Brett R. O. Donnelly

With profound gratitude and joy in having been gifted with his life, we are tasked with accepting our deep loss: Brett's kind, brave and beautiful heart beat its last on April 27, 2023, at the age of 33. We are sustained by the many memories we have of his intellect, kindness, wit, compassion, curiosity and thoughtful, easy manner.

He is survived and will be forever missed and loved by his parents Brad and Shelagh, his sister Caitlin, his partner Trina Loken, his father- and mother-in-law Martin and Marianne, and his brother-in-law Andreas. Brett is also survived by his beloved cousins, aunts and uncles, and was predeceased by his loving grandparents Mary, Una and Clare.

Born in Vancouver, Brett grew up in Kelowna, BC's Okanagan Mission community. He graduated with a BA in Political Science from UBC's Vancouver campus and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Toronto. In 2018, Brett moved to Ottawa, where he held multiple policy and data analyst roles in the Canadian government and concurrently earned a certificate in Data Science from the University of Waterloo. Most recently, Brett worked as a Policy Advisor at the Privy Council Office.

Brett was a lifelong reader and learner, and he was passionate about data science, public policy and international affairs. A devoted runner, Brett completed marathons and other races over the years. He had a special love for dogs, and music and language learning also played important parts in his life. While Brett was an avid traveller with a keen interest in exploring new places, Vancouver always held a particularly special place in his heart. With his great sense of humour, he never wasted an opportunity to uplift and create joy in his loved ones' lives.

We will gather in Vancouver in June to honour and remember our wonderful Brett. Donations to the Brett Donnelly Memorial Fund at UBC - give.ubc.ca/memorial/brett-donnelly - are welcomed in memory of Brett and his commitment to learning.