Tara Morrill
Background
Having joined DCI in 2007, Tara has worked with a number of economic development organizations to implement successful media relations campaigns and attract investment to the state or community. She holds a bachelor’s degree in print journalism and double minors in Spanish and international studies from the Pennsylvania State University.
Tara’s Passion for Places
Tara’s passion for places springs from her nomadic upbringing and relationships with people from other cultures. In fact, she has either lived or traveled to almost every pocket of the country – and traveled to four of the seven continents (with her most recent travels taking her to Brazil and India). Although she admits that there are perks to being born and raised in one place, she believes she has gained unique perspectives and insight into people and the various places they call home through her travels.
Tara also had the opportunity to live out her dream of studying abroad in Madrid, Spain, during a semester in college where her immersion into the people and culture resulted in fluency in Spanish. Tara strongly feels that every community has something special to offer.
Notable Results
- For the El Paso Regional Economic Development Corporation (REDCo), Tara secured a cover story in BusinessWeek that highlighted the reasons why large global corporations continue to open up shop in El Paso’s sister city – Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.
- Tara has arranged and led media tours for a number of high-profile public officials such as Alabama Governor Bob Riley, several mayors, and top economic developers from across the country, resulting in positive coverage in the Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Associated Press, Bloomberg Television, Fox Business News, among many others.
- A Convenience Store News cover story that Tara landed on behalf of QualPro, Inc. (DCI’s only corporate client), directly led to an inquiry from one of QualPro’s prospects which then hired the consulting firm to help them boost their sales and improve productivity.
Up Close
Having been born in Houston officially makes Tara a Texan. However, that’s just the start. She has also been a Coloradoan, Georgian, Californian, New Jerseyian, Pennsylvanian, and now, New Yorker. Growing up in a family that moved around, Tara has quite the stories to tell. What’s her favorite place? While she can say something good about every place, she’d have to say it’s a tie between living at the foothills of the snow-capped Rockies and living in picture-perfect, always sunny Orange County.
Where You’ll Find Tara on a Sunny Day
Tara loves strolling through Central Park, jogging along the East River, and laying out in the sun. She also enjoys spending time with her family in Philadelphia and taking her puppy, Max, to the park.
Places that Tara has Called Home
Houston, Texas
Fort Collins, Colorado
Rome, Georgia
Irvine, California
Plainsboro, New Jersey
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Poughkeepsie, New York
Reading, Pennsylvania
State College, Pennsylvania
Madrid, Spain
New York, New York
Surprising Facts about Tara
Latte Lover
Following in her mother’s footsteps, Tara has developed a coffee, and more specifically, latte addiction. A self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur, she knows good coffee. Best find yet: Princeton, New Jersey’s Small World Coffee, an artsy coffee shop across from Princeton University. Lightly dusted with cinnamon and complemented by some sugar in the raw, this is one latte with which you will be satisfied.
Every Child’s Dream…
While living in Southern California as a child, Tara was within arm’s reach from Disneyland located in Anaheim. So, while most kids anxiously await their family’s vacation to the “Happiest Place on Earth,” Tara had season passes to the park, enabling drop of a hat trips to visit Mickey & the Gang.
¿Hablas español?
Tara is passionate about studying languages and cultures. Need to brush up on your Español? She would be your go-to person as she has studied the language for more than eight years and lived abroad in Spain. Currently, she is attempting to master Hindi as she would like to travel to India.
