Home — Sacha

In our way of seeing the world…

We are not separate from nature, but rather part of it.

We can regenerate our land, our communities, and our economies.

Let’s build a new paradigm together.

In our way of seeing the world…

We are not separate from nature, but rather part of it.

We can regenerate our land, our communities, and our economies.

Let’s build a new paradigm together.

In our way of seeing the world,
We are not separate from nature, but rather a part of it.

With the needs of people and the planet intertwined,
we can regenerate our land, our communities, and our economies.

Because today being sustainable is not enough.

If we shift our focus to one of mutual benefit, we can all flourish.

We invest in real estate and the capacity of people to build a new paradigm together.

About Us

Sacha invests in real estate and people to create thriving and equitable businesses that support their communities and regenerate the natural systems upon which we all depend.

At the centre of our work is a commitment to meaningfully balance financial gains with social and environmental benefits to people, communities, and the natural world.

Through an array of customized financing solutions, we are supporting a new paradigm of investment that prioritizes benefits to local communities and the environment while achieving reasonable financial returns. Our goal is not only to effect meaningful, measurable change, but also to inspire other investors to pursue a deeper alignment of capital and values and to explore new ownership models that distribute value to more people through improved stewardship.

Focus Areas

We pursue a deeper alignment of capital and values through well-considered partnerships with developers, landowners, and community organizations.

Sacha is focused on investing in positive systems-based solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges: climate change, economic inequality, and access to adequate and suitable housing. We believe that a just and equitable world is often realized at the community scale.

We focus our investment in three specific areas — farms, homes, and forests. We prioritize those opportunities that demonstrate broad, meaningful community benefits and viable, sustainable financial performance.

Farms
Homes
Forests

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
– Albert Einstein

Team

At Sacha, we have assembled a small, energetic team of people who bring varied and complimentary experiences and perspective to the work we are doing. Our team’s approach mirrors the new paradigm: we combine pragmatic business and financial analysis with forward-looking and creative thinking to bring about mutually beneficial solutions.

Kira Gerwing
Chief Real Estate Investment Officer
Kira brings visionary, compassionate, and strategic leadership to the pursuit of affordable housing, regenerative organic agriculture, and eco-forestry in Western Canada. In her role as Chief Real Estate Investment Officer, she discovers, cultivates and nurtures investment opportunities and partnerships that change how we own, steward and develop land.

Prior to joining Sacha, Kira was the Senior Manager in Community Investment at Vancity Credit Union, where she led opportunities in affordable housing, reconciliation and Indigenous business development, low or no-carbon green buildings, and meaningful climate action for businesses.

She has a Master’s degree in Community and Regional Planning and practiced as an urban planner with the City of Vancouver for almost a decade. She’s married to an entrepreneur who works with her to parent two teen-aged children. She loves downhill skiing, cooking, and riding her bike to get around the city.
Rob Purdy
Vice President, Investments
Rob brings a broad and very diverse background to Sacha, including increasingly senior financial positions in Canada and the UK. He focuses this expertise on opportunity sourcing, due diligence, partnership structuring and portfolio management.

Prior to Sacha, Rob held CFO positions within non-profit housing, real estate development, and clean technology sectors. He has worked with a broad range of individuals and organisations who are leaders in their fields and achieving impact across many geographies including the UK, the US and Canada. Through these experiences, Rob has honed his skills as a creative thinker who is passionate about using finance as a tool for positive change.

Rob is an active contributor to his local community. He’s developed rental housing, he serves on the board of a local society, and he co-owns and operates a local cidery on Bowen Island with his wife Christine. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Queen’s University. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant and a registered Submortgage Broker in BC.
Robert Brown
Senior Investment Advisor
Robert is focused on the development and implementation of Sacha’s affordable housing investment strategy. With over 40 years of diverse real estate and business experience, he also provides strategic advice that helps shape the organization’s growth and mission-aligned culture.

Robert began his real estate career in his native Scotland before relocating to Vancouver and founding Chesterman Properties, well known for their green building projects in Metro Vancouver and resort/hospitality properties in Tofino BC.

Robert went on to create Catalyst Community Developments Society, and under his leadership, completed seven projects and another ten under development, for a total of 1,400 homes and over 80,000 sq ft of community and commercial space.

Throughout his life, Robert has consistently blended his pragmatic real estate and business skills with a passion for social justice and environmental stewardship. He believes that when these two worlds “mesh” we can create a space where people can truly flourish and magical things can happen.
Alicia Medina
Director, Real Estate Investments
Alicia brings over 13 years of experience in impact investment, social purpose real estate, architecture, and entrepreneurship. She is committed to advancing social and environmental impact through strategic real estate initiatives, focusing on affordable housing projects that build sustainable, connected, and resilient communities. Her approach integrates technical rigor with empathy and a values-driven perspective, aligning with Sacha’s mission to balance financial returns with impact.

Before joining Sacha, Alicia managed the Affordable Community Housing Program at Vancity Community Foundation, where she focused on fostering stakeholder relationships and ensuring financial sustainability while upholding the program’s mission and values.

Alicia holds a Bachelor’s in Architecture from UDLAP (Puebla, Mexico) and a Master’s of Advanced Studies in Architecture from the University of British Columbia. She practiced architecture for nearly a decade and worked as a development consultant non-profit affordable housing organizations. She co-owns a craft brewery and a kombucha company.

Alicia enjoys spending time outdoors in the local mountains and can often be found in Mount Pleasant or tending to her community garden with her partner, Michelle.