Ubuntu Land Trust and Developments is governed by a Board of Directors with deep experience in housing systems, refugee settlement, ecosystem leadership, and trusted community institutions. The executive team has built affordable housing under CMHC-funded programs and structured the partnerships that became the Ubuntu platform.
The Board provides strategic oversight, fiduciary responsibility, and accountability to public-interest outcomes. The Board brings complementary expertise across housing systems, public policy, community institutions, and governance.
The Executive team is responsible for organizational leadership, platform execution, partnership coordination, and operational accountability. Together, Board and Executive bring direct experience in settlement systems, community leadership, housing project origination, and institutional platform design.
This structure ensures Ubuntu LTD is positioned to responsibly steward public funding, coordinate complex partnerships, and deliver inclusive housing solutions at scale.
Kemi Jacobs is a nationally respected leader with over 30 years of experience across the non-profit, public, and community sectors in Canada. Her career has included senior leadership roles in refugee protection, settlement services, housing, and anti-racism policy.
Kemi has served as President of the Canadian Council for Refugees, Executive Director of CultureLink Settlement Services and Delta Family Resource Centre, Chair of the National Anti-Racism Council of Canada, Director of Housing at Toronto Community Housing, and Chair of the Board of Canadian African Social Services.
As a Director of Ubuntu Land Trust and Developments, Kemi brings deep governance experience, housing systems knowledge, and a principled commitment to equity and community-centred development.
Amanuel Melles is a nationally recognized community leader, advisor, and organizational executive with extensive experience across government, non-profit, and community development ecosystems. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Network for the Advancement of Black Communities (NABC).
Amanuel brings a deep understanding of public-sector engagement, funding environments, and complex institutional systems, developed through senior leadership roles at organizations including United Way Toronto, Family Service Toronto, Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, and New Heights Community Health Centre.
As a Director of Ubuntu Land Trust and Developments, Amanuel provides strategic oversight, governance expertise, and public-sector fluency — positioning Black-led institutions to operate credibly within complex regulatory, funding, and partnership environments.
Nadine Miller is a senior community leader and organizational executive with experience in faith-based leadership, governance, and community stewardship. She serves as Executive Director of Pilgrim’s Feast Tabernacle Church, where she oversees organizational leadership, program delivery, and community engagement.
In her role, Nadine manages governance structures, operational teams, and community-focused initiatives serving families and vulnerable populations through pastoral care, outreach, and social programming. Her leadership emphasizes ethical governance, accountability, and long-term institutional sustainability.
As a Director of Ubuntu Land Trust and Developments, Nadine contributes values-based leadership, governance insight, and a deep understanding of community dynamics essential to inclusive and sustainable housing initiatives.
Kizito is the Chief Executive Officer of Ubuntu Land Trust and Developments and the Founder and Executive Director of the Rwandan Canadian Healing Centre (RCHC). He is a housing and community systems leader with extensive experience addressing refugee settlement challenges, transitional housing needs, and institutional capacity-building within Black and African-Canadian communities in Toronto.
As Executive Director of RCHC, Kizito led the creation of the African Canadian Affordable Housing (ACAH) Village — a flagship initiative designed to respond to housing instability through a coordinated, community-led development model. With support and funding from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Kizito convened a coalition of project partners across the non-profit, development, and professional services sectors. This work established the foundational relationships and delivery logic that evolved into the Ubuntu platform.
As CEO of Ubuntu LTD, Kizito is responsible for organizational leadership, operational execution, and ecosystem coordination.
Jonathan Okubay is the Managing Director of Ubuntu Land Trust and Developments and a principal architect of the organization’s platform model. He brings experience in real estate development strategy, construction management, financial structuring, and institutional partnerships, with a focus on scalable affordable housing delivery.
Jonathan is also the Chair of the Eritrean Community Network (operating as New Nakfa), a community-based non-profit organization serving the Eritrean and broader African-Canadian community in Toronto. In this role, he has provided board leadership, overseen governance development, and supported organizational growth and strategic planning.
Jonathan has led the development of innovative joint-venture frameworks and partnership structures designed to enable Black-led participation in complex housing initiatives. His work emphasizes system-level thinking, long-term asset stewardship, and the creation of repeatable delivery mechanisms, rather than one-off projects.
Jason Allen-John is a real estate finance professional and development advisor with experience supporting housing projects, real estate investment analysis, and development structuring, with a focus on long-term financial sustainability and disciplined capital deployment.
Jason’s background includes work in banking and financial services, where he developed expertise in financial analysis, risk assessment, and capital structuring. He has since applied this skill set to real estate–related advisory work, supporting development initiatives through feasibility analysis, financial modeling, and strategic planning.
As Development Consultant and Strategic Partner to Ubuntu LTD, Jason provides advisory support on project structuring, financial strategy, feasibility considerations, and capital alignment.
Together, the Board, Executive Management, and Advisory Partners form a cohesive governance and management structure that combines:
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