Board
Rishab
Rishab first joined the HOTT Board in 2017. He is enjoying the opportunity to get to know the staff, residents, and other Board Members. Rishab also contributes to HOTT through his role on the Housing Development and Proposals Committee, the Policy Committee, and by participating in HOTT's fundraising efforts. Rishab was born in the UK and moved to Toronto in 2014. He is an urban planner by training, was formerly a Housing Policy Planner for the City of Toronto as well as Chief of Staff for Toronto City Councillor, Brad Bradford. His favourite part about HOTT is the people and the opportunity to support the organization stay strong and stable for the future.
Bianca
Bianca joined HOTT’s Fundraising and Marketing Committee as a volunteer in 2022 and HOTT’s Board of Directors in 2023. Bianca currently works at Brookfield Asset Management as a Senior Financial Analyst. She received an Honours in Business Administration from Western University’s Ivey School of Business and is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA). It was during her time working at a large Canadian REIT where she developed a keen interest in real estate through exposure to many topics in residential and commercial real estate. Bianca feels strongly that Toronto and the GTA need more affordable options for all income-levels, especially in recent times where many are struggling due to rising cost of living. She believes that finding alternative, affordable housing options matters even more and this aligns with HOTT’s mission.
Tim
Tim has volunteered on HOTT’s Policy Committee since 2020 and a member of our Board of Directors since 2022. Tim has experience working in social housing property management in both the Ottawa and Kingston areas as well as affordable housing development through employment with Tim Welch Consulting Inc. Currently, Tim is currently employed as Senior Manager, Data and Business Analytics with Housing Services Corporation (HSC) where he provides support to Service Managers across Ontario with respect to researching, analyzing, and presenting data related to their affordable housing assets.
Nick
Nick has property management experience with St. Clare’s Multifaith Housing Society and Wigwamen where he faced a broad range of challenges in social housing management. Nick has additional experience as a development consultant with SHS and Wigwamen, securing funding from CMHC SEED Programs, the City of Toronto Open Door program, as well as the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. In his current role at CMHC, he has also gained experience in administration, First Nations issues and financial compliance. Nick believes that developing non-profits into strong institutions that can expand substantially to fulfill a greater mandate is the only true solution to the housing and homelessness crisis.
Mohamad
Mohamad was born and lived in Damascus, Syria, and was a businessperson before moving to Canada. Mohamad began living in one of HOTT’s houses in July 2019. He has shared that his life before HOTT had a lot of suffering but since moving in he has felt safe. He finds the HOTT staff team to be kind and helpful as he transitions into life in Canada. Mohamad has served on HOTT’s Board of Directors since 2022 and has brought a valuable perspective to the group by sharing both his business experience and his perspective as a resident.
Natasha
Natasha held progressively senior policy and advocacy roles at the Toronto Region Board of Trade. Natasha also spent ten years in economic development, market intelligence and enterprise risk planning consulting roles. Natasha’s current role is Manager of Research at Canada Infrastructure Bank. Natasha holds Master of Arts in Business Economics from Wilfrid Laurier University. She is also a Certified Economic Developer with Economic Development Association of Canada (EDAC) and has completed her Project Management Professional (PMP) designation.
Born in Moscow, Russia, Natasha now lives in Toronto’s Bloor West Village.
Erisa
Erisa is currently employed as General Counsel for a Toronto-based investment management firm. As a corporate lawyer with over 12 years of experience in the legal field she has developed strong skills in advocacy, communication, and governance. Her work experience advising boards of public and private companies in the real estate and infrastructure space has equipped her with a deep understanding of board governance, oversight, and strategic leadership, as well as some of the issues and factors impacting HOTT. Erisa is confident that her collaborative approach and ability to think critically and creatively, combined with her passion for HOTT’s mission will make her a strong asset. Erisa has been inspired by HOTT’s mission and impact on affordable housing, and is eager to bring her skills, experience, and passion for the wellbeing of residents to our team.
Ashmin
Ashmin brings significant experience from his roles at Casai and Silkhaus. At Casai, he defined and implemented the vision that grew the company from 30 apartments in one city to over 1,000 apartments across five cities, while building and scaling a team of 35 employees across three countries. At Silkhaus, he co-founded the company and scaled a short-term rental operation to over 200 properties across three cities in 18 months, raising significant funds with a positive guest experience. These experiences provide him with the skills to help HOTT manage and grow its housing portfolio effectively. Ashmin is eager to support HOTT’s mission to provide affordable housing in Toronto. Ashmin has seen firsthand how people are getting priced out of the market and finds it deeply concerning. He feels that being on the Board would allow him to help expand HOTT’s impact, ensuring more people have access to safe and affordable homes. With his background in real estate and hospitality, he believes he can contribute valuable insights and strategies to help address these pressing housing challenges.
