Team

Jennifer is the Manager of Housing System Performance in the Housing Services division at the Region of Peel. Jennifer has been with the Region of Peel for 28 years in various capacities including being the co-lead for Human Services Integration, the Manager of Housing Programs and the Manager of Learning and Development. Jennifer also did a secondment at the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association (OMSSA) as their Director of Professional Development. In her spare time, Jennifer has volunteered on boards of housing providers and more recently is the Board Vice-President of the Town of Erin Non-Profit Housing, a Federal housing provider for seniors. Jennifer has been involved in continuous learning her entire career and in 2018 received her Executive Diploma in Municipal Management through the Association of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO). Through her ongoing work in Human Services, Jennifer has a passion for finding solutions for diverse communities and individuals to support improvement in their lives.

Erin Mifflin is an Advisor of Housing Innovation and Program Design at the Region of Peel. She holds a BA (Hons.) in Geography with French (Western University), an MA in Urban Geography (McMaster University), and a Master’s Certificate in Municipal Leadership (Schulich School of Business, York University). Erin has worked in the housing and homelessness sector for 18 years. Previously, Erin has been a Housing Programs Officer for the City of Hamilton, a Senior Policy Advisor for the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and Manager of Halton Community Housing for the Regional Municipality of Halton. Throughout Erin’s career, she has had the privilege of working in various housing areas, including strategic policy and planning, innovative program design and development, community housing operations, tenancy management, community development, and affordable housing development. Erin is delighted to be a part of the Solutions Lab team.

Katherine is a Specialist with the Housing System Performance team at the Region of Peel. Katherine has a Master’s in Public Policy from the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto and a BA (Hons.), International Development Studies from Dalhousie University. Katherine is passionate about human-centred housing models to help those in the greatest need and is honoured to be a member of the Solutions Lab team.

Adrienne Pacini is a Principal, Strategic Design at SHS Consulting. In her role, Adrienne leads the firm’s Business Innovation practice, where the team undertakes human-centred and systems-oriented design processes to tackle complex problems in housing and social systems. She creates collaborative environments to help teams navigate change and envision a new future for their organization and for the people they serve. Over the past seven years, Adrienne has helped all levels of government, non-profit housing providers, and community agencies by introducing new services, programs, and business models to improve housing options and outcomes for all Canadians. Most recently, Adrienne was involved in leading Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Solutions Labs to co-create a new Canada Housing Benefit, a Solutions Lab with the Wellesley Institute, and four upcoming Labs in 2020. Adrienne holds a B.A. in Urban Systems (McGill University) and an M.Des. in Strategic Foresight and Innovation (OCAD University).

Christine is a Partner and Co-Founder at SHS Consulting. Christine has worked as a consultant for most of her 30-year career. She has also worked for the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing as a Policy Advisor and a Program Co-ordinator, and for the City of Toronto as a Councillor's Special Advisor on Housing. Christine is involved in every aspect of SHS's work. She has authored and directed more than 200 studies, primarily focused on housing-related topics, including housing needs assessments and strategies, policy development, program design and evaluations, feasibility and business plans, and business and service models. Christine has led the development of a range of projects, including shelters, transitional, supportive, seniors and family housing, and administrative and program space. Most recently, Christine was involved in leading CMHC Solutions Labs across four provinces and territories and has recently begun a Lab with the Wellesley Institute. Christine holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and Administration (York University) and Graduate Studies in Public Policy and Administration (Carleton University).

Lanxi Dong is a Design Researcher at SHS Consulting. As a design researcher at SHS Consulting, Lanxi’s role involves facilitating collaboration with stakeholders and connecting insights into strategic design opportunities for housing. She became interested in affordable housing after completing her undergraduate thesis on a co-design approach to creating artist live/work housing. Lanxi’s design work focuses on human-centred research, co-design methods, systems thinking, and visual communication. She enjoys problem-solving with stakeholders to provide better housing experiences that serve people, businesses, and communities. Lanxi holds a Bachelor of Design in Industrial Design (OCAD University).

Cheryl Hsu is a systemic designer and qualitative researcher, with interdisciplinary experience spanning health care, housing, technology, food systems, and policy innovation. Cheryl is especially skilled in navigating multi-stakeholder collaboration and synthesizing complex information into actionable insights. She has expertise in qualitative research methods, including field research and ethnography, and has led numerous design research and service design projects. Cheryl has been involved in six Solutions Lab projects at SHS. In addition, over the past two years, she has been a team member on a national systems change project called Nourish: The Future of Food in Healthcare with the McConnell Foundation. Cheryl is also the co-founding director of Madeleine Co. (www.madeleineco.com) a Toronto-based art and design collective. Cheryl holds a Bachelor of Arts with Distinction in Philosophy and English (University of Toronto) and a Master of Design in Strategic Foresight and Innovation (OCAD University).