Tara Payor joined #TeamElevate in June 2017. As a true Tampanian, Tara is well-suited to help people understand how #TampaHasSwagger. Tara brings a wealth of expertise from the field of education, and she has a deep knowledge base in professional development and clinical education. She earned her Ph.D., in Curriculum and Instruction, from the University of South Florida.

Tara has over a decade of experience working with adolescent and adult learners across the Tampa Bay area. She has spent extensive time in our area’s schools working with student teachers completing their final internship, and she has also worked with adult populations at community colleges and through large companies offering continuing education options for their employees. Tara believes in the power that can be harnessed through an education in order to learn, connect, and grow.

Tara’s research has looked at each graduate medical education and teacher education. Her research has shown that a combination of intentional cognitive and behavioral processes, along with personal attributes, come together to inform a particular professional role. She is committed to helping professionals develop intentionality in their thoughts and actions so that their habitual ways of thinking and doing are productive toward their professional development.

Tara is passionate about writing, and she has formally studied the craft since her undergraduate days at Florida State University. She is excited to #ElevateTampa through various genres of writing.

Tara’s achievements in the field of education have been recognized by the Tampa Bay Business Journal and USF’s College of Education.

Tara has two young children, ages two and five, who keep her on her toes. Given what it does for one’s overall well-being, she is committed to personal fitness and you can find her at a local barre studio a few times a week. She’s been married to her husband, a fellow Tampanian and Florida State Seminole, for 15 years. These four know full well that #TampaHasSwagger.