Our People

Jack Wong

Jack recently retired in March 2020 as the Chief Executive Officer of the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia. Before being named CEO in February 2011, Jack worked in finance and administration with the Vancouver Board of Trade for ten years. Prior to that, he was a project controller for major real estate development projects in Greater Vancouver. A certified member and fellow of the Society of Management Accountants of Canada, Jack holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Business Administration from UBC.

Jack has an active volunteer life. In addition to Brightside, he currently serves on the boards of the Immigrant Services Society of BC and the Chinatown Foundation for Community Revitalization. He has also served on the boards of the Vancouver Police Foundation, Richmond Museum Society, Canadian Environmental Grantmakers Network, Canadian Society of Association Executives, Society of Management Accountants of BC (Vancouver Chapter). In addition he was a member of the External Advisory Councils for the UBC School of Community & Regional Planning and the SFU Faculty of Environment, and volunteered as a UBC Sauder MBA student mentor. Jack is a fellow of the Ford Foundation’s Regional Sustainable Development Program. He lives in Steveston with his wife Alanna and has two grown daughters.

Frank Chong

Frank Chong is Vice President and Deputy Superintendent (Financial Institution Regulation) with the BC Financial Services Authority (BCFSA). The BCFSA is the provincial regulator responsible for credit unions and trust companies, insurance companies, pension plans, mortgage brokers and the Credit Union Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Frank is also Vice Chair of the Canadian Council of Insurance Regulators (CCIR). He has participated in a number of industry working groups and is a member of the CD Howe Financial Services Research Initiative. Frank has 19 years of experience within the financial services sector. Prior to BCFSA, Frank held finance and management roles at a B.C. credit union, a chartered bank and an insurance brokerage firm.

Frank is a long-time resident of Vancouver and an active member of his community. He joined the Brightside Board with a desire to play an active role in local affordable housing. In his spare time, Frank works on his garden and loves to explore his City.

Willa Choy

Willa is currently the Director of Internal Audit at Technical Safety BC, an organization known for its innovative approaches to regulating technical systems and equipment. She is a seasoned audit professional with over 25 years auditing experience and is a regular advisor to both Management and the Board of Directors on risk, compliance, operational improvements and corporate governance.

In addition, Willa is currently the CPABC Chapter Board Chair, and is on the Board of Directors for Brightside Community Homes Foundation.
Willa holds a Bachelor Arts degree in Economics and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Human Resources Management, along with multiple professional designations. She was the 2012 recipient of the Top Talent Award for demonstrated strategic leadership and academic performance in the Certified Management Accountant Executive Program.

Greg Tooke

Greg is a successful leader and relationship builder with over 20 years of experience in business development, operational management, partnerships, and product/service delivery.
Originally from the UK, Greg has worked with organizations across Europe, Canada, the US and Japan from various sectors including technology, non-profit, transportation, construction, and utilities. Initially an engineer, Greg further developed his business acumen by way of an MBA and moved into more senior management positions highly focused on customer and partner development. He has helped both start-up and well-established clients with issues as varied as strategic planning, business and partnership development strategies, sales planning, operations, and organizational design.

Greg currently runs his own management consulting business, Light Trail Consulting [Programming note -Link to Light Trail Consulting website: lighttrail.ca], which has a focus on working with purpose-driven organizations to develop sustainable revenue growth. Light Trail is also a Certified B Corp [Programming note – Link to Light Rail website B Corp page: lighttrail.ca/bcorp], part of a movement of organizations that share the same philosophies of helping drive a shift toward a future of positive social and environmental change – good for people, good for the planet, and good for profit/purpose. Now based in Vancouver with his family, Greg is an avid soccer player, ongoing supporter of non-profits through volunteer and board work and is also a mentor with the entrepreneurship@UBC program, a program set up to maximize the number of successful ventures coming out of UBC.

Aran Clarke

Aran Clarke is Director, People Experience at Concert Properties. She is a seasoned human resources professional with deep experience with change management and transformation projects and initiatives. Her passion is people and supporting leaders and organizations to align their people related strategies with future organizational goals.

She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a Post Diploma in Human Resources. In 2018, Aran completed the Leadership Academy, a program sponsored by the Global Alliance for Banking on Values and curated and taught by MIT.

Aran has had the great fortune to work with several different organizations and industries over the past 15 years ranging from aviation to banking and now real estate. Aran currently leads the People Experience department at Concert Properties Ltd.

She is mother to two talented elementary school aged daughters and on weekends she can be found reading a good book, running or ferrying the girls to their various pursuits.

Judy Farhat

Judy Farhat is the lead manager of development at Western Canadian Properties Group. She has a background in design and management of complex high-rise residential, mixed use, and commercial projects at Westbank Corp. Judy is also the co-founder of BC Placemakers Association (BCPA), a for-impact organization that focuses on research, design, management and construction of urban public spaces. Judy is a registered Architect at the AIBC and has over 8 years of international experience in architectural mixed-use design in Vancouver, Tokyo, and Beirut.

Mark Lester

Mark Lester is a commercial real estate professional with close to 30 years of experience in that field. Mark specializes in the marketing and representation of unique real estate assets including resorts, comprehensive development sites, forestry and resource lands, private islands, marinas, golf courses and other specialized assets. Mark has a long track record in the sale of all types of development properties in Metro Vancouver and across western Canada and is the founder and leader of the Unique Properties Marketing Group at Colliers International in Vancouver.

As a former city planner and real estate consultant, Mark brings a hands-on understanding of the development market and approval processes in the City and how these forces can impact Brightside’s comprehensive portfolio and strategic plan. Mark was elected to the Brightside Board as a Director in 2017 after previously volunteering on multiple task force committees.

Dr. Atiya Mahmood

Dr. Atiya Mahmood is an Associate Professor at the Department of Gerontology at Simon Fraser University. She has a PhD in Architecture/Environment-Behaviour Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Her training is in environmental gerontology and her research focuses on health and built environments for older adults with a specific interest in neighbourhood environments, mobility/walkability, active living and pro-social behaviour/social engagement of diverse groups of older adults in community-based and supportive housing. She has over two decades experience in qualitative and mixed methods research in the areas of environment-behaviour studies and aging and built environment.

Dr. Mahmood has served on the Boards of Environment Design Research Association (EDRA) and Housing Education Research Association (HERA). She is also on the editorial board of the Journal of Aging and Environment. Her research interests are in health and the built environment with a focus on aging in the ‘right’ place, housing for older adults, seniors’ housing insecurity and homelessness, neighbourhood urban design, mobility and participation of older adults and person’s with disability.  She is an Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation Fellow in the Experienced Researcher Category.  She has been PI and  co-I on several grants related to aging, mobility, social participation, socio-spatial environment and health.  Funders include Social Science and Humanities Research Council, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Vancouver Foundation, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC), CapitalCare Foundation and Coalition of Health Environments Research (CHER). Her current funded projects include: Towards Barrier-Free Communities: A Partnership for Improving Mobility, Access and Participation (MAP) Among People with Disabilities (2020-2027) – Funding Agency- SSHRC;  Aging in the Right Place: Building Capacity for Promising Practices that Support Older People Experiencing Homelessness in Montreal, Calgary, and Vancouver. (2020-2025) Funding Agency: CMHC-SSHRC.

Vija Poruks

Vija joined Brightside after a diverse career of over 30 years with the Canadian federal government, holding senior management positions with Public Works and Government Services and the Canadian Coast Guard. She began her work life with Bachelor of Science and graduate courses in business, but has been learning ever since and has specialized training in purchasing and contracting, human resources, industrial relations, and project management. Vija has significant experience with financial and long-range business planning, delivery of complex operations over large geographical areas, conflict resolution and staff relations, and international conferences. As a result, Vija often refers to herself jokingly as a “professional generalist.” After leaving government, she worked for three years with Vancouver Shipyards Ltd. as a contract specialist, and now works part-time with Transport Canada.

Vija’s personal passion is travel and photography, and although she has already visited over 25 countries and been to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and the tips of the Andes, her future adventure list still remains long.

Darren Sauer

Darren Sauer is a leader in the construction management and property development industry, with over 15 years of experience in this dynamic and challenging area. As the Director of Development with Wales McLelland Construction focused on business development and preconstruction, he strives to understand clients’ and stakeholders’ needs and objectives, leading and driving projects forward.

Darren has always recognized the construction and development industry is more about building relationships and trust, than it is about bricks and mortar and brings these values to Brightside. He also brings expertise of all facets of development, gained through working on large scale, multi-year, complex rezoning and subdivision projects at one of western Canada’s largest private developers.

A recent graduate of the Executive MBA program from Simon Fraser University, Darren holds a PMP designation as well as a Bachelor’s Degree with Honours from BCIT.

Frode Skulbru

Frode is a business development, finance, and project management executive with experience from all facets of public-private partnerships and other types of airport contractual structures. Frode has over 20 years of international airport privatization experience across five continents, including consortium development, due diligence, transaction project management, financing, and negotiations. Frode has greatly enjoyed an internationally focused career until moving with his family to the Vancouver area, which he now calls home. As a board member at Brightside, Frode provides valuable insight, experience, and connections. He is fluent in English and Norwegian and functional in Swedish.

William Azaroff

William Azaroff is Brightside’s CEO. He ensures operations are resilient, properties are well maintained, residents and staff are happy and healthy, and that we achieve the organization’s goal of doubling the number of affordable homes Brightside provides over the next decade. Prior to joining the Brightside team, William was a long-time executive at Vancity. William is also on the board of the BC Non-Profit Housing Association and is former chair of Modo, a car-sharing co-operative and the Vancity Community Foundation.

Lilian Chau

Lilian Chau is Brightside’s Director of Community Real Estate. Lilian comes to Brightside from Vancity Credit Union, where she was the Community Investment Portfolio Manager supporting not-for-profits in the development of affordable rental housing. Lilian is a professional urban planner with extensive experience in community engagement, development and the affordable housing sector. She previously worked with the Port of Vancouver, City of Surrey and the Tsleil-Waututh Nation. Lilian currently sits on the board of Hiyám ta Sḵwxwú7mesh Housing Society, the Squamish Nation Housing Society. In her spare time she loves to bake and bike around the City.

Shannon Davidson

Shannon Davidson is Brightside’s Field Manager. Shannon is most often found on-site at Brightside’s various properties, coordinating the efforts of the maintenance team, various contractors and service providers on suite maintenance and renovations. Shannon brings over 20+ years of construction experience to this demanding role and has raised the bar for Brightside’s quality control standards. Shannon is strongly committed to customer service excellence and maintaining happy and healthy residents.

Mary McKay

Mary McKay is Brightside’s Director, People & Administrative Services. Mary serves as a culture ambassador for Brightside and her fellow colleagues with a strong sense of integrity and contagious enthusiasm. She is responsible for managing the people operations at Brightside and serves as a strategic Human Resources advisor to the CEO and management team. With 20+ years of experience in high-level administration, Mary oversees Brightside’s internal processes and practices to ensure the Foundation’s optimal performance. Mary has worked in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors, and is most passionate about working with mission-driven organizations.

Susan Moore

Susan Moore is Brightside’s Director of Community Development and Resident Support. Susan comes to us from the Seniors Come Share Society in Surrey, where she was Executive Director. No stranger to Brightside, Susan has worked alongside our organization for many years through her work at the BC Association of Community Response Networks and the West End Seniors Network. She brings a vast depth of experience in community development and support. In time, Susan looks forward to meeting the many wonderful residents of Brightside

Omar Sharif

Omar Sharif is Brightside’s Director of Finance, overseeing the accounting department. Omar has over 13 years of accounting experience, with 10 of those years focused on property management at a management level. Omar has CGA and CPA designations, and experience assisting various departments with strategic business operations

Ronald Singh

Ronald Singh is Brightside’s Director of Operations. He ensures buildings are well-maintained and upgrades happen on time and on budget to ensure our residents have good homes. Ronald brings 20 years of experience in Strata Management to the Brightside team. With professional experience in banking, Ronald also has his Diploma in Accounting and his license for strata management. Ronald believes in the importance of building relationships that help increase trust and the well-being of residents.