Fern Tiger is the founder and creative director of Fern Tiger Associates (FTA) in Oakland, CA and has designed and facilitated scores of projects throughout the U.S. that have engaged communities, organizations, institutions, and public agencies in solving controversial issues and overcoming power gaps in strategic, innovative, and meaningful ways. Her transdisciplinary approaches to this work combine the creative, intuitive tools of the artist/designer with the practical, systemic tools of urban planners, the discipline of academic researchers, and the inspiration of community organizers and activists. Tiger has taught at several universities and most recently held professorships at Arizona State University and University of Washington Tacoma. 

Tiger has a B.F.A., M.S. from the Pratt Institute and an M.F.A. from The Pennsylvania State University. She is a former Professor at the University of Washington Tacoma, Urban Studies Program and Community Planning, and a former Professor of Practice through the College of Public Programs at Arizona State University.

In addition to her focus on FTA, Tiger is a frequent speaker on public involvement in decision-making, the role of nonprofit organizations in communities, innovative approaches to civic engagement, and university-to-community relations.

Her most recent book is Creative Instigation: The Art & Strategy of Authentic Community Engagement (New Village Press, 2024).