About

Staff Directory

The Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto is a membership organization of housing co-ops in the GTA. We are not a co-op, and we do not process applications. If you are looking for housing, please contact co-ops to inquire about waiting lists. The co-ops which are members of CHFT are listed on the Find a Co-op page.

Co-op Advisor Team

If you are a co-op board, staff member, or member looking for advice about a specific co-op issue, the Co-op Advisor team might be able to help. Each member of the team has years of experience! If your question is about CHFT’s education program, direct it to Naomi Cho who co-ordinates that program.

Naomi Cho
Co-op Advisor & Education Co-ordinator
Extension 207
Judith Collins
Co-op Advisor
Extension 205
Shanii Defoe
Co-op Advisor
Extension 217
Mary Ann Hannant
Co-op Advisor
Extension 208

Land Trust Team

Contact this team if you have a question about one of the 31 co-ops owned by CHFT’s land trust corporations or about the properties that are part of Naismith Co-op.

Lindsay Denise
Land Trusts Lead – Governance, Legal, and Records
Extension 213
Grace Galvez
Land Trusts Lead – Capital Projects
Extension 215
Emily Ramirez
Manager of Land Trust Properties
Extension 203

Co-op Cost Cutters

Contact Jackie Borges Briones who co-ordinates CHFT’s Co-op Cost Cutters program. The program offers savings on a wide range of products used by co-ops. Paint, carpet, tile, flooring, building maintenance supplies, credit information, energy efficient lighting and appliances, water efficient toilets and washing machines – and office supplies – are just some of the products available at great discounts.

Jackie Borges Briones
Promotions Co-ordinator
Extension 212

Management and Office Team

For general questions including questions about CHFT’s governance, its Charitable Fund, its membership dues, its relationships with other organizations, and anything that doesn’t fit with anyone else, please contact one of our management and office team, listed below. If your question relates to the Diversity Scholarship, please contact Denese Gascho. If your question relates to Co-op Awards or Garden Awards, please contact Vaijomiy Anandarajah.

Vaijomiy Anandarajah
Membership Co-ordinator
Extension 206
Denese Gascho
Office Manager
Extension 201
Japinder Kaur
Financial Administrator
Extension 204
Tom Clement
Executive Director
Extension 202
Celia Chandler
Deputy Executive Director
Extension 209
Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday

Development Team (CHFT Development Society)

In 2022, CHFT incorporated a separate organization, the CHFT Development Society, to handle development of new co-ops. It has its own website and its own personnel.