Staff Team

Tessa Blaikie Whitecloud - President & CEO

Tessa Blaikie Whitecloud has worked in the homeless-serving sector since 2013. She is the former executive director of 1JustCity and served as CEO of Siloam Mission from 2021-2024. In January 2025, Whitecloud was named the Premier’s Senior Advisor on Ending Chronic Homelessness. After setting up the coordination table to support over 100 people to move out of encampments as units came online, she's thrilled to be at Collaborative Housing Alliance to ensure the Right Housing for all Manitobans and transform the housing landscape to ensure affordability. 

“Driving homelessness is a lack of appropriate units, and CHA is a key part of solving that.”

Paul Loewen - Director, Data and Development

Paul Loewen worked in various roles at Siloam Mission from 2018-2025, including Community Education Coordinator, Change Manager, and Manager of Advocacy and Accountability. He helped transition the organization to being housing-focused, behaviour-based, and data-driven, ensuring housing is the focus of every department and every staff. Keen to understand how systems interact, he’s excited to see new affordable housing established that will create opportunities and foundations for decades to come. 

“Homelessness was created by systems over decades – and what was created can be changed.”

Jordan Farber - Special Advisor

Jordan Farber is the Principal of Farber Real Estate Group, a Winnipeg-based real estate advisory firm focused on affordable housing and community-driven development. He supports non-profits, First Nations, and public-sector partners with site acquisition, feasibility analysis, development strategy, and capital structuring. Jordan serves as a Special Advisor to the Collaborative Housing Alliance, assisting CHA with development readiness, project planning, and partnership structuring to advance sustainable, scalable housing projects across Manitoba.

“No one person can solve homelessness — CHA brings trusted partners together to close the gaps on building real housing solutions.”

Kelly de Groot - Contract Bookkeeper

Kelly de Groot is a professional accountant (retired CPA) with over 40 years of experience in the private, public, and charitable sectors. Over the last 13 years Kelly has enjoyed many client relationships through her consulting company, where she brings a wide knowledge base to her clients. Kelly’s expertise has helped her clients achieve their goals through accurate and timely financial information. When not working with clients, Kelly enjoys time with her granddaughters and travel with her husband.

“CHA is bringing caring people, investment, and policies together to find the best solutions for homelessness in our community.”

Board of Trustees

CHA is governed by trustees with deep expertise in housing, finance, and community development. United by a shared commitment, they envision a Manitoba where everyone has access to safe, affordable housing.

  • Paul Mahon, wearing a dark suit and a patterned tie, smiling against a gray gradient background.

    Paul Mahon

    CHAIR

    Former President & CEO, Great-West Lifeco and Canada Life Assurance Company

  • Kim Ulmer with shoulder-length blonde hair, sitting on a beige couch, smiling, wearing a black shirt, in a minimalist room with white wall background.

    Kim Ulmer

    TRUSTEE

    Regional President—Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut & Western Ontario, Royal Bank of Canada

  • John Bockstael with glasses in a suit and tie, posing against a white background.

    John Bockstael

    TRUSTEE

    Chairman, Bockstael Construction

  • Gavin Johnstone wearing a dark suit jacket and a white shirt, posing in front of a gray textured backdrop.

    Gavin Johnstone

    TRUSTEE

    Vice President, Finance & Development, True North Real Estate Development Limited

  • Daniel Lussier, wearing a gray suit jacket and a light purple dress shirt against a light blue background.

    Daniel Lussier

    TRUSTEE

    CEO, Réseau Compassion Network