Tara Mild

Tara serves as the Administrative Lead and Co-Director of Restore Native Plants, where she helps turn the organization’s conservation mission into coordinated, sustainable action. She supports program development, operations, data analysis, and partnerships while strengthening the systems behind RNP’s education, stewardship, and restoration work.

Although her formal background is in education, Tara has always loved nature. She grew up playing outside and fishing, later capturing her appreciation for the outdoors through photography and writing. At RNP, she photographs the unique flora and fauna of Ramapo Mountain State Forest, as well as the team in its “natural habitat” in the field. Additionally, Tara oversees the development and operations of the Ecosystem Restoration and Land Stewardship Internship Program, from recruitment through in-house coaching and mentorship. She also organized and re-structured RNP’s Native Plant Database, making essential plant information more accessible for restoration planning, education, and long-term recordkeeping.

Before joining RNP, Tara was an elementary school teacher who loved developing meaningful, differentiated learning experiences. She found it most rewarding to see her own learning reflected in her students’ work. Today, she finds that same fulfillment when the team completes a new site and the systems she created are put to use in the field. Her background continues to shape her collaborative, interdisciplinary approach to leadership and her belief that strong organizations, meaningful education, and engaged communities are essential to protecting our ecosystems.

Outside of work, Tara enjoys traveling and hiking through the U.S. National Parks, with the goal of visiting them all. She also tends to her mini native plant garden, reads, and suffers through the ups and downs of her New York sports teams.