General Manager of Wigwamen Incorporated since 1998, Angus has overall responsibility for the management of Wigwamen’s 770 unit portfolio. As General Manager, his responsibilities include, but are not limited to, human resource management; long-range financial planning; and government relations. He took a lead role in the development of “Wigwamen Waabnong”, the award-winning transitional and affordable housing project constructed at 20 Sewells Road; “Place Perrault”, Wigwamen’s affordable housing project in Ottawa; and the new Pan Am / Parpan Am Games Affordable Housing Legacy project in the West Donlands area of downtown Toronto.

Prior to joining Wigwamen, he worked as a Development Consultant, assisting in the development of 24 different non-profit and co-operative housing projects totaling over 800 units throughout Ontario, and assisting in the management of non-profit housing projects.

Angus has also played an active role in his community, having served on the Boards of Directors of the Sudbury District Local Housing Authority, Agincourt Community Services Association, and Access Housing Connections Inc., and having been Secretary of two non-profit housing corporations.

In his spare time he enjoys exploring Manitoulin Island, reading, and listening to classical music.

A graduate of the University of Western Ontario, Anita is a Certified Management Accountant. She has held senior positions in accounting for over 20 years and previously worked for more than 10 years in a commercial property management company.

In her current role, she oversees the financial and accounting aspects of Wigwamen Incorporated and its clients. She is a valuable resource to our site staff in dealing with issues of accounting, bookkeeping, budgeting, investments and answering any financial questions.

Anita enjoys listening to classical music and has been a pianist for a few decades.

Stacey is the Accounting Clerk for Wigwamen Incorporated and Wigwamen Non-Profit Residential Corp. She began working at Wigwamen in 2009 and handles all aspects of accounts payable and some accounts receivable functions.

Stacey was born in the Ukraine where she attended Odessa State University. She has a diploma in Marketing and Economy and has completed various accounting and computerized accounting courses at George Brown College.

In her free time, Stacey enjoys literature, history, architecture, gardening and travelling.

Dritan joined Wigwamen in 2007 in the role of Energy Efficiency Co-ordinator, and in 2013, became the Maintenance Manager.

As Energy Efficiency Coordinator, Dritan oversaw energy performance and upgrades in all properties of Wigwamen’s portfolio including identifying opportunities for energy efficiency improvements; analyzing potential impacts, benefits and paybacks; as well as following up with implementation of such upgrades. He continues to have responsibility for monitoring energy consumption at Wigwamen properties and preparing reports on energy savings arising from energy retrofits undertaken.

As Maintenance Manager for Wigwamen Incorporated, Dritan is responsible for: supervising maintenance staff; ensuring that a comprehensive preventative maintenance program is in place; co-ordinating the inspection of properties and inspecting repair work; co-ordinating the preparation of specifications for turnovers and major renovations; home inspections and the tendering process; and preparing and monitoring the maintenance and replacement reserve budgets.

Before joining Wigwamen Incorporated, Dritan was working as energy advisor licensed by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan).

Dritan holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Tirana, Diploma in Building Systems Engineering from Seneca College, and Certification as an Energy Advisor and Trainer from NRCan.

Dritan enjoys reading, fishing, swimming but above all spending time with his family.

Jasmine Persaud is the Maintenance Clerk at Wigwamen’s head office. She began working as a contract employee and was then hired full-time in June, 2015. Jasmine fields maintenance requests from Wigwamen’s tenants; ensures that the requests are referred to appropriate maintenance staff or contractors; and liaises with contractors and maintenance staff to ensure completion of work. She is also responsible for mailing out the maintenance surveys on a biannual basis.

Born in England, Jasmine enjoys fishing, travelling, and spending time with family and friends.

As the Tenant Relations Officer for Wigwamen’s 230 family housing units, Jodi Hetherington has extensive experience in tenant counselling, selection of new tenants, income verification, rent adjustments, and lease administration. As well as the on-the-job learning that such a position has demanded, Jodi has continued to advance her tenant relations skills, having for instance taken a course for frontline workers run by Community Information Services. Jodi has been with Wigwamen since 1989.

Jodi was born and raised in North York, and continues to live in the city. Her hobbies include sightseeing, bicycle riding and gardening. She is the driving force behind “Flower Power,” the annual garden contest for Wigwamen’s Toronto tenants.

Alla Ponomarenko has been with Wigwamen since March 2002. Her responsibilities have evolved from being an Administrative Assistant to taking on the role of Waiting List Manager & Accounts Receivable. She is also Wigwamen’s official photographer.

Alla graduated from Donetsk’s Building Engineering Academy in Ukraine with an Honours Bachelor Degree in Civil Engineering. In 1999, she successfully completed a Property Management Career Preparation Course, gaining a thorough knowledge of the Tenant Protection Act. Alla continues to update her education, having most recently taken computer and other courses at the Toronto University.

Born and raised in Ukraine, Alla immigrated to Canada with her family in 1999. She has been an avid traveller since her adolescence, and very much enjoys site-seeing, reading and gardening. Creating a warm and comfortable home for her family in Canada is a priority for Alla.

Amber is from Burleigh Falls and is a registered member of Curve Lake First Nation. As a teenager, Amber lived in Wigwamen housing with her family, which provided her with a meaningful understanding of the importance that safe and affordable housing provides to Indigenous families and their quality of life. She became passionate about pursuing a career that would allow her to work with Indigenous families in the housing sector.

Amber joined Wigwamen in 2008 after graduating from the Social Service Worker program at Fleming College. She works in a dual role as Wigwamen’s Special Initiatives Coordinator, where she is responsible for the delivery of Wigwamen’s children’s programming such as our Children’s Book and Back-to-School Programs, and as our Waiting List Administrator where she is responsible for communicating with applicants regarding the application process, receiving and processing housing applications and maintaining a current and updated waiting list.

In her spare time, Amber enjoys spending time with her very adventurous son and is an avid crafter.

Lystra McCollin is the Receptionist/Administrative Assistant at Wigwamen’s head office in Toronto. She began working for Wigwamen in May 2008.

Before coming to work at Wigwamen, Lystra worked for several years as a property manager.

Lystra was born in Trinidad and enjoys working with people.

Paul joined Wigwamen in March of 2022 and brings more than 25 years of experience working in the field of social housing management. He has a degree in economics from the University of Waterloo and a Masters in Environmental Studies from York University where he focused on urban planning and affordable housing.

Paul has worked in the co-op sector, for two supportive housing providers and in his most recent position, spent fifteen years at Toronto Community Housing as an Operations Unit Manager. There he was responsible for the senior’s east portfolio and therefore has considerable experience working with seniors, the issues they face and challenges that are presented to housing providers in accommodating their needs.

Paul enjoys the outdoors, cross country skiing in the winter, cycling and fishing in the summer and spending as much time as he can up north. He is a big sports fan, cheering on the Leafs, Raptors, Blue Jays and Buffalo Bills and is the very proud father of two boys.

Norm (“Neute”) Mitchell and Frances Folz have been the Resident Superintendents at Wigwamen Terrace since March 1999. Together they are responsible for the maintenance work on site and in the units, and for the general cleaning of all public areas in the building.

Frances looks after most of the daily cleaning and janitorial maintenance tasks at the Terrace. In time off, she enjoys cooking and maintains an avid interest in computers.

For his part, Neute takes on the inspection and upkeep of the building’s equipment. While taking responsibility for all work orders and turnovers at the Terrace, Neute also works half-time doing turnovers in Wigwamen’s family housing portfolio. His previous job experience ranges from the operation of large machinery and appliance repair, to arboreal work.

Milroy Hoosein joined the Wigwamen Incorporated team in 2003 as the Manager of Wigwamen Terrace, but moved over to manage the company’s new, 92-unit affordable housing project at 20 Sewells Road during the summer of 2005. In his new position, his duties include: general tenant relations; new tenant selection; arrears; administration of maintenance and repair work; office administration; and the coordination of activities and events for the tenants.

In 2011, Milroy assumed responsibility for the management of Wigwamen’s 60-unit apartment building at 228 Galloway Road. He continues to manage both buildings.

Milroy is a Registered Condominium Manager (RCM) and is an accredited member of the Institute of Housing Management. He came to Wigwamen with 7 years experience in property management, including condominium management, and extensive knowledge of both the Tenant Protection Act and the Condominium Act. Prior to becoming a condominium manager, he worked as a building manager for a 320-unit high-rise apartment building where his duties included the rent-up of apartments and ensuring that all building systems met the required standards.

In his spare time, Milroy enjoys reading, swimming and playing table tennis.

Terry Marcus and Donna Fanjoy are the Resident Superintendents at Wigwamen’s 92-unit apartment complex at 20 Sewells Road. Together they are responsible for the maintenance work on the site and in the units, and for the general cleaning of all public areas in the building. While Donna attends to the daily cleaning and janitorial maintenance tasks, Terry is responsible for all work orders and unit turnovers, as well as maintenance inspections and upkeep of the building’s equipment.

Terry has been with Wigwamen since 1996 and prior to his promotion to 20 Sewells Road, he was the Maintenance Assistant for the Family Housing Portfolio.

In their time away from work, Terry and Donna enjoy summer days at their cottage in the Kawarthas.

Chris Dayrit joined Wigwamen in June of 2020 as the Superintendent of 228 Galloway Road. He is responsible for cleaning and maintenance in common areas, as well as unit maintenance within the 60-unit building. Chris manages all contractors, performs unit turnovers, and is on call 24/7 for emergencies.

Christin started his career as a building superintendent under REALSTAR Management in 2010, and later worked for Del Management Solutions and HR Property Management. Christin has applied the knowledge he gained through working at home renovations to his position as superintendent, and has furthered his knowledge through taking courses in such things as swimming pool and sauna operations.

Christin is a member of the “League of Filipino Canadian Building Superintendents” and a part-time instructor at the International Building Maintenance Academy in Scarborough. He has been married to his one and only wife since 1983, and has been blessed with 4 children — 3 boys and a girl. He loves to fish, read, play basketball, go on trail walks, and attend services at Grace Bible Church International.

Angela joined Wigwamen Incorporated in November 2015 to fill a maternity leave as manager of Place Perrault in Ottawa. Her duties include: new tenant selection; office administration; tenant relations; and coordinating maintenance and repairs.

Before coming to Wigwamen Angela was the regional manager of a large private career college. Angela is the proud mother of one son. She is actively involved at her son’s school as well as in the development of his many budding interests.

In her spare time, Angela enjoys spending time with her family, listening to classical music, reading, and the occasional run.

Randall joined Wigwamen in June 2021 as the Superintendent of Place Perrault. He is responsible for unit turnovers, janitorial and preventative maintenance, unit inspections, work orders, and responding to after hours emergencies.

Randall was born and raised in Ottawa and has almost 30 years of experience in property maintenance. When time permits, Randall enjoys cycling and walks in Orléans trails.

Lynne Vallis joined Wigwamen in 1997 in the role of Office Manager at head office. Twenty years later, she moved on to become the Property Manager at 75 Cooperage Street. In this position, Lynne’s duties include general tenant relations; new tenant selection; arrears; administration of maintenance and repair work; office administration; and the coordination of activities and events for the tenants.

Before coming to work at Wigwamen in 1997, Lynne was employed by Fenn Beattie Masterson, a chartered accountant firm. When not at work, Lynne enjoys reading and spending time with her grandchildren.

Andrew Duckworth started with Wigwamen in 2016 and is the Superintendent of Wigwamen’s 145-unit complex at 75 Cooperage Street.

Andrew is broadly responsible for maintenance work on the site and in the units. More specifically, he is responsible for all work orders, unit turnovers, service calls, managing of contractors, maintenance inspections, upkeep of the building equipment, and responding to after-hours emergencies.

In his free time, Andrew enjoys spending family quality time with his wife and three daughters who are Wolf clan of the Nisga’a Nation. He likes to go on outings, have movie nights, teach his girls to cook, and engage in family physical activities such as rollerblading, biking, running, swimming, and skateboarding.

Andrew loves being part of the Wigwamen family and hopes to spend many more years with them in the future.

Aanii – Hello! Steven Fanjoy is Ojibwe and part of the Serpent River First Nations Reserve (Cutler) along the North Channel of Lake Huron.

Steven has history and special ties to Wigwamen Incorporated. His grandmother, Marie Folz, was the first Wigwamen tenant in 1972. Born and raised in Toronto, Steven also grew up living in a Wigwamen house, with his parents, for 17 years in the city’s west end.

After joining Wigwamen’s maintenance department in 2018, Steven was quickly promoted to superintendent at 525 Markham Road. He is a certified locksmith and an experienced contractor.

Steven’s responsibilities as superintendent include maintenance, service calls, unit turnovers, building inspections, machinery testing, and tending to after hours emergency calls. He is also the company photographer for the annual picnic and other events.

Spending quality time with his wife Megan and their four children is a priority for Steven. Together, they enjoy going on excursions such as to Pow Wows, the park, drive-ins, camping and playing sports. Steve also likes playing games such as pool, foosball, ping pong and cards.

Steven is passionate about helping tenants and other staff. He continues to give back to the Wigwamen community, where he hopes to have a long and meaningful career. Miigwetch – thank you!

Natalie Spence joined Wigwamen in late July 2023 as the Program Manager of the Housing and Homelessness Programs. Her responsibilities consist of overseeing the activities of the Aboriginal Supports to Daily Living Program, Follow-up Supports Program, Cultural Supports Program, Aboriginal Housing Support Centre (AHSC), and the Housing First Program. Natalie has worked with families, young persons, men, and women in the community for over 10 years in different capacities. She is passionate about assisting her community in learning, overcoming, and creating new beginnings.

Natalie was born in Alberta and raised in the city of Toronto. Her mother’s family is from Fort Albany First Nation, located on the southern shore of the Albany River along the west coast of James Bay. Her father’s family is from Quito, Ecuador, named after the Equator, the imaginary line around the Earth that splits the country into two hemispheres: Northern and Southern.

In her spare time, Natalie likes to be adventurous and a little daring while travelling. She also enjoys kayaking, playing volleyball, and spending time with family and friends.

Antonella, who goes by Toni, has been a Child & Youth Practitioner for 17 years. She graduated with her C.Y.W 3-year diploma in 2004 from Centennial College. She then went on to work in the educational system with youth on the autism spectrum for almost 2 years then moved on to working with youth 15 and young adults who were dealing with trauma, addictions, criminal justice system, intergenerational trauma, housing, academic and career pathway planning.

Toni went back to college in 2015 to obtain her Honors B.A. in Child & Youth Care, which she successfully completed in 2017. Toni then went on to work in community centers and the shelter system, advocating for housing stability and rights, food security and taught groups about Diversity and Inclusion, Conflict Resolution through Indigenous Practices, Self-Care, Understanding Trauma and Triggers and Building Self-Esteem. Toni has always had a passion for helping people and for being an ally.

Toni is the proud mom of two adult children, her daughter who is Metis and her son who is ASD . She is also the proud grandmother of a granddaughter.

In her spare time, Toni enjoys watching Marvel, DC and sci-fi movies. Toni is also an avid martial artist for the past 15 years and most times you can find her training in Muay Thai because she feels it is great for the body, mind, and spirit. She also takes part in courses and trainings that are about Indigenous peoples and their histories while staying updated on current issues.

Lori joined us as the Housing First Worker at the Aboriginal Housing Support Centre in December of 2016.

Lori brings many years of experience assisting homeless people in Toronto to secure and keep their housing in the community.

She also has experience providing tenant support services to tenants in supportive housing, and brings with her a keen understanding of subsidized and supportive housing issues, and strategies to help applicants navigate that system, as well as the private rental market.

In 2000, with the creation of a new housing help sector by the City of Toronto, Lori saw the value and importance of these new workers having an opportunity to network with, and learn from, existing housing help workers in the city. In this context, she and a handful of other workers created the R.E.N.T. (Resources Exist for Networking & Training) network of housing workers which has grown into an important online resource for housing professionals in the years since.

Lori’s personal interests include art and music. She enjoys painting, creating mosaics, and playing guitar and ukulele. For three years, she lived in southern Illinois, U.S.A. where she and her late husband performed old time music with a string band, and as a duo they performed at heritage fairs and fiddle contests.

Charlene Miner is Ojibwe from the “Okikendawt Island” (meaning Island of the Buckets/Pails) near the historical French River part of Robinson Huron Territory and she is a registered member of Dokis First Nation, Mi-gi-ze (Eagle Clan).

From 1999-2001, Charlene obtained a Community Health Worker Certificate from Anishnawbe Health Toronto and George Brown College, with on-the-job training and course work in Traditional Health and Culture, Community Development, Health Promotion, Advocacy and Counselling, and Community Street Outreach Work. Her passion and mission are to support her people in any way she can.

Since May 2017 Charlene has been Wigwamen’s Tenant Resource Coordinator for the Aboriginal Supports to Daily Living Program at 75 Cooperage St. This role has given her the opportunity to provide an array of supports to tenants at Cooperage St. from supportive counselling to helping tenants and their families achieve their goals for employment, education, health promotion, and housing stability, while keeping them linked to their cultural and traditional heritage.

In her spare time, Charlene loves spending time with her 4 grandchildren, and when they’re too busy for her she enjoys watching documentaries and real crime shows. She enjoys researching information on Indigenous peoples and their political histories while staying updated on contemporary issues in Canada.

Sherine Goslyn began working at Wigwamen in July 2021. She is a Follow-up Support Worker on the Coordinated Follow-up Support Program team. She comes with an educational background in Social Work.
Sherine has over 5 years of experience working with vulnerable populations. Her longest serving role to date has been her administration and support role in the non-profit HIV AIDS service sector. She holds a passion for supporting others which has helped her to gain exceptional leadership skills.
As an ally Sherine has done amazing work supporting and advocating for People Living with HIV AIDS/LGBTQ+ newcomers and has held roles in positions such as Harm Reduction Worker, Shelter Staff, Housing Support, and a Peer Support Worker for Gender Based Violence.
Sherine builds rapport quickly and efficiently with everyone she works with and is determined to provide exceptional support through an array of networks she has developed throughout the years. Sherine values social equity, anti-oppressive practice, and quality in service delivery.

Richard (Richie) Cheesaquay is a Follow-Up Support Worker with Wigwamen Incorporated. The newest addition to the FUS program, starting early March 2022.

Richie is Anishinaabe from Treaty No. 9. registered to Whitesand First Nation in northwestern Ontario. He grew up in the Thunder Bay/ Winnipeg area where majority of his family lives. He is the eldest of seven siblings. Originally relocated to Toronto in 2012 where in time he graduated from George Brown College with a Diploma in the Community Worker Program.

Before Wigwamen, he has been involved with various Aboriginal agencies in Toronto. Most recently, with Aboriginal Legal Services as an Aboriginal Court Worker where he gained a lot of insight about the criminal justice system and the Gladue process for urban indigenous populations in Canada. Since the onset of the pandemic, he has been continuing his Bachelor’s of Social Work (BSW) part-time and remotely via McGill University.

In his spare time, he enjoys visiting family back home, travelling, swimming, hiking, biking, and spending as much time outside in the sun as possible.

Coming Soon!

Teresa was born in Terrace, British Columbia and is a registered member of the Gitanmaax Band. She belongs to the Gitxsan nation, which in English translates to “People of the River Mist”. Her father was from Nova Scotia and was part Mi’kmaw. She left BC at a young age and was raised in Toronto. Her mother was part of the 60’s scoop and grew up not knowing her culture or who her family was.

Teresa believes every Indigenous person has a right to learn culture and traditions. As the Cultural Supports Coordinator that is precisely what she wishes to bring to the residents of Wigwamen. Teresa has lived and worked in the urban Indigenous community of Toronto for over 20 years and is passionate about utilizing culture and traditions as a way to promote healing.

Teresa’s favourite pastime is beading. She also loves to play Mario video games with her children, hanging out on the beach, going swimming, camping, canoeing, and loves to binge watch her favourite shows and movies.

Kayla Wainwright is the new Cultural Supports Program Assistant at Wigwamen. She is also pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. Before Wigwamen and going back to school, Kayla worked as a program administrator for a medical residency training program as well as supporting children with special needs in elementary and high schools. Kayla’s goal is to pursue her MSW and continue to work for non-profit organizations.

She enjoys travelling, attending concerts, meeting new people, learning about different cultures, and spending time with her loved ones. As she continues her studies, Kayla looks forward to continuing to help people at Wigwamen.

Denise Stern began her role as Indigenous Ancestry Researcher in December 2022. Her responsibilities include interviewing and conducting genealogy research for applicants in need of Indigenous ancestry documentation.

She holds a Master of Information degree from the University of Toronto and an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in African Studies and History from York University. Denise has over 10 years of experience as an Information Specialist offering customized historical research and genealogical research. She is committed to free access to information and its dissemination, as she sees this as key to eliminating the barriers experienced by marginalized people.

In her spare time, Denise enjoys art, baking and spending time with family.

Dina joined Wigwamen in June 2024. She is responsible for creating and maintaining philanthropic support for the organisation’s mission and strategic directions.

Dina has a postgraduate degree in Healthcare Policy and Management from the University of Birmingham, UK and certificates from The Fund Raising School – Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Indiana University, USA: Developing Annual Sustainability, Advanced Digital Fundraising, Grant Management and Proposal Writing.

Dina has committed her career to improving the lives of underprivileged communities. Born in the heart of Central Asia, Dina grew up witnessing the challenges faced by marginalized populations and vowed to make a difference. Through her tireless efforts and unwavering commitment, she has established two non-profit organizations that provide access to education, healthcare, and more opportunities for those in need. Dina’s achievements have earned her recognition, including the awards for her work advocating for children’s rights in pediatric oncology and children’s palliative care.