Skip to content

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.

Office

Sara Cooper

Chief Executive Officer

Erin O'Connor

senior director, housing development

Lei Han

director of corporate services

Shawna Blanchard

director of fund development

Sandra Oey

Senior Manager, Communications and Marketing

Nancy Currie

Family Services Manager

Diala Yassine

Team Lead, Family Services

Brianna Adams

Team Lead, Family Services (On Leave)

Julie Chatelain

Community Engagement Coordinator

Mariana Arapov

Executive Coordinator

Karlee Ouellette

Fund Development Coordinator

Mayila Ilagan

Finance Assistant

Emma Zajac

Administrative Coordinator

Build

Graham Bretag

Lead Hand, New Construction

Steven Argue

construction labourer

Derek Chenoweth

Lead Hand (Contract)

ReStore

Allan Avis

Director of RESTORES

Bruce Latham

Manager, ReStore Stittsville & General Manager, Online ReStore

Karen Vejprava

Manager, ReStore Trainyards & ReStore Brand Engagement Specialist

Rommella Steele

Donations Supervisor

Myrna Beattie

ReStore Procurement Specialist

Vanessa Hebert-Arsenault

Assistant manager, ReStore Stittsville

Sean Leamen

Supervisor, ReStore Trainyards

Alan Soulsby

Full Time ReStore Driver

Our Board of Directors

Head shot of Scott Stevenson, Habitat Greater Ottawa Board Member, Chair.

Scott Stevenson

Board Chair

Former Senior Executive, CLC
Head Shot of Amirah Fayek, Habitat Greater Ottawa Board Member, Director.

Amirah Fayek

Treasurer

Vice-President Finance, Trillium Healthcare Products
Head Shot of Kelly Elliot, Habitat Greater Ottawa Board Member, Director.

Kelly Elliott

Secretary

Chief Operating Officer, Dentons Canada LLP
Headshot of Bonnie Martell, Habitat Greater Ottawa Board Member, Chair of Land Development Committee.

Bonnie Martell

Chair of Land Development Committee

Senior Manager of Development, Colonnade BridgePort
Head Shot of Arun Thangaraj, Habitat Greater Ottawa Board Member, Director.

Arun Thangaraj

Director

Associate Deputy Minister, Transport Canada
Headshot of Wendy Grimshaw, Habitat Greater Ottawa Board Member, Treasurer.

Wendy Grimshaw

Director

CEO, Dementia Society of Ottawa

Soley Soucie

Director

Co-Founder, Treehouse Group of Companies
Head Shot of Josh Kardish, Habitat Greater Ottawa Board Member, Director.

Josh Kardish

Director

Vice-President, eQ Homes
Headshot of Vincent Wong, Habitat Greater Ottawa Board Member, Chair of Human Resources Committee.

Vincent Wong

Director

Head of Human Resources - Canada & Latin America, Lockheed Martin Canada
Head Shot of Merryn Douglas, Habitat Greater Ottawa Board Member, Director.

Merryn Douglas

Director

Director, CHEO
Head Shot of Dale Booth, Habitat Greater Ottawa Board Member, Director.

Dale Booth

Director

President & Owner, Innovation 7
Head Shot of Leslie MacLean, Habitat Greater Ottawa Board Member, Director.

Leslie MacLean

Director

Former Deputy Minister, International Development
Head Shot of Brad Rodgers, Habitat Greater Ottawa Board Member, Director.

Brad Rodgers

Director

Director of Development, Dream Unlimited

Leah Nord

Director

Senior Director of Operations, Canadian Home Builders'​ Association National

Innogen Henderson

Director

Regional Group

Danielle Robinson

Director

Director, Philanthropic Advisory Services, BMO Private Wealth

Alison Sochasky

Director

Social Impact Specialist, Canadian Real Estate Association

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.

Amirah is VP Finance at Trillium Healthcare Products. Prior to joining Trillium, she worked in in various industries including the not-for-profit  sector in Ottawa and abroad. She brings 25 years of experience in finance, strategic planning, performance measurement, and project management. She is a Chartered Professional Accountant, holds a Masters in Business Administration and a Project Management Professional certification. Ottawa raised, Amirah feels fortunate to be able to give back to her community through Habitat for Humanity. When not working or volunteering, she enjoys spending time with her family including her twins who are involved in several activities and sports in the community.

Kelly is the Managing Director of National Operations for the Canada Region of Dentons, the world’s largest law firm. In this role, Kelly leads the National Operations team, Firmwide Communications team and Knowledge and Legal Operations team and is a member of the Firm’s National Management Committee.

As a former Partner practicing in the area of project development and project finance, Kelly is ranked as of one Canada’s leading lawyers in the areas of real estate law (Best Lawyers, Legal 500) and banking and financial institutions (The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory). Kelly was also named a 2019 recipient of the Ottawa Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 award, which recognizes accomplished and rising business leaders in the National Capital Region. Kelly is committed to mentoring and championing women at all stages of their careers.

Bonnie has over 15 years of project management experience, and is currently a Senior Manager of Development with Colonnade BridgePort. In her day-to-day role, she focuses on strategic project positioning and delivery on multi-family, commercial and industrial projects. She is committed to city building and applying best practices in all facets of the development and construction lifecycle. 

Bonnie is a graduate of the Urban and Regional Planning program at Ryerson University and a member of the Canadian Institute of Planners as a Registered Professional Planner (RPP).  In addition to serving on Habitat Greater Ottawa’s Land Committee, she is also part of the Executive Committee of Urban Land Institute (ULI) Ottawa and career mentor with Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization (OCISO).

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.

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). 

A Executive Leader who is Dare to Lead ™️ Certified with over 15 years experience in business management, growth, leadership, operations, recruitment, sales & service.  A respected leader, coach, Board Member with strong interpersonal communication skills, a community builder with a proven ability to grow people, teams, businesses, and process.

Soley believes in daring leadership, a why-seeking leader who embraces the suck, who will strive to cultivate a culture in which brave work, tough conversations, and whole hearts are the expectation. Armour is not necessary or rewarded.

Soley has extensive board experience and is currently sitting proudly as a board member for Greater Ottawa, Habitat for Humanity

Soley has extensive experience in recruitment, retention and attraction strategies coupled with a proven ability to grow others and their businesses.  Soley tailors her services to your needs. 

Specialties: administration, advertising, business development, business plans, career planning, coaching, contract management, customer relations, delivery, D&I, event planning, facilities management, feedback, goal setting, human resources, leadership, learning & development, marketing, mentoring, negotiation, networking, operations, problem solving, project management, promotions, proposal writing, psychological safety, quality assurance, recruiting, sales, sales management, sales training, service reviews, sourcing, staffing, strategic planning & development, succession planning, talent acquisition, trust and its anatomy, team leadership, technical support, training, writing.

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.

Vincent Wong is the Head of Human Resources – Canada & Latin America 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.

Merryn is passionate about innovation that enables people to live their best lives. She is a licensed Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) and has a Masters in Health Administration (MHA) from the Telfer School of Business. Merryn brings a variety of experiences from both the private and public sectors. These include designing and commercializing medical devices, leading community and hospital-based health services, and leading data-focused teams working to make care better in Ontario. She collaboratively engages customers, clients, and their families in the process of co-design. She is excited to support Habitat for Humanity in partnering with families to make home ownership more accessible. Merryn and her husband enjoy being active outdoors, getting their two young children and the dog outside no matter what the Ottawa weather brings!

Dale Booth is a member of the Naotkamegwanning First Nation, an Anishinaabe community in Northern Ontario. Dale is a Senior Executive and Indigenous Subject Matter Expert who specializes in the field of business, community, and economic development. With more than 25 years of experience working with Indigenous people, all levels of governments and in the construction industry, he is known as a visionary leader with special and tested talents for shaping productive, cooperative working environments by eliminating deficits and creating a successful corporate vision for the future. Dale is the Owner and President of Innovation Seven and specializes in the provision of advisory services to public sector clients and First Nations communities related to infrastructure development using alternative procurement solutions such as P3, ASD, and AFP. In addition, Dale has held senior positions within the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, and the Assembly of First Nations as the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Economic Development. He has demonstrated keen abilities in the areas of effective strategic planning, operational management, and financial management.  

Ms. MacLean began her federal public service career with Veterans Affairs Canada, including the Veterans Review and Appeal Board from 1995 to 1998.  Ms. MacLean was the executive exchange officer with Australia’s Department of Veterans’ Affairs from 1998 until 2000.   She also worked in the publishing industry with Macmillan of Canada, with CBC as a freelance/weather reporter, and with UPEI as a sessional lecturer.

Ms. MacLean holds an MA in English Literature from the University of Toronto, a BA in English Literature from the University of Prince Edward Island, and a certificate of proficiency in French from the Paris Eurocentre.

Brad Rodgers is currently overseeing the development and construction of Dream’s Zibi Development (34-Acre Waterfront Community) and is involved with Dream’s Lebreton Flats Library Pacel development. Brad brings experience in development and construction with an interest in cultivating opportunities to provide attainable and affordable housing in the National Capital Region.

For more than two decades Leah has worked and volunteered in the charitable, non-profit, association, public and private sectors, in areas including housing affordability, women’s empowerment, labour mobility, health human resources, immigration, global defence and international development. Both personally and professionally, she has a strong commitment to volunteerism, humanitarianism and inclusive growth.  Leah recently received a Shelter Movers Ottawa Eternal Service Award, and was recognized by the Ontario Government for her 20 years of service with the Canadian Red Cross’ Immigration Detention Monitoring Program. She is a very proud mama, and in her spare time she likes to hike, race walk, road trip and see live music.

Innogen began her professional career at KPMG where she specialized in the real estate and construction industry, eventually leaving to work within the private sector at Minto, CLV and The Regional Group of Companies.  She brings a wealth of experience as a financial leader with a focus on setting strategic plans that align with corporate vision while managing budgets, forecasts and people.

Innogen received her Bachelor of Commerce, Honours from the University of Ottawa and holds the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) designation.  She previously served on the board of directors for other not for profit institutions and is passionate about providing access to affordable housing in the community.

At present, Danielle holds a national role with BMO Private Wealth, advising affluent Canadians on how to create multi-generational legacy impact using philanthropy. In addition to this work Danielle collaborates with her peers to author thought leadership content on a variety of specialized wealth planning topics for use by BMO Private Wealth financial professionals and their clients. Danielle is also a part-time educator to international students at Algonquin College as a professor within the post-graduate certificate program in Brand Management.

Prior to joining BMO Private Wealth, Danielle served as the President and CEO of the Ottawa Senators Foundation | Ottawa-Gatineau Youth Foundation for 15 years. During her tenure leading National Hockey League (NHL) outreach efforts, more than $80 million was secured through various sponsorship and fundraising activations, resulting in more than 1,200 grants to 300 different charities throughout the National Capital Region. Before her career in the NHL, Danielle worked in a variety of marketing-communications, corporate community relations, and fundraising and granting roles at Let’s Talk Science, Volunteer Canada, Clarica | Sun Life Financial, and United Way East Ontario.

Danielle and her husbuddy Wayne are a blended family with two sons. Together they enjoy travel, an outdoor lifestyle, a variety of sports, and social time with friends and family.

Alison Sochasky (she/her) is the Social Impact Specialist for the Canadian Real Estate Association supporting the REALTORS Care® program, community-based efforts of REALTORS® across Canada, and staff volunteerism within the Ottawa Region.

Born and raised in small-town New Brunswick on the Fundy Bay in a house built by her parents from the ground up, Alison has called Ottawa home since 2008. She started her career in retail sales in the early 2000s and then returned to school in 2010 to specialize in supporting and advocating for people with disabilities entering the workforce and gain valuable paid employment. This is where she started connecting with the social impact side of the Ottawa business community which led her into a focus on fundraising, communications, and strategic growth operations for nonprofits with a dedicated focus on supporting women, people with disabilities, and the next generation.