Board Director
Biographies

Paula Lindner, President
Paula owns her own business in the Hastings-Sunrise area, a local wool and fibre store named Baaad Anna's Yarn Store. Previous to venturing into entrepreneurship, Paula worked for 15 years in non-profit management in organizations such as St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation, the Alzheimer’s Society of BC, BCIT Foundation and McGill University. Paula completed her Masters in Philanthropy and Development at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota and graduated with a BA in Psychology and Philosophy from SFU. Paula has also worked as a journalist for the English section of Radio Praha and the Prague Post. When she is not working, Paula chases after her two very active daughters who are no strangers to the Collingwood Early Learning and Care Centre. She also enjoys knitting and playing field hockey, albeit not at the same time.

Jenny Peng, 1st Vice-President
Jenny has served on the CNH Board for the past three years. The Collingwood neighbourhood has been Jenny’s home since 2006 after moving here from Montreal to study at UBC. Throughout her undergraduate years and after, she volunteered at the CNH Youth Centre and Morning Star Breakfast Program where she made many friends over the years. She is a journalist, writer, and communications consultant.

Alexandra Gunn, 2nd Vice-President
Alexandra Gunn has served on the Collingwood Neighbourhood House Board of Directors for the past three years. She has lived in the neighbourhood for almost all her life. She has a strong interest in community development and social justice and wants to make the community a better place for everyone. Alexandra has an undergraduate degree in business, sociology and anthropology, and a post-baccalaureate certificate in teaching. She has worked in non-profit organizations, post-secondary institutions and government. She currently works as a career specialist. In her spare time, she likes to hike, climb mountains and volunteer.

Rafael (RJ) Aquino, Treasurer
RJ co-founded Tulayan, an organization that reintroduces young Filipino-Canadians to their culture, heritage and language. Wanting to plant firm roots in the city of Vancouver he has become more involved in municipal matters. RJ also was one of the founders of OneCity, a new, progressive municipal political party. When he’s not managing projects for his day job or organizing workshops and conferences, he gets a workout trying to keep up with his two young children and his wife.

Almira Borondia, Secretary
Almira had just began her second year into Post-Secondary at Langara College with hopes of pursuing a career in Psychology. Almira is an active member of the community. During her first year in Post-Sec, Almira spent her time volunteering to coach the grade 10 boys basketball team at her former high school Windermere Secondary. However, during the weekend, she was scorekeeping for the Langara basketball team. She hopes to encourage more youth to participate in CNH festivities, as well as to inspire them to do volunteer work, and to be more involved within the community.

Patricio Ibarra, Past President
Patricio moved to Renfrew-Collingwood in 1998 and since then has participated in programs and services out of CNH. Patricio has extensive experience participating in Boards of non-profit societies and has volunteered with several community organizations. Patricio is a Program Advisor with the Economic Immigration Program of the BC government and has 24 years of experience in the provision of social and immigrant services, strategic planning, program design and evaluation and community development. Patricio looks forward to continuing with his volunteer work in CNH's Board to help improve the quality of life for Renfrew-Collingwood residents.

Greg Allen
Greg is a lawyer with a broad-based practice at a litigation boutique in downtown Vancouver. He currently serves as the President of a small local non-profit which provides grants to organizations that research and combat childhood illnesses. Greg moved to Renfrew-Collingwood in 2012 with his family from the wilds of Port Moody, and has enjoyed exploring the hidden charms of his new neighbourhood and its community. He and his partner have a young daughter who spends her weekdays learning and playing with the superheroes who work at the Duke Street Early Learning and Care Centre.

Natasha Dickson
Natasha Dickson is the Vice President of Operations for Vancouver Film Studios and Pacific Backlot Services – Canada’s largest film and television studio complex. She has a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) from the University of British Columbia and a post-graduate diploma in Human Resources Management from BCIT. Natasha has served on the CNH Board for the past 4 years. Her area of interest has been raising funds, particularly for the Renfrew-Collingwood Aboriginal Youth C.R.E.W. program.

Joshua Hergesheimer
Joshua has served for nine years on our Board of Directors. In that time he has managed to have two children – at once! He and his wife are the proud parents of twin girls. Josh is very well educated, holding a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from UBC, a Master’s degree in Human Rights from the University of Sussex, and a Master of Science in Nationalism and Ethnicity from the London School of Economics. He has put all of that education to good use, mainly as a journalist and photographer and Board directors enjoyed watching him create, along with his brother, a bicycle-powered grain mill, which they then took to South Sudan to help alleviate food insecurity. They then wrote a book about it: The Flour Peddler. On the Board Josh has always provided a calm, thoughtful perspective during discussions.

Jean Kavanagh
Jean has served on the CNH Board for the past six years. She has lived in Renfrew-Collingwood for 12 years and loves living across from the Renfrew Ravine and occasionally walking the labyrinth. She was delighted to have the opportunity to join the CNH Board and learn more about the community. Jean works in communications, and has held senior positions in the government and non-profit sectors. She was a reporter, and worked in Vancouver, Toronto and Central America.

Daniel Louie
Daniel Louie is a life-long Metro Vancouverite along with his wife Karen and their three children. He is the pastor of Urban Village Church, a diverse congregation that has been a part of the Collingwood neighbourhood since 2008. Before going into Christian ministry, Daniel was in the financial services field with the CIBC at Kingsway and Joyce. Daniel's ongoing hope is to see people of diverse backgrounds mobilize for the betterment of their neighbourhoods through their gifts and talents, whether as a resident, a volunteer, business, or community group. When not meeting people in the community, Daniel enjoys a variety of sports, playing music, and being the daddy cheerleader at his kids’ activities.

Jasbir K. Parmar
Jas Parmar and her family have resided in Vancouver for a long time. Jas is a Branch Manager for Vancity Savings Credit Union at the Collinwood location. Before joining the board of Collingwood Neighborhood house in 2016, Jas served on the board of Burnaby Neighborhood house. When not serving the Collingwood community, Jas enjoys spending time with her kids, hiking, reading.

(Muriel) Ann Rivard
Ann was born in Vancouver and never wanted to live anywhere else. She has lived in Collingwood Towers, 5 blocks from Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH), for the past 19 years.

After attending in the Towers, she met a volunteer from CNH and soon started to volunteer, too. She attended a literacy meeting and with the instructors (about 3 to 4 different ones) helped the tenants i.e. Chinese to learn English. She also would bake muffins, banana (?) loaves and tea and bring them each week. She attended the Walking Club for about 3 years and met many new friends from various places. She enjoyed dancing, exercise, etc. As she isn’t as active right now she attends the Advisory and Literacy meetings plus coffee and other get-togethers at the library and CNH. She represents the Seniors on the Board of Directors.