We Are The Learnary
Our Staff
Surya Govender
Surya has tried her hand at more than a few jobs, from personal shopping, community garden building, and tractor driving to health research, government bureaucracy, and university instructor. But none has suited her as well as this one. At her core, she is an educator, writer, and maker of things. As an artist, she loves to play with textiles, colour, and, of course, learning new things all the time.
Surya is also the co-parent of two children and a dog and she is also an art therapist at Golden Thread Story.
Our Board
Chantelle Coulson (Chair)
lives in East Vancouver, and is excited to contribute to the East Van community and to the important work done at the Learnary. Chantelle’s background is in biology and environmental conservation, social justice, and in law. She has experience volunteering and working for non-profit, grassroots organizations and in providing education to communities on environmental stewardship and human rights issues. She currently works as Crown counsel in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and is passionate about working in collaborative, community-based settings to address social justice issues.
Kirsten Bradford (Member at Large)
is a curious neighbor of The Learnary and a proud member of the Hastings-Sunrise Community. She has a background in Marine Biology and Sustainable Community Development and is passionate about fostering communities that are connected to nature and each other. You can find Kirsten cycling through the city looking for forgotten treasures, or in her backyard playing with dirt.