Berta Zaccardi was born in Abruzzo Italy in 1952, immigrating to Winnipeg, Canada with her parents in 1961. She has a B.A. from the University of Manitoba and a J.D. from Osgoode Hall Law School. A retired member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, she is fluent in English, French and Italian.
Berta's legal career started with a position as a staff lawyer at McQuesten Community Legal Clinic in Hamilton, Ontario. She then served as Legal Counsel at Sterling Trust (subsequently acquired by Trust General) and in 1982 joined CMHC as a solicitor. Her career at CMHC spanned 24 years, at first in various positions in Legal Services in both National Office and in the regional offices, and, from 1991, in executive roles. She has held the positions of Director of Program Portfolio Management Division, General Manager of the Prairies and NWT Region, Director of the MBS Centre, and General Manager of the Ontario Region. In 2002 she was appointed Vice-President, Human Resources, Legal and Corporate Services. In 2004 responsibility for IT was added to Corporate Services, and she took on the new position of VP, Human Resources. Berta retired from CMHC in June 2006.
Berta is married to Craig Robertson and has two children, Alex and Adriana. Since retiring, she has completed the Camino de Santiago de Compostella in Spain, climbed Kilimanjaro and hiked the Andes. Her dream is to walk the length of the Bruce Trail in Ontario.
Berta has served for three three-year terms on the Agency’s Board of Directors, in the offices of Vice-President and President. After concluding her third term in June 2024, she devoted a year to foreign travel and to literary and other interests. At the request of the Agency’s board of directors, Berta has accepted another term, beginning in June 2025, and is serving as president.