Jennifer Keesmaat is President and Chief Executive Officer of Collecdev-Markee, developing new communities across the Greater Toronto Area as sustainable, liveable places that prioritize access to high quality, affordable housing. A Distinguished Visitor in Residence Emeritus at the University of Toronto, Ms. Keesmaat continues to share her vision for cities of the future, through her WEBBY Award-winning podcast, Invisible City. Ms. Keesmaat has been a member of the National Housing Council since 2024.
Ms. Keesmaat is the Chief Architect of the 2020 Declaration for Resilience in Canadian Cities, which is a blueprint for adapting cities post COVID-19 that has been adopted by cities around the world. She is on the Advisory Board of the Urban Land Institute, Toronto, and is appointed to the International Panel of Experts, Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority. Ms. Keesmaat is also the President's Planning and Growth Advisory Board and Design Review Panel for Ohio State University and is recognized as one of the 100 most influential urbanists of all time by Planetizen Magazine.
Ms. Keesmaat was named one of the "most powerful people in Canada" by Macleans, one of the "most influential" by Toronto Life, and one of the top Women of Influence in Canada. She spent half a decade as Toronto's Chief City Planner, where she was celebrated for her forward thinking and collaborative approach to city-building.
Adam Spence (Member)
Adam Spence is the CEO and Co-Founder of SVX and Managing Director of Bloom Local Food Fund. He also helped startup Impact United Academy, VERGE Capital, Bloom Impact Capital, the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing, B Lab Canada, the MaRS Catalyst Fund (now Amplify Capital), and the School for Social Entrepreneurs - Ontario. He was Executive Director of the Ontario Association of Food Banks and he led a number of higher education and training organizations.
Mr. Spence has been involved in the national and global impact investing ecosystem for over 19 years, with on-the-ground experience working in impact investing in Canada, the US, and Latin America. He has advised hundreds of organizations including governments, foundations, families, corporations, entrepreneurs, and funds on their impact investing strategies, helping to launch over a dozen impact investing products in Canada and across the Americas.
Mr. Spence is a recipient of the Queen's Jubilee Gold Medal, and was named one of McMaster University's 125 People of Impact, an honour given to McMaster staff and alumni who have made the greatest impact over the past 125 years. In 2014, Mr. Spence was named one of Seven Canadians Thinking Big by the Toronto Star.
Kelly Lin (Member)
Kelly Lin is a recognized multidisciplinary leader in affordable and social housing, community development, real estate finance and governance. With experience in Canada and internationally, she has led and advised on complex housing and community real estate initiatives, with a focus on seniors' housing, Indigenous housing, women's shelters and housing for people experiencing vulnerability. She brings together governments, non-profit and Indigenous organizations, and private-sector partners to expand housing opportunities, protect organizational missions and improve outcomes for communities.
Ms. Lin is Founder and Community Executive Officer of Impact Real Estate Infrastructure, where she is developing portfolio-level data, decision-making and capital infrastructure. This work helps mission-driven organizations strengthen their real estate portfolios, access mission-aligned investment and scale their impact through public-private partnerships. She is also Principal Advisor to Terra Housing, a social and affordable housing developer and development advisor serving non-profit and Indigenous organizations, where she previously served as Partner and Board Director.
Ms. Lin serves on the Board of the Urban Development Institute and chairs Women of UDI. She also serves on several boards, including the Canadian Urban Institute, the Association of Neighbourhood Houses of British Columbia and Hupacasath First Nation Economic Development Limited Partnership. She holds a Master of Science in Real Estate Finance and Investment and a Master of Business Administration from New York University, as well as a Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture from the University of Manitoba.
Kymberly Franklin (Member)
Kymberly Franklin (BBA, Nursing, LLB/JD) is currently senior legal counsel for the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, where she has been working for over 12 years. Ms. Franklin has been practicing Human Rights law for over 20 years.
Ms. Franklin studied Nursing in Halifax and worked in the field for several years before attending law school at Dalhousie University, Schulich School of Law. During her years at law school, Ms. Franklin worked for the US State Department in the consular section at the US Consulate in Halifax.
Upon graduating from law school, Ms. Franklin opened her own firm in 2005 and had a very successful general practice, including criminal, family, corporate and human rights law. Ms. Franklin closed her practice in 2014 to pursue human rights law as a specialty. Ms. Franklin has been a leader in advancing human rights since she began her time at the Commission.
Ms. Franklin has presented at many conferences across Canada and internationally, presenting on issues of racism, diversity and most recently racial profiling, cannabis in the workplace and transgender issues. Upon invitation, Ms. Franklin presented on the state of human rights in Nova Scotia at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. She has been engaged in public speaking for many years and has presented to different levels of government and many diverse community and business groups.
Margaret Pfoh (Member)
Margaret Pfoh is the Chief Executive Officer of the Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA). A proud member of the Tsimshian Nation from the Ginaxgiik tribe (people of the Hemlock), which carries the powerful Blackfish crest, she has dedicated over 30 years to advocating for Indigenous rights and advancing housing solutions for Indigenous Peoples across Canada.
Ms. Pfoh is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing and a recipient of King Charles III's Coronation Medal. Under her visionary leadership, AHMA has solidified its role as a key player in Indigenous housing. Margaret's acumen was integral to the 2019 establishment of the Building BC: Indigenous Housing Fund, a historic partnership between AHMA and the government of British Columbia. This fund extended provincial support to Indigenous Peoples living both on and off reserve, and it was doubled in 2023 under AHMA's guidance, setting a new standard for Canada.
In 2022, Ms. Pfoh co-founded the National Indigenous Collaborative Housing Inc., further amplifying Indigenous voices in housing policy and ensuring Indigenous leadership is central to shaping national housing strategies. Following heavy advocacy, the federal government committed $4B to supporting urban Indigenous housing, the release of which AHMA continues to push.
A dynamic leader on national and international stages, Ms. Pfoh's influence reaches far beyond AHMA. Her engagements with the United Nations and her leadership roles within the CHRA underscore her commitment to Indigenous housing rights. She continues to champion justice for Indigenous Peoples globally, using her voice to highlight housing as an inherent human right.
Rory Richards (Member)
Rory Richards (M.G.C.) has dedicated more than twenty years to founding and leading successful Canadian businesses. A proud Coast Salish woman of Shíshálh (Sechelt) descent, Ms. Richards founded NUQO Modular, an Indigenous-led, female-led general contractor, to bring her community-first, values-led approach to affordable and Indigenous housing.
Under her leadership, NUQO has delivered award-winning Indigenous housing in partnership with First Nations. Her experience building homes informs her understanding of how policy and approvals shape what gets built on the ground. Her advocacy for culturally appropriate Indigenous housing is grounded in Nation partnership.
Ms. Richards serves on the national board of the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business and has worked for many years alongside advocates to increase access to quality childcare. She was awarded the Medal of Good Citizenship by the Province of British Columbia in recognition of her community leadership.
