Our Team

RICHARD BELL: Chair
Richard is a real estate and estate planning lawyer with over 30 years experience. He runs his own paperless firm, Bell Alliance.

AKUA SCHATZ: Vice Chair
Akua has an extensive background in urban planning and policy development. She currently leads her own consulting practice, Building Better, which works with non-profits and industry to address issues such as sustainability and affordability through housing.

JAKE FRY: Co-Founder and Director
Jake is the principal and founder of Smallworks, a firm that builds laneway homes in Greater Vancouver, where he advocates for small forms through his work and leadership at the city level.

JAMES BUSSEY: Director
James is the founder of Formwerks Architectural; he designs single family, multi-family and commercial use buildings through the Vancouver area.

PATRICIA LIGHTBURN: Director
Patricia has been leading cutting-edge climate policy work for nearly 15 years working for government, industry and NGOs across Canada. As a Managing Consultant at Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors, Patricia has successfully delivered a range of projects in the buildings, clean mobility and renewables sectors.

LUKE HARRISON: Director
Luke works with communities and partners to design, build, fund and manage affordable housing. His work focuses on securing innovative funding sources, partnerships with private and public organizations. He is the President of Catalysts Community Development Society.

MICHAEL MORTENSEN: Director
Michael is a developer and urban planner with over 20 years experience in both the public and private sectors. Michael is the founder and director of Liveable City Planning Ltd and an adjunct professor at UBC.

NADIA HILL: Director
Nadia Hill has extensive experience in the development and construction industry. She is currently working with New Commons Development as a Senior Development Manager.

SCOT HEIN: Director
Scot is an urban designer and architect (USA). He was UBC’s urban designer until May 2018 and an adjunct professor of urban design at its masters of urban design program. Prior to this work, he was the senior urban designer for the City of Vancouver and led its Urban Design Studio for 10 years.