MABRRI is excited to introduce our current Student Research Assistants (RAs) of Vancouver Island University. Our Student RAs support all aspects of project work and we could not do what we do without them!
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No bio has been provided at this time.
Drew Dostaler (they/them, she/her) joined MABR/RI in the role of Communications and Program Assistant. As a VIU Physical Geography student, passionate naturalist, and environmental science professional, Drew is incredibly excited to help further the MABR’s regional goals this season. Projects they’re most excited about include social media management (unprofessionally known as “social media shenanigans”), building new relationships between the MABR’s communities, grant-writing, and supporting MABRRI’s field research (especially plant phenology).
Drew has spent many years working in outreach, communications and interpretive roles across non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and levels of government alike. Their greatest passions lie between the realm of people and nature, connecting communities to their surrounding environments to foster a stronger sense of sustainability, spiritual connection, and intersectional ecological justice.
In their downtime, Drew deeply values connecting with nature, often spending 2 hours investigating plants, bugs, mosses and lichen on only 10 metres of trail! This equally-deeply annoys their friends and family. As summertime approaches, they’re excited to visit home in Alberta, explore Strathcona park’s backcountry, host beach-movie nights in Victoria with their partner, conduct covert guerrilla gardening ops (shh), and see if they can master the cap-bottle flip. In their own words, “my life is an abundance of chaos and beauty, and I wouldn’t have it any other way”.
Flynn is a second year student in the Master of Community Planning (MCP) program at VIU and holds an undergraduate degree in Tourism and Recreation Management from VIU. Before attending the MCP program, Flynn worked for four years for Canada’s federal destination marketing/management organization, Destination Canada, across various roles involving tourism marketing, stakeholder relations, project management, and more. Flynn has a keen interest in fostering vibrant rural communities where people love to live and visit which was fostered by growing up in small town Tofino and Ucluelet.
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No bio has been provided at this time.
No bio has been provided at this time.
Tharini Prakash is a graduate of the Master of Community Planning program from Vancouver Island University. With an undergraduate degree in Architecture and years of experience as a practicing architect, she has developed a diverse set of skills in the field. Originally from Dubai, UAE, with strong southern Indian roots, Tharini has developed a keen interest in Canada's Indigenous history since moving to Canada. She is inspired by the resilience of Indigenous people and believes there are valuable lessons to be learned from their ways of living. As a LEED-accredited professional for Building Design and Construction, Tharini is dedicated to creating sustainable spaces that are vibrant and inclusive. Currently, she works with MABRRI as the Planning Assistant, supporting their planning projects. She brings her drive and creativity to advance MABRRI's ongoing work through planning and design.
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