Tara Kirkland

Director of Strategy and External Relations

Photo of Tara Kirkland
Tara Kirkland

Joining the College of Education in 2022 as the Director of Strategy and External Relations, Ms. Tara Kirkland develops and advances strategic partnerships, research and funding opportunities that align with the college’s signature impact areas. Kirkland has spent her professional career at the intersection of purpose and impact, connecting big ideas with the strategies and practical steps to execute them.  For over 20 years, she has served as a strategic advisor for nonprofit and public sector clients and community partners on questions of strategy, governance, community engagement, revenue generation and business model development. 

As Chief Program Officer at the Austin-based nonprofit Mission Capital, Kirkland guided the organization’s programmatic efforts to equip and connect mission driven leaders, organizations and networks in Central Texas for over 15 years.   

Prior to her time at Mission Capital, Kirkland was a Presidential Management Fellow for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Southwest Border Initiative in Washington, DC.  She started her career as a faith- and institution-based community organizer, working to develop grassroots community leaders in public schools and neighborhoods and additionally served as program director for a statewide nonprofit working to break the family cycle of child abuse and neglect in Texas. 

Kirkland earned her Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs at Syracuse University, and her Bachelor of Arts from the Plan II Liberal Arts Honors Program at UT Austin.


Contact Us

Mailing Address
College of Education
1912 Speedway, Stop D5000
Austin, Texas 78712
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Dean’s Office Units Intranets (Wikis)

Business Policies and Procedures: for college staff and faculty
Research Administration: for college faculty 
Sánchez Facilities/Building Resources: for college faculty and staff (UT EID required)
Marketing and Communications: for college faculty and staff
Field Experiences: for students, cooperating teachers, coordinators and field supervisors involved in the Professional Development Sequence for future teachers
Tutorials from the Information Technology Office


Emergency Contacts

University of Texas Police Department – Call 911
Behavior Concerns Advice Line – Call 512-232-5050 
Title IX Office – for reporting violence, misconduct, harassment, or discrimination