Tara was appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee as the state’s orca recovery coordinator in May 2021. Before that she worked in salmon recovery at the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office and led the Salmon Recovery team. She has worked on aquatic planning and science at the Washington Departments of Ecology and Natural Resources. Tara received her bachelor of science degree in environmental science, policy, and management from the University of California at Berkeley and her master’s degree from The Evergreen State College in Olympia. She lived, taught, traveled, and worked overseas for several years, in Asia and Central and South America. Tara lives in Olympia with her partner and two daughters. She loves soccer, ultimate Frisbee, horseback riding, backpacking, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Connect with me at: taragaluska@hotmail.com