Habitat for Humanity welcomes incoming board chair and thanks retiring members
ATLANTA (Nov. 12, 2021) — Habitat for Humanity International is pleased to announce the election of Mary Cameron, who previously served as former deputy minister of housing in two Canadian provinces, as the incoming chair of Habitat’s board of directors. She is the first Canadian and first non-U.S. citizen to hold the position.
“Mary has demonstrated a deep commitment to Habitat’s mission and improving affordable housing opportunities for families around the world,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “Her vast experience leading organizations through structural and cultural change makes her an invaluable asset to the board as Habitat leans more intentionally into measuring the global impact of our work with families and building unique partnerships to address the housing deficit.”
Cameron joined the board of directors in 2016, after serving on the boards of both Habitat for Humanity Edmonton and Habitat for Humanity Canada. During her career, Cameron held several senior executive positions in the private, public and nonprofit sectors, including president of the Alberta Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and CEO of the Workers Compensation Board of Alberta. She also has several years experience serving on corporate and nonprofit boards. Currently, she is principal of the Ozone Advisory Group, a company specializing in board governance.
Cameron succeeded Brad Hewitt, the former president and CEO of Thrivent Financial who served as the HFHI board chair since 2019 and has now completed his term of service on the board. Dr. Alberto Harth and Jackie Parker also rolled off the board this year.
Joining Habitat’s board is newly elected officer Frank Ireri, former managing director of Housing Finance Group of Kenya Ltd, and current board chair of Habitat for Humanity Kenya. Ireri has close to 30 years of experience in the banking and real estate sectors, spread across various countries. He has worked in various capacities for Deloitte, Haskins and Sells, Murdoch, McCrae & Smith, Citibank NA, Citibank Poland, Commercial Bank of Africa Ltd., Barclays Bank of Kenya Ltd, Barclays Africa and Barclaycard Africa.
Previously, he served as a member of the Kenya National Payments Committee, chairman of the Kenya Bankers’ Association Operations Committee, treasurer of the Kenya Institute of Bankers and chairman of the Kenya Institute of Bankers and the AIESEC Board of Advisors. Ireri is currently an advisory board member of the Sub-Saharan Africa Chamber of Commerce and an honorary counsel member of AIESEC. In 2011, he was awarded the Elder of the Burning Spear by Kenya’s President Mwai Kibaki in recognition of his services to the nation.
“We are pleased to have Frank join the international board of directors,” Reckford said. “His long career and experience in housing and his service with Habitat Kenya makes him an excellent and essential addition to the board as we broaden our work across the continent of Africa. The wisdom and guidance he can provide will be helpful in making the connections we need to advance our work internationally.”
Habitat’s board of directors is responsible for establishing policy and guiding the organization’s efforts to build or improve affordable housing in partnership with families across the United States and in more than 70 countries around the world. Habitat board members volunteer for two-year terms that can be renewed up to four times.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity found its earliest inspirations as a grassroots movement on an interracial community farm in south Georgia. Since its founding in 1976, the Christian housing organization has grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.