Tanja Kisslinger is the Director of Communications at Veterinarians Without Borders North America/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Amérique du Nord.
Tanja is a cross-cultural storyteller and communications-for-development specialist. For more than 18 years, she has worked with international development and relief organizations (such as CARE International, Save the Children, Children in Crossfire, and Medair) to promote and protect human rights. Along the way, Tanja has lived, worked and volunteered in diverse places, including Tanzania, Zambia, India, Cambodia, Nepal, Mongolia, Romania, Peru, and Jordan.
Across countries and contexts, Tanja’s aim is consistent: to give voice and visibility to situations of injustice or vulnerability. This path began with a study of political prisoners in the USA (a graduate thesis) and has gone on to include work with street children in Tanzania, displaced families in post-earthquake Nepal, and food insecure communities in Southern Africa. Tanja recently worked with CARE Canada’s Global Health department, where she led and implemented the 3.5 year “Feed Her Future” engagement campaign (@FeedHerFuture). The campaign raised awareness of the social and gender norms that affect women’s and children’s access to nutrition in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia.
Tanja holds a Master’s degree in Criminology and an Honors degree in Psychology. She also holds professional certifications in communication across cultures and in emergencies.
This field report from Laos shares insights from VWB’s Senior Program Officer, Megan Sylka, highlighting how the VETS program, in partnership with CARE Laos, is empowering women, improving animal health, and helping farming communities build climate resilience through sustainable agriculture and One Health practices.
This field report from Rwanda highlights how VWB’s COHERS program is tackling the pork tapeworm Taenia solium through a One Health approach — uniting local One Health Teams, Community Hygiene Clubs, and behaviour-change initiatives to strengthen sanitation, improve animal health, and build momentum at the community level.
This story profiles Donatha Anyinkamiye, Executive Secretary of Tare Sector, whose leadership and advocacy are helping COHERS turn One Health awareness into lasting, community-led change in Rwanda.
