Niagara Regional Housing Board of Directors

Karen Murray joined the Board in January 2002, serving the Board and Executive Committee as Vice-Chair from 2004 to 2007, before her election as Chair in 2007/2008. Karen Murray also serves on other committees of the Board where necessary.

Karen is a lawyer and certified mediator.  Her previous housing experience includes her role as former Program Co-ordinator of the Homelessness Initiative Outreach Program for Niagara and as a Board Member of the St. Catharines and Thorold Housing Help Centre.

Catherine Jolliffe has been a director on the NRH Board since January 2002.  In addition to serving on the Executive Committee, Catherine is Chair of the Provider Advisory Group and a member of the Investment and Appeals Hearings Committee.  

A resident of Welland, Catherine is an administrator with Northtown Co-operative Homes.  She has previously been an administrator and Board member in other Co-op developments in Niagara and Hamilton.  She has served on the Board of Directors of The Hope Centre and the Golden Horseshoe Co-operative Housing Federation; and as a member of the Co-operative Housing Coordinators of Hamilton/Niagara Area and the Region's Social Housing Transition Task Force. She has also volunteered for the Out of the Cold Program.

Catherine currently represents all Ontario housing co-operatives on the Social Housing Service Corporation's Housing Provider Group.

A founding member of NRH, Betty Ann was an active participant in every phase of the social housing transfer process.  In addition to serving on the Executive Committee, she was Chair of the Housing Initiatives Committee.  

A resident of Welland, Betty Ann is the Executive Director of Niagara Peninsula Homes and is a former member of the former Coordinated Housing Access Niagara (CHAN) Board.  She is a past Chair of the Niagara Housing Authority and has more than 30 years experience in the co-operative housing sector. As Executive Director of Niagara Peninsula Homes, Betty Ann has taken an active role in the construction of new affordable housing under the Canada Ontario Affordable Housing Program. 

Betty Ann was a recipient of the CMHC award recognizing involvement in the Co-op Housing Sector and was recognized as one of Chatelaine’s women of the year in 2000 for her work with Niagara Presents and Niagara Women’s Enterprise Centre and Niagara Peninsula Homes.  Most recently, Betty Ann was the winner of the 2008 Woman in Business – Woman of the Year Award in Niagara.

David Barrick was appointed to the NRH Board in 2010 after his election as Regional Councillor for Port Colborne. Councillor Barrick's political career began in 2006 when he was elected to Port Colborne City Council where he also served as Deputy Mayor. He was vice-chair of the Finance Committee, created and chaired the Environmental Advisory Committee and was a member of several other committees and boards, including the Regional Transportation Strategy Steering Committee.

Councillor Barrick is a former President of the Port Colborne Wainfleet Chamber of Commerce and was a member of the Rotary Club Centennial and the Welland Tribune Community Editorial Board. He served as commercial chair for the United Way of South Niagara and was a member of the Downtown Business Improvement Association Board. He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus.

Karen Blackley joined the NRH Board 2010. A lifelong resident of Niagara, Karen has been a Local Real Estate Broker for 15 years, serving the Niagara Region. Prior to Real Estate, she was a legal secretary for 12 years.

Karen's interest in housing has extended to her membership on the Thorold Municipal Non-Profit Housing Board for the last 16 years. She is also on the Board of the Thorold Community Credit Union, President of the Thorold Community Activities Group and is a former member of the Thorold Physician Recruitment Committee.

Shirley Cordiner joined the NRH Board as Niagara Regional Councillor in December 2006.  She has continued her commitment to the Board as a Public-At-Large representative.

Shirley was elected to Council for the Town of Fort Erie from 1997 – 2000.  She served as a Member and Chair of the Niagara Regional Police Services Board from 1991 – 2001, trustee on the Niagara South Board of Education from 1994 – 1997 and as a Niagara Regional Councillor from 2006-2010.

Shirley is currently Executive Director of the Niagara Region Children’s Safety Village, Chair of the Fort Erie Community Policing Committee and a member of the Greater Fort Erie Youth Soccer Club Board. She is a recipient of the Helen Keller Fellowship Award.

Appointed to the NRH Board in December of 2006 following his election as Mayor of the City of Thorold, Henry D’Angela also serves as Chair of the NRH Investment Committee.

As a member of Regional Council, Mayor D’Angela currently serves on the Niagara Region’s Corporate Services Committee, the Planning and Public Works Committee, the Audit Committee, the Transportation Strategy and Steering Committee and as Chair of the Development Charge Committee.

Previously, Mayor D’Angela served as a member of Thorold City Council (2000– 2003), and in that role acted as Council liaison to the Downtown Redevelopment Task Force Committee, Thorold Community Activities Group, Thorold Chamber of Commerce and the Thorold Non-Profit Housing Corporation. He was elected to the Thorold Hydro-Electric Commission from 1997–2000, serving as Chair.

A graduate of Wilfred Laurier University, holding a BA - Economics, Mayor D’Angela has operated his own accounting firm for 16 years.

Barbara Hannah has been a director on the NRH Board since January 2002, and currently serves on the Tenant Advisory Group and the Appeal Hearings Committee.

A lifelong resident of Niagara Falls, Barbara was active with the Planning Together Committee under the former East Niagara Housing Authority, the Niagara Housing Authority's Advisory Council and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing's Public Housing Tenants Advisory Group.  Barbara has also volunteered for Project Share and her 30 years with Scouts Canada has earned her the Silver Wolf, the highest award for Uniformed Scouts. 

Alan King has been a director on the NRH Board since January 2002.  He serves on the Appeal Hearings and Governance Committees and is Co-Chair of the Tender Awards Committee.

Alan is the Coordinator for Canal View Supportive Housing in Welland and is a member of the Ontario Non Profit Housing Association.  A resident of Port Robinson, Alan also is a volunteer firefighter in Thor

George Marshall joined the NRH Board in October of 2009. Councillor Marshall has served on Regional Council for five terms and as a City Councillor for the City of Welland for nine years prior. He currently serves on the Regional Public Health and Social Services Committee, Integrated Community Planning Committee and Public Works Committee, and as Chair of the Communication Advisory Panel.

Councillor Marshall has previous experience with affordable housing as a member of the Niagara Housing Authority Board from 2000-2001 and the Niagara Housing Corporation Board from 2000-2004.

Patrick O’Neill joined the NRH Board in January of 2006 and currently serves on the Investment Committee and the Appeal Hearings Committee.  Patrick is a resident of Niagara-on-the-Lake and is the CEO of Niagara Ina Grafton Gage Village in St. Catharines, which is a Seniors Retirement Village.

Patrick sits on the Boards of Ontario Community Support Association and the Niagara North Community Legal Assistance. His experience includes Administration of Long Term Care, Nursing in LTC and Acute care plus Management and labour relations.

John Osczypko joined the NRH Board in November 2007. John is a graduate of the Niagara College Social Service Worker Program, York University Voluntary Sector Management Program, the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy National Certificate in Voluntary & Non-Profit Sector Management and the Ontario Hospital Association Health Care Administration Diploma.

John Osczypko is a resident of St. Catharines and has worked as a social worker for the past 30 years.  He is currently the Executive Director of Gateway Residential and Community Supported Services of Niagara, which provides housing and support services to individuals who suffer with severe mental illness.

John has served on the boards of Niagara North Community Legal Assistance In 1992, John was awarded the Commemorative Medal for the 125th of the Confederation of Canada for his work in the field of social services.

Tim Rigby was appointed to the NRH Board in 2010 after his election to Niagara Regional Council. Councillor Rigby is serving his fifth term on Regional Council. He served as Mayor of the City of St. Catharines from 1997 to 2006. He has been Vice Chair of the Niagara Homelessness Advisory Committee since 2008. 

Councillor Rigby served as past Chair of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Mayors Association, s past President of the Canadian Henley Rowing Corporation and the Canadian Amateur Rowing Association. He was Co-Chair of the 1999 World Rowing Committee, and past Director of the Canadian Red Cross.

Councillor Rigby is the recipient of several awards and medals including the Queens Jubilee Medal, FISA Gold Medal, and the NYAC Gold Medal.

Ronna Katzman joined the NRH Board as Niagara Regional Councillor in 2012. A Youth Counsellor for District School Board of Niagara, Ronna began her political career in 1991 when she was elected as a School Board Trustee and served 6 years as a Trustee. This was followed by six years on St. Catharines City Council (1997-2003). Ronna is serving her third term as Regional Councillor.

Ronna has volunteered for numerous organizations, most notably "Community Partners". She has served on a variety of Boards and Commissions, including the St. Catharines Public Library, the Humane Society, Heritage Board and the Mayor’s Committee on Race Relations. Ronna is currently a member of St. Catharines Downtown Association.

Bruce Timms joined the NRH Board in January 2002. He serves on the Appeal Hearings Committee.

A Regional Councillor, Bruce is serving his sixth consecutive term on Regional Council.  He is a member on the Planning and Public Works Committee, the Transportation Strategy Steering Committee, Culture Committee, Smarter Niagara Steering Committee, and the former Accommodation Steering Committee. 
Councillor Timms is the Chair of the Greater Niagara Circle Route Committee and is a former member of the Shaver Hospital Board of Governors.

Councillor Timms is in private practice as a professional engineer and house inspector in Timms House and Building Inspection.