Staff
Angela ElzingaCheng
Executive Director
angelael@westnh.org
Angela ElzingaCheng grew up working in a farming community providing a foundation for her food and growing knowledge. She has been a community organizer and developer for over 17 years, and worked at FoodShare for ten years after working at a neighbourhood-based food security organization in Vancouver, Canada and getting a Master’s in Social Work at the University of British Columbia with a focus on community development and anti-oppression. Angela’s passion is to support change towards a more just society that reflects the diversity of Toronto through food and environment justice work. In the past, she has been involved with nationwide political action related to education reform.
Angela, in her ten years at FoodShare, supported Good Food Markets, community kitchens, community gardens, neighbourhood-based food planning, consulted to other cities on engagement and consultation practices, organized many city-wide events bringing politicians, funders, and community leaders together. Her knowledge of food growing, bringing people together to lead food initiatives and her leadership across the city provides Greenest City with skills to lead the development of exciting new projects and support of the existing impactful projects.
Sandra León
Community Engagement Coordinator
sandrale@westnh.org
Sandra has over 20 years of experience working with marginalized communities and low-income families, not only in Canada but also in South America (the place where she comes from). Sandra holds a BA in Cultural Anthropology from the National University of Colombia and an MA in Environmental Studies from York University in Canada. Her research approach has mainly focused on exploring the interlinkages between culture and nature. She has supported different community-based programs aimed at improving the quality of people's lives through food initiatives and environmental education. Sandra loves people and plants, and is growing more than 10 varieties of herbs on her balcony. She loves to work with her hands and create art from recycled materials, reusing them and transforming them into something beautiful.
SHONAH BURNS
Indigenous Program Coordinator Trainee
Shonahbu@westnh.org
Hi there! I am very excited to join the Greenest City team as the Indigenous Program Coordinator Trainee. As an avid artist and mixed anishinaabe kwe living with disabilities, I am passionate about expressive creation, holistic well-being, and community as a central component of healing. I have an academic background in community and justice services, an orientation towards community development, and a calling to contribute to social change.
AYANNA SHARMA
Placement Student
Hello! My name is Ayanna, I’m currently going into my 4th year studying Environmental Science, Health & Disease and Sustainability at the University of Toronto. I’m very excited to be working with Greenest City this summer!
ROBERTO REALI
Special Events Coordinator
Hello, my name is Roberto. I am excited to be the Environmental Events Specialist at Greenest City this summer. Here in Parkdale I’ll be organizing the Good Food Market which takes place at Masaryk park every wednesday from 4-7pm. I’m an upcoming student at the University of Toronto, and am very passionate about the environment and community building. I hope to meet and help out as many people as I can this summer here at Greenest City.
2021 Board of Directors
Angela ElzingaChen. Director (angelael@westnh.org) Stephanie Nixon - Board Chair (stephanie@greenestcity.ca)
Tanya Mahbubani - Treasure
Jennifer Robinson Lockwood - Secretary