Tara Collier Bio Photo
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I was born in a small town, Atchison, Kansas (nope, not a Jayhawk fan… GO TIGERS!). My family and I moved to Columbia, MO in 1981, that is when I entered into second grade at Columbia Public Schools as a Fairview Falcon. I continued my CPS journey through West Jr High and finished in 1992 as a graduating senior at David H. Hickman High school. (Go Kewpies!) I started the next leg of this journey as a freshman at Missouri Valley College in Marshall, MO on an athletic scholarship playing both softball and basketball. While at Missouri Valley I played softball for 4 years and graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor Degree in Psychology and a minor in Alcohol and Drug Studies. After college, I began my career at Charter Behavioral Health working in the Intake/Needs Assessment department. It was during this time that I realized my passion for helping and working with children and families. In 1999, I began my graduate work at the University of Missouri School of Social Work. In May 2001, I received my Master's Degree in Social Work. Most of my career has centered around helping/working with children and families in various capacities. I worked 5 years at University Behavioral Health and ended my time there as a supervisor for the CPRC program. Additionally, I spent 9 years as a Home School Communicator with Columbia Public Schools.

In all my free time, I am also the mother of three amazing daughters, Madalyn (16) and twin girls Kyndall and Kyndra (11). We spend our time playing, watching sports, camping, swimming and enjoying our immediate and extended family. I am very excited and have enjoyed the journey that has led me to becoming a Regional Coordinator for the Boone County Schools Mental Health Coalition.