Tara Ballew

Tara oversees grant reporting and compliance for the Programs & Strategy portfolio.

Previously, Tara was the Grants and Awards Manager for the Texas Tribune, where she was responsible for grant reporting, supporting fundraising efforts, and the newsroom’s editorial awards applications. In her time as the Awards Manager, the Tribune was recognized for the first time by the Pulitzer Prize as a finalist.

Additionally, for the Tribune, Tara developed an internal data tool tracking the organization’s impact on Texas residents and institutions, allowing key teams to evaluate project success to guide future endeavors.

Before joining the Tribune, Tara interned at Priority One Public Relations, a student firm led by the late White House Deputy Press Secretary, Peter Roussel. She led the team in their creation of a strategic communications plan for a local private school tailored to children with Autism.

Tara graduated magna cum laude from Sam Houston State University with a degree in Mass Communications. Her emphasis was on multi-platform journalism.