About us
The Alberta Public Housing Administrators’ Association (APHAA) is a professional association of housing administrators working in the Province of Alberta in the publicly-funded housing and non-profit housing sector. Our mission is to promote excellence in publicly-funded housing administration through education, information, and networking
What We Do
APHAA is dedicated to providing strong and credible leadership to strengthen the capacity to deliver public housing excellence in the Province of Alberta, Canada.
APHAA assists Housing Administrators in their responsibility to provide professional administrative services to their employers and the best possible housing to their communities through ongoing education, networking, and support.
Our objectives state that the Association is:
- To promote the development, education, and support of all administrators involved in public housing and not for profit housing agencies.
- To support members to influence the development and support of Alberta’s public/not for profit housing offerings through the coordinated efforts of its membership, and through strategic relations with key stakeholders involved in Alberta’s housing sector.
- To facilitate communication and the sharing of ideas and concerns of the membership.
Industry-specific education is a primary focus of our Association. We have developed a series of modules and seminars to orient emerging housing leaders in Alberta to broader public housing perspectives and the job functions of housing CEOs and CAOs, while offering ongoing continuous professional development opportunities through our 5 Pillars of Excellence.
We strive to provide our membership with current information and an opportunity to share concerns and successes.
We encourage members to share their knowledge and experiences with others to grow sector capacity, innovate, and develop best practices for the public housing sector. Networking and mentorship are key areas of focus for APHAA members.
- Sector Capacity Building
- Housing Leadership Development
- Information Sharing
- Innovation
- Best Practices
- Networking
- Mentorship
Our Strategic Plan
APHAA’s three key strategic priorities align with a broader strategic direction of positioning APHAA to better respond to transformations within the province’s affordable housing sector, and the policy and operational changes on the horizon.
Develop and implement a comprehensive education strategy to grow housing leadership capacity, focusing on continual improvement and excellence
Engage with key stakeholders to respond to transformations within Alberta’s housing sector
Increase membership and improve membership engagement
Our Members
Our membership includes Chief Administrative Officers for Management Bodies as defined in the Alberta Housing Act and the regulations thereto, as well as other senior administrators of publicly-funded and non-profit housing agencies.
Our list of members is below
Our Executive
APHAA’s Executive brings a broad wealth of knowledge and experience to guide the leadership of our Association. Learn more about them here.
Kristen Chambers APHAA President
Kristen is the CAO of The Evergreens Foundation, a non-profit housing management body that has been providing affordable housing options to seniors, individuals and families for over fifty years. With its head office in Hinton, The Evergreens Foundation provides support to the surrounding communities of Hinton, Edson, Jasper, Grande Cache, and Evansburg.
Nancy Simmonds APHAA Vice President
Nancy is the Executive Director of Heartland Housing Foundation, a not-for-profit housing management body that provides affordable housing for over 600 residents of Strathcona County and neighboring Fort Saskatchewan.
Shannon Holtz APHAA Secretary/Treasurer
Shannon is the Director of Housing & Lodges for The Bethany Group. Operating for the last 100 years (est. 1922), The Bethany Group continues to grow and provide health care and housing services to over 2,600 households in 30 communities throughout Central Alberta. Driven by the people who work and volunteer for the organization to make the lives of the people we serve better, The Bethany Group places importance on building relationships, not just with its clients but with similar organizations.
Lindsay Pratt APHAA Past President
Lindsay is the CAO of Heart River Housing, a Housing Management Body in Northern Alberta, that spans from Kinuso to Girouxville, and from Fox Creek to Ridgevalley with the Central Office located in High Prairie. Heart River Housing provides subsidized social housing, offering a variety of housing choices to seniors, moderate income individuals and families.
Steve Madden Member at Large
Steve is the CAO of Grande Spirit Foundation, which serves 12 municipalities with over 100 dedicated staff. The Grande Spirit Foundation provides reasonably priced housing, quality care and dignity to seniors and families in the Grande Prairie area.
Robin Miiller Member at Large
Robin is the CAO of Medicine Hat Community Housing Society. MHCHS provides social and affordable housing programs within Medicine Hat, and residential support to those citizens who are in need of affordable housing options. MHCHS also leads and coordinates initiatives in the community dedicated to ending homelessness.
Becky Doig Member at Large
Becky is CAO of Chinook Foundation, a housing management body that serves 150 seniors in southwest Alberta. Through Chinook Foundation, seniors in Cardston County have access to affordable housing, services, and health supports where they are empowered to live with fulfillment, connection, dignity and safety.
Jillanne Bowler-Veltman Member at Large
Jillanne is the Director of Business Administration and Human Resources at Right at Home Housing Society. The Society provides a positive alternative for Edmontonians currently without a home, living in substandard accommodation, or spending a disproportionate amount of their income on housing. Right at Home offers a range of supportive services for its residents, including work placement opportunities to develop various skill sets.
Our Committees
There are three Member Committees constituted by APHAA’s bylaws. When needed, the Executive can establish Ad-Hoc Committees to work on specific priorities or emerging issues.
Committee Members are selected to ensure representation from a cross section of our Membership. The Chair of each committee acts as a liason between the Executive and other Committees.
Membership Committee
Education Committee
Communications and Public Relations Committee
Resources
APHAA curates a list of resources for public housing professionals. Below, you can access the list we publish for the public. For association-authored resources, become an APHAA member!