What does the Board do?
The Board of Directors is responsible for managing the organization honestly, in good faith, and in the best interest of the organization. This work includes financial management, program and policy planning, implementation and evaluation, communication, and strategic direction. All committees report to the Board of Directors. The committees provide background information and make recommendations to the Board. The Board works closely with the Executive Director. Meet CCOC’s 2025-2026 Board of Directors below! To find out more about joining the Board, click here.
Liz Allan – President (2025-2026)
Liz is retired after over 35 years in the military and public service. During this period, Liz gained experience in a variety of management areas including strategic planning, business planning, risk management and project management. Through her work with refugee sponsorship and resettlement Liz gain a deeper understanding of the difficulties people have in securing affordable housing in Ottawa. It was while working to secure affordable housing for a refugee family that Liz learned about CCOC. Liz had been a member of the Development committee since late 2023. Working with CCOC and the development committee has sparked an interest in the complex issue of affordable housing. Liz has a desire to pursue ways to ensure people have access to affordable housing across Ottawa.
Jean Noël Akono (2025-2028)
Jean is a finance professional specializing in investment banking, project finance, and corporate finance. His career highlights include serving as an investment officer for strategic infrastructure projects and a major real estate transaction. He was responsible for the design and implementation of innovative financing solutions, the management of investor relations, the oversight of efficient project execution, and the provision of strategic advisory services informed by rigorous analytical findings. His commitment to promoting sustainable development and alleviating extreme poverty makes CCOC’s mandate particularly compelling, and is keen to offer his competencies as a Board member.
Nnamdi Anyene (2024-2026)
Nnamdi has over 12 years of experience in the banking, financial services and consulting industries. He is well-versed in strategy, advisory, policy development, process improvements and change management. Nnamdi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and a Masters in Taxation from St. John’s University, New York. He has previously served on the board of local and foreign non-profits including Kids on The Block, Ottawa. Nnamdi is passionate about social development, innovation, creativity, and communities that are healthy, energy-efficient, and respectful of nature. In his spare time, Nnamdi enjoys writing and hiking.
Jahlani Burke (2025-2028)
Jahlani is a union activist serving his second term on the executive council position at the local level for the Canadian Union of Public Employees and a blue-collar maintenance worker for the City of Ottawa with a Bachelor of Arts specializing in Communications and a minor in Political Science from Laurentian University. Jahlani believes in the power and the importance of building compassionate communities. 2SLGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and under 30, Jahlani is passionate about equity and inclusion for all.
Mitchell Cogan (2023-2025)
Mitchell Cogan is an Ottawa native and a retired Senior Project Leader with academic training as a professional city planner and significant experience in corporate real estate, investment analysis, acquisition, disposal, and leasing. His training and expertise have led to a successful 35+ year career, with long-standing positions at the City of Ottawa and Public Services and Procurement Canada, where he analyzed and advised senior management on real property portfolios.
Yohanan Demeke (2024-2026)
Yohanan Demeke (She/Her, INFP) is a University of Ottawa graduate with an Honours Bachelor in International Development and Globalization, specializing in Gender Studies and African Studies. She has extensive experience in project management, ESG analysis for impact investing, workshop facilitation, and proposal writing. She is passionate about climate resilience, youth empowerment, and gender equality. Yohanan is the 2014 Black History Ottawa Community Builder Award recipient and the first-place winner of the 2019 University of Ottawa Faculty of Social Sciences’ Social Innovation Competition. Currently, Yohanan is the manager of the TWC Mentorship Program at the Somali Centre for Family Services. She is also a 2024 DYLOTT Black Diplomats Academy fellow and Co-Creath Lab research fellow. Yohanan is committed to volunteerism. With the Canadian Center for Women’s Empowerment, she is a volunteer policy analyst. With Youth
Action Now, she is a grant reviewer. In her free time, Yohanan loves shopping for vintage gems, reading, and hiking.
Sophia Kelly-Langer (2024-2026)
Sophia Kelly-Langer is a lifelong resident of Centretown, and Project Coordinator for the Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa. Her work generally addresses the concept of pipelines into homelessness and the steps we can take to make it rare, brief, and non-recurring. She believes strongly in by-community for-community initiatives. Coming from a Child and Youth Care background and into Social Work, she sees home as the heart of a family or community’s safety and well-being. Outside of work, Sophia shares her home with her spouse, three children, five animals, and a consistently half-finished craft pile.
Olu’ Meso (2024-2026)
Olu offers more than ten years of experience in project management, sustainability initiatives, and financial management. He works for Gloucester Housing Corporation as the facilities manager. Olu has a Master’s degree in information science and is currently honing his talents at the University of Ottawa by enrolling in an MBA program with a focus on sustainable management. Olu’s first full-time position at CCOC, as a newcomer to Canada in 2019, had a profound impact on his career path and sparked a lifelong interest in social housing provision. His desire to further the goals and objectives of CCOC are evidence of his appreciation and dedication to giving back to the community that accepted him.
Gil F.G. Miranda (2025-2028)
Gil has been passionate about social causes for a long time. While living in Manaus, Brazil, he saw public education failing as the fundamental social basis that families could rely on. As part of a grassroots movement, Gil helped spread different teaching practices to improve the reach of Manaus’ public schools. After immigrating to Canada, he was shocked to see that in such a wealthy country with harsh winters, housing was not guaranteed for everyone. After 3 years of volunteering in the Rental and Finance Committees, Gil hopes to keep on helping CCOC’s mission of providing affordable housing in Ottawa.
Brad Smallwood (2025-2028)
Brad has 25 years of not-for-profit board experience, mostly in executive roles. He has experience in fiscal management and strategic planning. As a retired Public Service Lawyer, he is skilled in risk management and conflict management and has a pragmatic approach to problem solving. As a person with a disability (muscular dystrophy) and a long-time CCOC tenant, he believes that his perspective is valuable to the Board. He is easygoing but a hard-working team member. He prides himself on being able to get along with anybody and bring a positive attitude to any situation.
CC Smith (2025-2028)
CC is a CCOC tenant since 2018, living in the Byward Market. She is an experienced communicator with a passion for storytelling, working as the Communications and Reporting Manager for Boann Social Impact. Previously, CC worked for the Government of Canada, working on notable projects such as authoring the Defence Investment Plan Annual Update 2019 and launching the Social Finance Fund. CC holds a BA in Political Science and an MA in Public Policy and Administration. She is also unapologetically neurodivergent, disabled, and queer. Combining her education, professional experience, and life experience including growing up in a low-income family, CC is confident she can support and advance CCOC’s mission.
Obinna “Obi” Udegbunam (2025-2028)
Obinna Udegbunam (Obi) is a seasoned financial professional with over 10 years of experience in banking and financial services, specializing in advisory, business financing, and acquisitions. A graduate of the University of Manitoba with an honors degree in economics, Obi will bring a strategic, analytical lens to the Board of Directors. Passionate about creating solutions to socioeconomic issues, especially improving access to affordable housing, Obi is committed to using his financial expertise and his knowledge of the general financial markets and economy to drive meaningful change. He is honored to support the organization’s focus
of creating, maintaining, and promoting affordable housing.
Janoah Willsie (2024-2026)
Janoah is a long-time resident of Ottawa and has been a CCOC tenant for almost four years. She has lived in many rental properties and knew CCOC was different since day one. Janoah appreciates the way CCOC cares about its tenants and the Ottawa community. She is passionate about affordable, good quality housing in the city’s downtown and joined the Board to give back to the organization and have a positive impact on the future of CCOC. Janoah works as a policy advisor at Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami in downtown Ottawa and loves walking and biking around the city.
Varinia Seclén Zamora (2025-2028)
Motivated and innovative architect with expertise in architecture and urban design. She has a diploma in BIM Lifecycle Management. Her professional background includes 6+ years of experience, complemented by an MA in Sustainable and Urban Design. She volunteered in Barcelona and collaborated with organizations like Fundació Catalunya Voluntària (FCV), fostering inclusion, cross-cultural understanding, active volunteering, and intercultural dialogue. Through her efforts, she supported youth and newcomers by providing non-formal education, facilitating social integration, and addressing community needs. She organized workshops, community-building events, and helped individuals adapt to their new environment. Varinia’s expertise and dedication to community engagement make her a strong candidate for the CCOC Board, where she aims to support diverse communities.
