Meet Our Team
Our Board of Directors are all volunteers. We do not directly benefit financially from our work with the Maritime Housing Society. The society may choose to assign paid work to the organizations that we work for based on that organization’s core expertise.
Jeff Garnham
President, Director of Policy, Programs, Community and Government Relations.
Jeff Garnhum combines a background in residential property management with over a decade of experience as a senior government advisor. He utilizes this extensive regulatory expertise to drive effective multi-level government engagement for the Maritime Housing Society. Jeff’s background includes being a professional hockey player and the Property Manager for Black Seal and Black Bay.
Werner Hofstatter
Consultant, CHTC Programs Lead.
Werner Hofstatter has been involved in driving residential and mixed development projects for more than 15 years. His work in Nova Scotia and BC has resulted in the development of more than 1,000 residential units and 400,000 square feet of commercial space. For the last 7 years he has focused exclusively on supporting below-market and supportive housing projects. He provides acquisition, pre-development, development and owner-representation services to like-minded organizations throughout Nova Scotia like the Maritime Housing Society.
Chris Pfaff
Director – Project Development and Site Management.
Chris guides technical development and site management for the Maritime Housing Society. With 19 years of construction expertise, he implements advanced project planning and energy-efficient designs, ensuring sustainable, cost-effective affordable housing for Nova Scotian families. Chris manages residential construction projects, contracts, and construction trades network management across Atlantic Canada.
Leslie Stevens
Director of Financial Programs and Education.
Leslie Stevens champions inclusive homeownership for Maritime Housing Society by advocating for financially diverse clients. She leverages creative mortgage solutions to help underserved individuals overcome strict traditional lending barriers and secure long-term stability. She is a board member of the Canadian Mortgage Brokers Association.
Mark Powell
Founder, Secretary, Project Lead.
Mark Powell is the Founder and Project lead of the Maritime Housing Society. Trained by cohousing pioneers McCamant and Durrett, and the cofounder of Cohousing Options Canada Nonprofit, he leverages four decades of social enterprise leadership to make accessible homeownership a reality across Nova Scotia. Mark’s family includes an architect, a property manager, and a residential home builder. Recently Mark was the Regional Vice President of First Service Residential. Mark is the President and Senior Advisor at GamePlan Success. They help build effective and sustainable leadership and businesses.