Growing up in a military family, Tara lived in various places around the US throughout her childhood. She pursued an undergraduate degree from the United States Naval Academy in Oceanography, after which she served in the US Navy for five years where she had the opportunity to drive ships around the world. As she finished her time in the service, she completed a Master’s in Parks, Recreation & Conservation from Clemson University and began working in the field of outdoor and environmental education. Tara has worked both in instructional and management roles in outdoor education, facilitating outdoor experiences for participants of all ages that focus on fostering deeper connections with the landscape. In her role as Operations Manager, she is honored to serve COFSF’s mission and to provide support to the partners and collaboratives we work alongside. When not working for COFSF, Tara also teaches rock climbing in Smith Rock State Park and adventure leadership at Oregon State University- Cascades. She is also currently working on a graduate certification in GIS and is excited to continue to serve COFSF’s mission of shared stewardship in Central Oregon.