Our Staff

Mathieu Pierre Dagonas brings more than 15 years of leadership experience across the non-profit, government, and education sectors, with a strong record in advocacy, organizational development, and stakeholder engagement.

Before stepping into this role, Mathieu served for four years on CCHR’s Board of Directors, where he played a key role in advancing the organization’s mission to protect and promote the right to housing in Canada. His career has been defined by a deep commitment to social equity and building collaborative solutions to complex challenges.

Mathieu previously held senior roles in government and non-profit organizations, most recently as Director of Communications and Stakeholder Affairs for the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services. He worked closely with large telecommunications companies, the CRTC and the government of Canada to improve service outcomes for Canadian consumers.

He lives in Ajax, ON with his wife and two kids and is well known in the Franco-Ontarian community.

Olivia Meader is a fundraising and project management specialist with ten years of experience in international humanitarian assistance and post-conflict recovery. Prior to joining CCHR, Olivia worked in Grants Management for The HALO Trust, an international landmine clearance charity, and has work experience in Lao PDR, Kosovo, Zimbabwe and Angola. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and International Relations. Olivia speaks English and is learning French.

Sharon is a nonprofit communications professional with over a decade of experience in storytelling, strategic communication, and stakeholder engagement within equity-focused and mission-driven organizations. Prior to joining CCHR, Sharon was the Communications Lead at People for Education, a Canadian nonprofit advocating for a reimagined public education system. She holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Public Relations from Leeds Beckett University in the UK. 

Joy is a marketing communications professional with nearly a decade of experience in strategic communications, integrated marketing, and visual design in the nonprofit sector. Prior to joining CCHR, Joy worked at AgScape and Achēv, where she led multi-channel campaigns to support community-focused programs, engage diverse stakeholders, and amplify organizational impact. Joy holds an MBA in Strategic Marketing from McMaster University and an Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Toronto. She is fluent in English and Mandarin.

Sue is a non-profit management professional with over 15 years of experience in the human services sector. Prior to joining CCHR, she worked in management roles with Mothercraft and the Dr. Jay Children’s Grief Centre. Sue holds a Master of Social Work (Community Development and Social Policy), a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, and an Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Women’s Studies and Human Biology from the University of Toronto. She also has a Human Resources Management Certificate from George Brown College.

Lee is a lawyer with ten years of experience in the housing law field. Prior to joining CCHR, he was the Housing Team Lead at the Community Legal Clinic of York Region. He is a member of the Affordable Housing Coalition of York Region. Lee earned a Juris Doctor degree at the University of Toronto, a Master’s degree in applied ethics at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Philosophy degree at the University of New Brunswick.

Ademofe is a lawyer, called to the bar in Ontario and Nova Scotia. Prior to joining CCHR, she worked in different roles advancing the rights of vulnerable groups, including at Mississauga Community Legal Services where she represented clients at the Social Benefits Tribunal and the Landlord and Tenant Board. Ademofe holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) with a specialization in Media, Information and Technoculture, and Political Science, from the University of Western Ontario, and a Juris Doctor from the Schulich School of law at Dalhousie University.

Princess is a lawyer called to the bar in Ontario. Prior to joining CCHR, she worked as a Staff Lawyer with the Refugee Law Office working on refugee and immigration matters, as a Research Associate with the Windsor Law Centre for Cities, and as a Law Fellow at the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees. Princess articled with the Ontario Human Rights Commission where she worked on systemic litigation, including housing discrimination. Princess holds a Juris Doctor and a Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) from the University of Windsor, and a Professional Certificate in Public Policy Analysis from York University.

Ayesha is a lawyer called to the bar in Ontario. They have several years of experience in Ontario housing law. Ayesha holds a Juris Doctorate from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours with Distinction) from the University of Toronto. Having grown up in Pakistan, Ayesha is fluent in Urdu, Hindi and Bengali.  

Erin is a lawyer called to the bar in Ontario. Prior to joining CCHR, Erin worked at the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario as Tenant Duty Counsel. Erin holds a Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English and History from the University of Toronto.

Julie is a lawyer called to the bar in Ontario. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of King’s College/Dalhousie, Master of Arts degrees from both OCAD University and York University, and a Juris Doctor from the Lincoln Alexander School of Law at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Victoria is a lawyer called to the bar in Ontario. She spent over four years advocating for tenant rights and low income communities, providing legal advice and representation at Don Valley Community Legal Services as a housing lawyer and in various practice areas at the Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic. Prior to joining CCHR, Victoria worked as a litigation counsel at the Department of Justice, appearing at the Tax Court of Canada and the Federal Court. Victoria holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Ottawa, and a Bachelor of Arts (Joint Honours) in International Development Studies and History from McGill University. Victoria is proficient in Cantonese.

Renuka is an Ontario lawyer with over 15 years of experience serving clients in the areas of family law, child protection law and housing law, and has litigated in Ontario’s courts. Renuka has also represented tenants at Ontario’s housing tribunal. Prior to joining CCHR, Renuka worked to advance women’s housing rights as a Program Manager with Riverdale Immigrant Women’s Centre on the Women’s Inclusion Network, which brought together several organizations serving women across Toronto with the goal of increasing capacity to advance women’s housing rights. Renuka holds a Bachelor of Law from Osgoode Hall Law School.

Jessica is a lawyer with over fifteen years of experience working in legal aid to advance the rights of renters and other vulnerable communities. Prior to joining CCHR, Jessica led a team at the City of Seattle that investigated and enforced violations of renter protections under city law and brings to this role a decade of experience representing renters facing eviction, including supervising a courthouse-based eviction defense clinic which served over 1,000 renters each year. Jessica holds a Juris Doctor degree from Rutgers University School of Law.

Matthew is a newly called lawyer with experience in diverse areas of law, including housing, income maintenance and estate planning, with a focus on serving people with disabilities. Prior to joining CCHR, he worked at the Health Justice Clinic in Mental Health & Addictions. Matthew holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Windsor and a Bachelor of Science (Specialized Honours) in Kinesiology and Health Science from York University. 

Rose is a community engagement and policy professional with over 8 years of experience in the non-profit sector. She spent 6 years advocating for tenant rights in Ontario, providing legal support and education at a community legal clinic, and coordinating tenant-led initiatives and housing displacement research for the Social Planning Network of Ontario. Before joining CCHR, Rose supported research and policy development for the World Health Organization. She holds a Master of Arts in Sociology and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology/Public Policy from the University of Guelph, along with a diploma in Community Development from Sheridan College.

Brightson Okenwa is a lawyer with extensive experience in legal education, tenant rights advocacy, and community development, particularly in equity-seeking communities. Called to the bar in both Ontario and Nigeria, Bright previously served as a staff lawyer at the Legal Clinic of Guelph and Wellington County. He holds a master’s degree from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University, and a law degree from Ebonyi State University in Nigeria. His expertise lies in advancing legal access and supporting marginalized communities through advocacy and education.

Margaret is an experienced teacher and lawyer, called to the Ontario bar in 2006. Prior to joining CCHR, she worked at the Ontario Human Rights Commission. As legal counsel for the Commission, Margaret engaged in public interest inquiries, negotiation, mediation and litigation to advance human rights in housing. Margaret also has experience preparing public legal education materials, and providing support and referrals to people who are precariously housed. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and a Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Toronto.

Sara is a policy professional with experience in the non-profit, public and private sectors across Ontario, where she has focused her practice on housing affordability and Indigenous-settler relations. Prior to joining CCHR, Sara led key social policy files with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and supported the development of an Urban and Rural Indigenous Housing Plan for Ontario through her work with the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association. Sara holds a Master of Arts in Public Policy and Administration from Toronto Metropolitan University, a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from McGill University and a Diploma in Community Work from George Brown College. 

Sarah Laisney is a policy and project management professional with over eight years of experience working with the non-profit sector and the United Nations on issues ranging from rights-based urban policy to post-disaster reconstruction. Prior to joining CCHR, she worked with UN-Habitat to implement a global slum upgrading program and build capacity of Member States on the right to adequate housing. She later supported UNHCR’s efforts in Burundi to improve shelter and basic infrastructure in refugee settlements. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Design and a Master of Architecture, both from Université de Montréal. She is fluent in English, French and Spanish.

Yutaka has been involved in housing and homelessness advocacy for the past two decades in cities across Canada, including Calgary, Toronto, and Winnipeg. Prior to joining CCHR, he worked for many years as a housing policy advocate and community organizer with the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario. He recently coordinated a tenant organizing project with the West Broadway Community Organization in Winnipeg (Treaty 1 territory). He is a Canadian Housing Evidence Collaborative Emerging Housing Scholar. Yutaka holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Political Science from the University of Manitoba and a Master’s degree in Political Science from York University, where his research focused on the intersection of housing financialization and settler-colonialism.

Jonella is a community development professional with experience in the non-profit sector working with marginalized communities and residents across Toronto, as well as experience supporting local housing coalitions. Prior to joining CCHR, Jonella worked as a Community Planner with Social Planning Toronto where she engaged residents and the community sector in civic engagement initiatives and city-wide campaigns. Jonella holds a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Queen’s University and a Bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies and Visual Arts from the University of Toronto. 

Sophie is a researcher with more than seven years of experience. Prior to joining CCHR, her research work focused on housing issues, labour issues, social programming and youth engagement. Sophie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Studies from Queen’s University, and a Master’s degree in Political Economy from Carleton University. Sophie is a PhD Candidate at the Graduate Center, City University New York (CUNY) in Geography and is an instructor in the Department of Urban Studies at Queens College, CUNY. Her PhD research focuses on the deepening financialization of multi-family rental housing in Toronto and New York City.

Jon Paul is a researcher with experience working with Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), where he published work on government statistics. Prior to joining CCHR, he also worked with the Organization of Iberoamerican States (OEI) researching gender-based violence in Mexico’s public school system. Jon Paul has a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the Iberoamerican University (UIA) in Mexico City, and a Master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Toronto. He is fluent in Spanish and English.

Darren has recently completed his Master of Arts in Geography at the University of Toronto, where his research focused on emerging semi-profit social finance tools and their application in the social housing sector. Darren’s interests include tenant rights, organizing, and social housing development. Since graduating, he has been involved with U of T’s New Housing Alternatives Partnership, and he is currently working on both a paper and a chapter for an upcoming policy analysis book.