Daren Okafo – Director

Daren Okafo brings over 30 years of experience in community development and engagement to his role as Consulting Director of Collective Leadership at the Tamarack Institute. Originally from Dublin, Ireland, he has dedicated his career to learning alongside communities across Canada, Europe, and Africa.

Daren spent 16 years leading Technology and Innovations at the Coady International Institute, where he championed inclusive, community-led learning models and digital platforms that amplified community voices. His work has consistently focused on creating accessible, strengths-based approaches that empower people and organizations to lead change from within.

Throughout his career, Daren has held multiple senior roles in the nonprofit and social impact sectors, including:

• Manager, Innovations and Learning Technologies – Irish National Adult Literacy Agency

• Manager, Innovations and Learning Programs – Nova Scotia Community Sector Council

• Manager, Innovations and Strategic Partnerships – Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)

• Director, Innovations and Learning Platforms – oneLouder Knowledge Management

With deep experience at the intersection of community engagement, digital learning, and innovation strategy, Daren is widely recognized as a systems thinker with a passion for collective leadership, inclusive design, and sector-wide capacity building.