An interview with Michelle Cooper-Iverson
The power of people and perspectives in forwarding change.
In this short interview, Michelle Cooper-Iversen, the Chief Operating Officer of the Co-op Housing Federation of BC, reflects on the value of collaboration, co-creation, and collective action in the work we do to advance housing that is healthier, happier, and more socially connected.
“My biggest takeaway was the fact that we were able to get so many different people who are related to health and housing in the same space. There were so many different perspectives– from data, to government, to non-profit, to co-op housing, to market rental. I don’t think I’ve seen that anywhere before.”
Background
This interview is part of a collection of interviews emerging from Living Together 2025: Connecting housing, social health, and resilience.
Living Together 2025 was a two-day ‘collective action’ symposium that convened over 200 housing experts, public health professionals, municipal planners, architects, place-based community organizations, emergency management professionals, senior government policymakers, academics, and students.
We are deeply grateful to the many attendees who took the time to share their reflections and insights in brief interviews. From student research assistants to housing operators, policymakers, and public health practitioners, these voices capture the rich diversity present at the symposium.
