Tara became the Program Coordinator for the Prison Teaching Initiative in 2016 after serving as the NJ Volunteer Coordinator for the Petey Greene Program. She is also an adjunct professor of research methods and writing at Stockton University. She holds an M.A. in Educational Counseling from Rowan University and joint B.A. degrees in Philosophy & Religion and Literature from Stockton University. In her professional life, she has been a domestic violence/sexual assault counselor, AmeriCorps program coordinator, philosophy professor, freelance editor, service-learning director, Avon saleswoman, bartender, dry-cleaning operator, and babysitter. But this is definitely her favorite job.

"My openness to both traditional and nontraditional professional development opportunities has allowed me to experience a wide variety of positions, all of which have taught me something valuable for the next phase of my life. I became acquainted with GradFUTURES through our program's University Administrative Fellowships. UAF support has been critically important to PTI's success in engaging graduate students in valuable teaching and learning experiences, which is a central part of what we do."