Our People

Penny Gurstein, Co-Chair

Board Member Since 2022

Penny is Professor Emeritus and past Director of the School of Community and Regional Planning at the University of British Columbia, where she now co-leads the Housing Research Collaborative. Her work focuses on the socio-cultural dimensions of community planning, with an emphasis on marginalized populations. She holds degrees in Sociology from York University, Architecture (UBC), and a Master’s and PhD in Architecture from University of California, Berkeley.  

Penny has served on numerous boards and advisory committees, including BC Housing and the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, where she was board liaison to Tikva Housing. She is frequently consulted by all levels of government and the media on housing and planning issues. 

Andrew Charney, Co-Chair

Board Member Since 2022

Andrew is the Director of Asset Management at Nch'kay Development Corporation, with over a decade of experience in the multi-residential rental industry, including roles in property management, asset management, and development at Peterson Group and CAPREIT. Originally from Toronto, he has lived and worked across Canada, the Netherlands, and Spain, and has called Vancouver home since 2018. He holds a BA in International Business and Spanish from the University of Guelph and an MSc in Cities and Urban Planning from the London School of Economics.  

Outside of work, Andrew enjoys skiing, hiking, camping, trying new restaurants, and volunteering in his local Jewish community.

Jeremy Berger, Vice Chair

Board Member Since 2019

Jeremy has worked in various roles in the real estate industry since 2012 and is currently a project manager.  

Born in France and raised in Vancouver, he completed a Bachelor of Commerce and a diploma in Urban Land Economics from the University of British Columbia, along with the RI designation from the Real Estate Institute of BC.  

Jeremy applies his professional expertise and previous board experience to support Tikva Housing’s mission of providing affordable housing and strengthening community. He is passionate about providing all those in need with a safe, accessible, and permanent place to call home.

Oriana Gertsman, Treasurer

Board Member Since 2023

Oriana is a lifelong Vancouverite with a passion for commercial real estate. She uses her finance expertise as part of the investment team at Grosvenor, an international property company.   

She has a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a Real Estate specialization from the University of British Columbia and is also active with CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) Vancouver. She enjoys walking her city’s beautiful seawall and exploring Vancouver’s diverse food scene.

Rhonda Sacks

Board Member Since 2019

Rhonda brings over 35 years of diverse experience spanning real estate, business, and non-profit leadership to her role on Tikva’s board of directors. She began her career importing fashion, cultivating strong relationships with suppliers and clients nationally and internationally. Her executive management journey has led to roles in fashion merchandising, computer training, and as Assistant Executive Director at the Jewish Community Centre. 

Over the past decade, Rhonda has focused on resource development and fundraising for both local and global non-profits. She served as Tikva’s Board Chair from 2019 until 2024 and continues to contribute her expertise to expand access to safe, affordable housing—a vital priority for the community. 

Rory Richards

Board Member Since 2019

Rory Richards has dedicated more than twenty years to founding and leading numerous successful, cross-sector Canadian businesses. Rory’s work at NUQO blends her community-first, values-led mindset with modular construction methods to tackle one of society’s biggest challenges: affordable and Indigenous housing.  

 Honoured with the Medal of Good Citizenship by the Province of British Columbia, as well as the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, Rory’s history of heart-led work is long. The outstanding, female-led construction team she’s built at NUQO reflects Rory’s integrity, passion for social justice, and fierce advocacy for quality, culturally appropriate housing. Rory is also a vocal supporter of quality childcare and has worked alongside respected advocates for many years to increase access.  

Sheila Sontz

Board Member Since 2020

Sheilais a seasoned real estate professional with expertise in both residential and commercial sectors. Based in Vancouver since 2008, she holds a BBA from York University, Realtor designation, in addition to the RI(BC) and Candidate Appraiser designations from the Real Estate Institute of B.C. and the Appraisal Institute of Canada.

 Sheila further honed her skills through studies in commercial real estate appraisal at UBC Sauder School of Business and human resource management at BCIT. Passionate about addressing housing challenges within the Jewish community, she contributes her deep market knowledge and commitment to the mission of Tikva Housing. 

Haley Crooks

Board Member Since 2021

Haley is passionate about housing equity and ensuring everyone has access to safe, stable shelter. With an M.Ed in School Psychology from UBC and a BA in Psychology, she spent years working in inner city schools, supporting students and families facing economic hardship. 

She values bringing this background into her work with Tikva Housing, especially in the conversations she has with rent relief applicants. Haley appreciates the chance to connect with people one-on-one and see firsthand how access to safe, affordable housing can create meaningful change in their lives.

Robyn Cooper

Board Member Since 2024

Robyn was born and raised in Vancouver. She obtained a BA in Psychology from the University of Victoria and has a Doctor of Law from Thompson Rivers University. Robyn has practiced commercial real estate for the past seven years, initially as an associate with a national law firm and currently, as Director, Legal at Peterson Group. She looks forward to using her experience to support Tikva’s mission of providing affordable housing to the community. 

Barbara Gordon

Board Member Since 2024

Barbara is a retired architect with over 35 years experience in design, construction, capital planning and project management.  

After earning a bachelor’s degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and studying architecture at UBC, she launched her career in Toronto, working on non-profit housing projects, theatres, and commercial renovations. This was followed by 20 years with  UBC Infrastructure Development—first as a facilities planner and project manager, later as Director of Capital Planning—where she led the development, coordination and implementation of multi‑year capital plans, facilities and system upgrades, and securing of government and UBC Board funding and approvals.

Jeff Witten

Board member since 2024

Jeff Witten is a native of Edmonton who moved to Vancouver in 1987 to attend UBC law school and never left. For 30 years, he practiced personal injury law, prior to retiring in the summer of 2023.

Jeff and his wife Jane Stoller are fortunate enough to have two wonderful children. In his free time. he travels, skis, golfs, road bikes, walks his dog, hangs out with friends and volunteers for a variety of causes.

Within Vancouver’s Jewish community, Jeff is actively involved in several different organizations, with a particularly keen interest in assisting those experiencing housing challenges.

Anat Gogo, Executive Director

Nick Miles, Director of Operations

Joe Anderson, Property Manager

Wei Liu, Housing Development Manager

Damon van der Linde, Manager, Communications, Fundraising and Development

May Stefanov, Tenant Relations Coordinator

Edwina Haboosheh, Finance Coordinator

Ethan Stoppi, Property Services Coordinator

Katie Leyvikova, Administrative Assistant

Jacqueline Osei Amaniampong, Corporate Secretary

Viktoria Bernard, Jewish Family Services

Acquisitions Committee

Jeremy Berger, Chair

Adi Bunim, Member

Dan Granirer, Member

Michael Grudman, Member

Penny Gurstein, Member

Kasimir Kish, Member

Michael Lipton, Member

Asset Management Committee

Jeremy Berger, Member

Sean Reisman, Member

Geoffery Rosen, Member

Finance Committee

Oriana Gertsman, Chair

Jeremy Berger, Member

Yahel Jarus-Hakak, Member

Donor Relations Committee

Rhonda Sacks, Chair

Brent Davis, Member