Tara Frances  is a co-founder and was a major sponsor in the establishment of the Centre. She has practised vipassanā meditation for 30 years in Burma, Nepal and Australia, with Sayādaw U Pandita, the senior disciple of Mahāsī Sayādaw, and other senior teachers. Tara was a member of the BMIMC management committee from the Centre’s inception up to her six year term as resident manager, which ended in November 2010.