Our Foundation Board
Supporting HF Care’s mission through fundraising and stewardship.
Our Foundation Board Nominations Are Now Open
We invite community members to support HF Care’s mission by contributing fundraising leadership and stewardship.
Our Foundation Board of Directors
Warren Yu - Chair
Warren Yu trained as an auditor and received qualification training in Australia. He has been in the real estate industry since immigrating to Canada in 1987, and has been an independent real estate broker since 1999. He regularly volunteers in his church’s children’s ministry and participates in various charity fundraising events. Warren has been involved with HF Care Foundation since 2017, after witnessing firsthand the impact this organization and its services have had on some of his close associates and friends.
Warren believes that HF Care Asian Mental Health and Well-Being fills an important niche in the GTA, one that puts an emphasis on the well-being of the community. Given the traditionally taboo nature of mental illness in certain ethnic communities, Warren hopes that, through his work with HF Care Asian Mental Health and Well-Being, he can help promote mental health awareness and encourage open conversation.
Kristin Ling - Vice Chair
Kirstin Ling is a highly accomplished leader in healthcare philanthropy, currently serving as Director of Major Gifts at The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. With a background in government and international development, Kirstin’s career took a pivotal turn when a personal crisis involving her father’s critical illness inspired her to transition into healthcare philanthropy. Since then, she has passionately driven transformative fundraising efforts, raising over $100 million for groundbreaking medical research and patient care initiatives.
Kirstin is deeply committed to fostering inclusion, diversity, equity, access, and anti-racism in all aspects of her work. She holds several board positions with the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy Canada and serves as Co-Chair of the Alumni Association Executive and Trustee for The Bishop Strachan School, where she leads efforts to create more equitable and inclusive environments. Recognized for her strategic vision and entrepreneurial spirit, Kirstin was honored as one of AHP’s 40 Under 40 in 2023.
Peter Lee - Treasurer
Peter Lee started volunteering for HF Care in 2013 as a tax volunteer clinic. In September 2014, Peter joined the Board of Hong Fook Mental Health Association, now HF Care Asian Mental Health and Well-Being, where he served for 6 years, 3 of which as Treasurer. As a CPA and CFP, Peter leveraged his experience to provide financial and accounting advice to the association’s management. Peter has over 23 years of public accounting experience and has extensive experience in various industries, including the not-for-profit sector. Prior to starting his own practice, Peter K.C. Lee Professional Corporation in April 2014, Peter was an audit senior manager with EY.
Peter believes in giving back to the community and that mental health is important to society as a whole. He is contributing his expertise and time to HF Care Foundation. Peter also volunteered with other organizations and currently serves on the board of a non-public mortgage investment corporation. When he is able to, Peter enjoys watching sports, taking dance lessons, and travelling to Asia.
Monica Lee - Secretary
Monica Lee is a corporate lawyer and entrepreneur. Prior to her current role as VP of legal at a supply chain co-op for a national franchise, she was instrumental in growing her family’s real estate company, which focused on development in the GTA and Muskoka.
She is deeply involved in the Korean community, actively volunteering with the Korean Canadian Scholarship Foundation, Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, and Korean Cultural Association. A mother of three wonderful teenagers and an adorable Maltipoo, Monica loves spending time at the cottage with family and friends. In her free time, she enjoys the challenge of jigsaw puzzles and reading historical novels.
Annie Hu - Director
Annie Hu has volunteered at various charitable organizations since 1987, including the Mon Sheong Foundation and North York General Hospital. She joined the HF Care Foundation Board in 2012 and began focusing her volunteer work. She feels that mental health is a very important cause, and HF Care Asian Mental Health and Well-Being is uniquely positioned to champion this cause. Since joining HF Care, she has made positive contributions, including broadening HF Care’s support and recognition in the corporate community. She is also an active member of the Fundraising Committee. Annie has been a banker for 35 years and is currently a Managing Director at Citibank Canada.
Fred Zhu - Director
Fred Zhu is the Executive Officer for Waterloo Engineering and serves on the Executive Council at the University of Waterloo. He holds a Master of Laws from McGill University and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. Additionally, Fred has completed executive education at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. A strong advocate for culturally competent care, Fred is committed to addressing the ongoing mental health crisis and recognizes the vital role that HF Care Foundation plays in supporting our diverse communities.
John Chemillian - Director
John Chemilian arrived in Canada in the 78’ with his family from Lebanon. Like many immigrant families, he was attracted by the beauty and peacefulness of this country. A proud father of two lovely and brilliant daughters, he builds his home in Toronto. Started out as a blue-collar worker and later rooted in the construction industry, John always takes ownership of his work. Hard-working and always optimistic, he has devoted himself to a new residential development company for the past 13 years. With strong interpersonal and leadership skills, he connects with external parties and builds a strong industry network. The company he works for, JD Development, has been a visionary developer and started the trend of high-quality student residences. In 2020, the company successfully completed five first-class high-rise student residences in Waterloo; have projects spread across London, Waterloo, Cambridge, Barrie, Mississauga, and the GTA. John’s contributions play a big part in this achievement. He helps build the JD team by recruiting resourceful team leads. He believes that each person can extend their potential and grow in the company if opportunities arise.
To those around him, he is a funny, selfless friend. Never shy to extend a helping hand. It’s his nature to ensure his co-workers are supported and treated like family. John is kind and generous with his time. He actively participates in community events and supports local charity fundraisers, hospital research, non-profit organizations, homeless shelters, and many more.
Julia Zhang - Director
Julia Zhang obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in English Language and Literature from Beijing Foreign Studies University and a Master’s Degree in Law from Peking University. From 1991 to 1994, Julia worked with numerous international organizations to help companies enter China. In 2010, she established JD Development Group in Markham, Ontario. Currently, she manages the company as a team leader, overseeing the design, build, and operation of over 1,700 Rez-One student bedrooms in Waterloo, Ontario. She has been with HF Care Foundation since October 2011. She was the Gala Co-Chair in 2017 and 2018.
Michael Mak - Director
Dr. Michael Mak is a sleep medicine specialist and staff psychiatrist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. He also provides cultural mental health care for the HF Care Asian Mental Health and Well-Being. He received his MD from Queen’s University in Kingston and subsequently completed his Psychiatry residency and a Sleep Medicine fellowship at Western University in London. Dr. Mak is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, Adjunct Assistant Professor at McMaster University, and an Adjunct Research Professor at Western University. His academic interests include medical education, simulation as a teaching modality in Psychiatry, management of insomnia, and the study of sleep disorders in psychiatric patients. He is currently the Site Director for Undergraduate Medical Education at CAMH and the PGY5/Transition to Practice coordinator for the postgraduate Psychiatry training program at the University of Toronto. He is the director of the Sleep Medicine Fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry. He serves on the Education Committees of the Canadian Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. He was named a Fellow of the Canadian Psychiatric Association in 2022.
Jeff Kang - Director
Jeff Kang is an experienced banker and has been volunteering in multiple non-profit organizations for years. He is passionate about advocating for mental health in local communities. By serving on the Board, Jeff has the honor of making an impact on the things he cares about, being heard, and contributing to HF Care. Jeff had held previous board positions at the Association of Chinese Canadian Entrepreneurs (ACCE) for 6 years and at Hong Fook Mental Health Association (now HF Care Asian Mental Health and Well-Being) for 3 years. Jeff holds an MBA degree from Ivey Business School. Jeff’s connection to HF Care started in 2007 when he attended the Mental Health Ambassador training program, and he has been involved in HF Care events and activities ever since.
Ted Lo - Director
Dr. Ted Lo is a community psychiatrist in Toronto, active in ethno-cultural mental health. He was the founding member of Hong Fook Mental Health Service, then Hong Fook Mental Health Association, now HF Care Asian Mental Health and Well-Being, and is the Medical Director of the Asian Clinic. He also consults with the Across Boundaries Ethnoracial Mental Health Centre and provides cultural competence education for health professionals through courses, lectures, and publications. He was given the Educational Excellence in Community Care award. His initiatives in alternative and complementary medicine also led to the Prix Clarite Award by the Canadian Complementary Medicine Association. He was an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and developed a cultural curriculum for psychiatric resident training. He was a member of the Mental Health Commission of Canada and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Award.