaraj

Josh Kardish

director

Josh Kardish

Scott Robertson

Director

Scott Robertson

Phil Jensen

Director

Phil Jensen

Vincent Wong

Director

Vincent Wong

Scott Stevenson

Director

Scott Stevenson

Brian Boucher

Director

BRIAN BOUCHER

Peter Cartwright

Director

Peter Cartwright

Our Team

Office

Alexis Ashworth

CEO

Kristen Holinsky

Director of Operations and Communications

Lei Han

Director of Finance

Shawna Blanchard

director of development

Sandra Oey

Senior Manager, Development and Communications (on leave)

Nancy Currie

Family Services Manager

Taylor Mueller

Fundraising and Communications Officer

Brianna Adams

Community Engagement Coordinator

CJ Blake

Administrative Coordinator

Tanya Venne

Family Services Coordinator

Mayila Ilagan

Finance Assistant

Build

Adrian Schut

Director of Construction

Blair Sonnenburg

CONSTRUCTION ASSISTANT

ReStore

Allan Avis

Director of RESTORES

Bruce Latham

ReStore Manager, Iber location

Karen Vejprava

ReStore Manager, Belfast location

CHAIR OF
LAND COMMITTEE

CHAIR OF HUMAN
RESOURCES COMMITTEE