Bio

Tara is passionate about realigning natural and human systems to forge more sustainable models of economic development; she has worked across the academic, nonprofit, finance and technology sectors towards this end. Prior to joining the Woods Institute in 2025 as Managing Director for the Natural Climate Solutions initiative, Tara spent a decade leading the development and application of satellite data products for environmental accounting at Planet Labs, PBC. An early employee, Tara spearheaded the company’s product and business development strategies in civil government and commercial markets, unlocking a range of use cases for new technologies to help practically and cost-effectively value the services healthy ecosystems provide and price the costs of unsustainable degradation.

Prior to Planet, Tara helped pioneer early research, standards, and financing for Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) at Duke University’s Nicholas Institute and Code REDD. She has advised several foundations and investment firms on integrating the reality of climate change into their portfolios, including organizing the Climate & Capital summit that brought together investors representing over $1 trillion AUM alongside the COP21 in Paris and launching the first web platform for verified forest carbon projects at the COP20 in Lima.

Tara holds a Master’s of Environmental Management and International Development from Duke University, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Science from Gettysburg College. She now lives in Marin County, California with her family, where she enjoys trail running and camping.

Current Role at Stanford

Managing Director, Natural Climate Solutions
Woods Institute for the Environment
Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability

Contact

  • Work
    toshea@stanford.edu
    University - Staff Department: Woods Institute Position: Managing Director, Natural Climate Solutions

Additional Info

  • Mail Code: 4205