City of Newport Beach
Tara joined the City of Newport Beach in 2008 and currently serves as deputy city manager. She oversees the organization’s communication and economic development programs and manages special projects, the City Manager’s Office budget, and certain policy development efforts and legislative issues for the city manager. Tara also serves as the City’s media spokesperson and as a liaison between City Hall and business, tourism and community organizations.
During her tenure with Newport Beach, Tara developed the City’s communication program and related policies; helped restructure the City’s special event grant program; and has worked on key projects and initiatives including the development of the Newport Beach Civic Center, the Oceanfront Boardwalk Safety Program, and the City’s refuse service conversion.
Tara has more than 25 years of professional experience in both the public and private sectors. She began her career in marketing for planning and engineering consulting companies and went on to work for the Irvine Ranch Water District and the City of Orange / Orange Redevelopment Agency.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delaware and a Masters of Public Administration from the California State University, Long Beach. She is Accredited in Public Relations (APR) by the Public Relations Society of America.
Tara is a member of the International City Management Association, Women Leading Government, the Orange County Economic Development Working Group, the California Association of Local Economic Development, the Public Relations Society of America and the Newport Beach Film Festival Advisory Board. She is also a sustaining member of the Junior League of Orange County, CA.
City of Newport Beach
The City of Newport Beach operates under a Council-Manager form of government. Its seven City Council Members are elected by district, but are voted on by the population as a whole and are responsible for policy-making, passing local ordinances, adopting the budget, appointing committees and hiring the City Manager, City Attorney, and City Clerk. The City has approximately 725 full-time employees and hundreds of part-time and seasonal employees. Newport Beach is located in the coastal center of Orange County, with Los Angeles County to the north and San Diego County to the south. It has an estimated permanent population of 86,738, but during the summer months, the population grows to more than 100,000 with 20,000 to 100,000 tourists daily. The city is known for its fine residential areas, modern shopping facilities, strong business community and quality school system. It surrounds Newport Bay where more than 9,000 boats of all types are docked within the 21-square-mile harbor area. The bay area and the City’s eight miles of ocean beach offer outstanding fishing, swimming, surfing, and aquatic sports activities.