Tara has loved Jesus for as long as she can remember. Growing up in a Christian home with godly parents, she was at the church every time the doors were open. Though she trusted Jesus as her Savior at the age of five during a Billy Graham Crusade, her faith really began to blossom in middle school during her first Bible study, Experiencing God: Youth Edition.
Tara and Jamie met as teens in their church youth group, and six years later, they were married. They have since been blessed with two sets of twins: Natalie & Nathan and Samuel & Samantha, affectionately called the "Nats" and the "Sams." Together, the family is lovingly known as the “Dew Crew” or, in their New Orleans style, the “Dew Krewe.” Homeschooling, discipling, and training their children are Tara’s primary ministry, and she serves her family with contagious joy.
As a sophomore in highschool, Tara felt God's call into ministry. This calling has taken on a number of shapes. For nearly a decade, she served as a Pastor’s wife. During this time, she led and organized AWANA, coordinated nursery volunteers, led women’s Bible studies, and helped with church hospitality events. When Jamie transitioned from pastoring to academia, Tara eagerly embraced her role as a Dean’s wife at The College at Southeastern in Wake Forest, NC. Throughout this time, she continued to serve the local church through various women’s and children’s ministries. She always held in her heart a special place for the discipleship of women.
In June 2019, Jamie became President of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, where Tara now has the joy of serving the students, staff, and faculty, as well as women throughout their region. She loves hosting friends, family, and guests, counseling women on campus, teaching in the Ministry to Women program, and speaking at women’s events around the country. Through all her ministry roles, Tara’s heart remains deeply rooted in two passions: teaching God’s Word and mentoring women.
From a young age, Tara dreamed of becoming a teacher, and in 2003, she graduated from Meredith College with a Bachelor of Arts in Human Communication and a K-6 teaching license. After teaching second grade for four years, she became a stay-at-home mom and continued her education, earning a Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning Elementary Education from Liberty University in 2012. Her commitment to teaching and disciplining led her to pursue theological studies, culminating in a Doctorate in Education from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2018. Her dissertation, Survive or Thrive: An Exploration of the Preparedness of Southern Baptist Pastors’ Wives, reflects her dedication to supporting ministry wives, a passion she now channels through the THRIVE Ministry Wives Certificate Program. Tara is honored to equip women for the unique journey of ministry.
