Tara Fernando

As the strategic communications specialist, Tara collaborates with the Collective’s many partners to steward and expand effective channels of communication, and to help mobilize the Collective’s extensive streams of knowledge. 

Immigrating from Sri Lanka alongside a small, intergenerational family of five, Tara sees the value of tailored knowledge translation in multiple facets of her life. In particular, witnessing how her family navigates British Columbia’s society and systems, which are predominately accessible for English-speaking, technologically-oriented individuals, Tara realized the importance of knowledge-mobilizing practices that integrate diverse mediums and meet people where they are. As such, Tara worked as the primary knowledge translation/mobilization (KT/KM) lead on multiple projects including as a KT/KM research assistant at BCC3, the KT/KM Communications Coordinator at the Balanced Supply of Housing, and the KT Communications Lead, and current policy analyst, on Aging in the Right Place. 

Tara likes to partake in community-driven, equity-centered, participatory, action-oriented work– basically, she focuses on projects that engage with communities to generate relevant, applicable, and enactable changes!  Tara hopes to continue working in the multifaceted, continually evolving field of KM/KT, learning more with each person she interacts with. 

Outside of working hours, you can spot Tara frolicking alongside some form of waterbody/greenery. She might also be on a flight to somewhere, anywhere!