Congratulations to Tara Brinston, who was recently named Young Professional of the Year by the Fredericton Region Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs (FRYPE). The New Brunswick Association for Community Living (NBACL) is fortunate to have Tara as part of our team, as Director of Programs.
It takes a certain kind of person to choose a career with a non-profit. Their job satisfaction comes not as much from monetary rewards or climbing the corporate ladder as from advancing and achieving their organization’s mission and goals. They possess such attributes as compassion, dedication, empathy and generosity. They are also skilled leaders – highly organized, focused, competent, responsible, knowledgeable, willing to continue to learn, and able to make the tough decisions.
Tara Brinston is such a person. A passionate advocate for human rights, she has spent the past six years with NBACL assuring that persons with an intellectual disability can participate in their communities as valued and contributing members, be it in their school, in their workplace, as a volunteer or simply as a responsible citizen. Thanks to Tara, many children, adolescents and adults with an intellectual disability have benefited from the family and individual supports they needed to forge their path to successful, satisfying lives.
Perhaps the best way to describe Tara is to share this quote from an interview she gave after receiving the Atlantic Council for International Cooperation Active-8! Award: “To improve the life of even one person is to succeed,” she said. “… small, seemingly insignificant actions will create a ripple effect that will eventually shape our communities into more cohesive places.”
Tara’s work with NBACL in Fredericton has achieved that ripple effect across the province, where the successes of persons with an intellectual disability are evident in the schools, community colleges, universities, workplaces, volunteer organizations and in their communities.
Thank you to FRYPE for recognizing Tara’s hard work and professionalism. We at NBACL are honoured to recognize this distinction, and to call her a colleague, a friend and a supporter!
Krista Carr
Executive Director
NBACL