Tara McKendrick is a provincial appointee to the Regional Municipality of Niagara Police Service Board since February 2018.  Ms. McKendrick brings over 25 years of experience in the social services field through participation in various roles throughout Niagara.  

Born in Hamilton, Ms. McKendrick’s family moved to the Niagara Region in 1984.  Ms. McKendrick has a history of volunteer work with Big Sisters, Niagara Victim Services, Distress Centre Niagara and other community agencies. A strong passion for helping others inspired completion of her Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Sociology from Brock University, and subsequently her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Windsor. 

Ms. McKendrick’s employment history has included involvement and collaboration with emergency response services, child protection services, hospital emergency departments and mental health and addictions services. The focus of her roles have been suicide prevention, crisis intervention and resolution, as well as advocacy, awareness and facilitation of curriculum regarding suicide prevention, mental health and addictions.  Ms. McKendrick’s career has led to her current role as Executive Director of Canadian Mental Health Association, Niagara Branch.  Ms. McKendrick is a long-time resident of Niagara Region and her family is proud to call Welland home.