ANNA AMY HO
Ontario Real Estate License (graduating 2020) | Hons. MSW – University of Toronto | Hons. BSW – Ryerson University
Current roles:
• Office Leasing Associate, Tenant Representation Group, JLL (NYSE:JLL)
• Public Speaker (Key Topics: leadership, resilience, and vicarious trauma)
• Consultant (fundraising, program development, and media relations)
• Lynn Factor Stand Up for Kids National Award Committee Member
– alongside former Governor General, former Minister of Justice, past President and CEO of United Way Toronto, and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies.
• Ambassador and former Young People’s Advisory Council member at Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada
• Dance movement psychotherapy enthusiast
BIOGRAPHY
Award-winning speaker, consultant, real estate professional by day and aerial acrobat by night, Anna Ho works as a Office Leasing Associate at the second largest global commercial real estate firm, JLL. Regarded as a skilled connector and trusted advisor, Anna is passionate about helping others reach their full potential, through business and their personal lives.
“By the time she was 16, Anna was living on her own…she seeks to inspire hope”
By way of public speaking, Anna facilitates powerful story-telling as a trauma and resilience speaker. Anna was orphaned at 13 years old after witnessing the murder of her mom and grandmother by her mother’s abusive common-law partner. By the time she was 16, Anna was living on her own. Despite the challenges of living without family at a young age, she has harnessed her adversity to propel her forward in every aspect of life. Drawing on her professional and personal experiences, she seeks to inspire hope, resilience and explore solutions to problems facing youth in care and victims of crime. Anna has been invited to speak in a variety of forums including the United Nations for the Rapporteur of the Child, University of Toronto, CIBC, HSBC, Sick Kids Hospital and Children’s Aid Societies. Furthermore, Anna is an experienced consultant in the areas of fundraising and program development. Notably, she assisted in launching the national Stand Up for Kids Campaign, successfully raising over $68 million.
“successfully raising over $68 million”
In addition to speaking and consulting, Anna is a highly motivated Tenant Representation Associate at JLL. Working alongside the premier Tenant Representation Team of David Fullerton, Allen Brusilow, and Matthew McCusker, Anna advises on site selection, real estate portfolio management, and overall facilities strategy. Serving numerous non-profits and Fortune 500 companies on their global real estate portfolios, they synthesize complex information into practical advice for clients. Anna brings a wealth of experience and a comprehensive, detail-oriented analytic ability to her role in office leasing. Her team of 6 collectively has over 50 years of experience in commercial real estate and stellar track record of success in servicing companies – from start-ups to large corporations. Select clients include UNICEF Canada, Gilead Sciences, Steelcase, MedicAlert, Ticketmaster, Marriot, Honda, and Canon.
“Serving numerous non-profits and Fortune 500 companies on their real estate portfolios…”
SOCIAL WORK AND CONSULTING
Prior to her venture in real estate, Anna’s background is in the social work and non-profit sectors. From leading an award-winning provincial project, assisting in fundraising over $68 million, crisis counselling, advocating across Canada, consulting and often speaking in media, Anna is trusted advisor, experienced social worker and adept leader. She has worked with individuals and groups in a variety of settings including Toronto Police Services, hospitals, child protection agencies, provincial and federal government, dance studios, camps, and non-profit organizations.
Notably, she was on the leadership team for an award-winning project, Our Voice Our Turn, whereby she collaborated across the child welfare and youth engagement sector in Canada. This advocacy initiative was instrumental in improving outcomes for youth in care at the Ontario Child Advocate’s Office and has been honoured and replicated internationally as an exemplary model of child advocacy. The work of the Ontario Child Advocate’s Office led to changes in child welfare legislation, practices, tuition supports, models of youth engagement, an increase in high school graduation rates from 44% to 46% over 4 years and improved outcomes for youth in/from the child welfare system.
Her passionate for empowering youth and helping them reach their full potential grew stronger after working with children with autism at Bloorview Kids Rehab’s expressive arts therapy program, and at-risk youth through the life skills program at Durham Children’s Aid Society.
After graduating with her Bachelors of Social Work, Anna worked as a Crisis Counsellor and Violence Prevention Program Coordinator at Victim Services Toronto and spearheaded advocacy initiatives for youth in care across the country. In her role at Victim Services, Anna excelled at supporting victims and survivors during the most traumatic moments of their lives. As the Teens Ending Abusive Relationships (T.E.A.R.) Program Coordinator, she recreated a 16-hour leadership development and violence prevention education program. This crisis intervention agency is best known for its role in helping victims in the immediate aftermath of the Van Attack and Danforth Shooting. Currently, Anna continues to consult on various projects and programs at Victim Services Toronto.
Regarded as a trusted advisor on numerous non-profit boards, policy-planning committees, child death inquests and advisory councils, she has collaborated with stakeholders across all industries – whether corporate or government. Anna is a Consultant and Ambassador to the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada and government advisory groups such as the Jeffrey Baldwin Inquest and the Investigations Unit at the Ontario Child Advocate. She is volunteers her time on non-for-profit boards including as a former Executive Board Member for CJRU 1280AM (former Chair of the radio station’s launch event in March 2016) and Ryerson’s Social Work Alumni Association.
Anna has been a lifelong volunteer and advocate in the community. In recognition of her work in serving victims of crime and children/youth in care, Anna received the 2015 Attorney General’s Victim Services Award of Distinction. The “Anna Ho Bursary” was created to support the post-secondary education of youth in care. In 2017, Anna became the second youngest individual to ever receive Ryerson University’s Alumni Achievement Award: Isadore Sharp Outstanding Recent Graduate Award. Anna has also received a number of other esteemed awards listed below.
NOTABLE AWARDS AND HONOURS
- Factor-Inwentash Graduate Entrance Scholarship (awarded to Top 20 of 1000+ applicants to the Masters of Social Work program at the University of Toronto)
- Ryerson Alumni Achievement Award: Isadore Sharp Outstanding Recent Graduate Award
- Attorney General’s Victim Services Awards of Distinction
- Joe Carter Scholarship
- Children’s Rights Trailblazer Award
- Ontario First Generation Bursary
- Ryerson President’s National Terence Grier Entrance Scholarship
- Anne Hope Award
CIRCUS, DANCE AND THE ARTS
Outside of advocacy, Anna is an aerial acrobat, performer and instructor, performing for companies like Disney, Casa Loma, and Hit and Run Productions Inc. Despite experiencing past trauma that completely altered her life, Anna’s strength and resilience have led her to succeed in the face of adversity. One day, Anna hopes to create a therapeutic arts center where children and adults can access arts-based forms of psychotherapy including dance, music, visual arts and play therapy.
CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Instagram: @AnnaAmyHo
Twitter: @AnnaAmyHo
CONTACT
For bookings and collaborations, please contact
[email protected]
For real estate inquiries, please contact
[email protected]