Bio

About Tara

I have lived and worked in Oak Bay for the past 35 years. I have raised my family here and have volunteered extensively, including serving as Chair of Restorative Justice Oak Bay. Trained as a Ph.D. psychologist, I am currently a professor in the School of Public Administration at UVic. Having held a number of professional roles internationally and in Canada, over the past two decades, I have concentrated on the public sector in BC, serving as chair and board member for several provincial and local organizations. I have written numerous policy papers, developed education and health prevention resources for young people and trades workers, and written peer-reviewed articles and books. I have also participated in the World Health Organization (WHO) Tobacco Framework Commission, and delivered papers at NATO conferences.

I’m a cyclist and has a passion for gardening and great music.

You can read my profession resume here.

Quick Facts about Tara

  • has eleven brothers and sisters
  • was one of the founders of girls’ softball in Oak Bay
  • can dry-wall, do basic carpentry and plumbing, mix concrete, and even some electrical work
  • played the bagpipes during her teenage years
  • born and raised in Nanaimo, but 5 generations Oak Bay on her mother’s side
  • is the daughter of Frank Ney, long-serving former mayor and MLA for Nanaimo
  • was a member of both the British Universities Squash Team and the Namibian Squash Team, and was a competitive skier, swimmer, soccer, and tennis player
  • in her youth, was an au pair in Paris, a student in the Grand Cayman Islands, made tacos in Mexico, and was a green-chain worker in the plywood mill in Quesnel
  • was on site for the demolition of Oak Bay Beach Hotel, and “rescued” paneling, doors, and lights, which she used in a renovation project
  • received Governor General’s Certificate of Commendation for bravery in helping to save the lives of Oak Bay neighbors in a fire
  • is the co-author of BC’s tobacco prevention program (“kic the nic” and “bc.tobaccofacts”), which has been implemented in every BC school
  • convinced the Oak Bay village Starbuck’s to open at 5:30 am so that she could get a jump on the news and get paperwork done
  • has been an invited speaker on health care and conflict issues to such diverse groups such as NATO, the World Health Organization, and the University of Dubrovnik in Croatia
  • grows vegetables in pots and has a compost on her veranda
  • recycled the metal frames from signs used in the last federal election from the Oak Bay dump to use for her own election signs
  • broke her leg while serving as Acting Mayor at a rugby charity event at the BC Legislature
  • has never been a member of or supported by any political party

Energy That Works . . . Experience That Matters