A Passionate Advocate for Women: Tara Brinkman, New Office Coordinator

Tara Brinkman is the new Office Coordinator for IMPACT Chicago. In this part-time role, Tara works with program registrants from their first inquiry until they step into a program, sets up workshops, and manages the IMPACT office. In her first two months on the job, she has worked closely with Lisa Amoroso, Board Chair,  and Martha Thompson, Director Emeritus and IMPACT Instructor, to learn the job. She got off to a running start, by setting up major workshops with Albany Park Theater Project and Nielsen Marketing Analytics. Martha says: “Tara joined IMPACT in the middle of workshop discussions with several organizations. With warmth and efficiency, she stepped into the position, smoothly facilitating the transition.”

Tara is a passionate advocate for women and girls. She attended Northeastern Illinois University where she studied Women’s Studies and Community Health. Tara took IMPACT Core Skills at Northeastern in 2009 and her daughter recently completed IMPACT for Middle School Girls. She has done front-line nonprofit work with Girls Rock! Chicago (a camp devoted to empowering young girls through music education), run her own business as a childbirth educator and doula, and worked with the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation as a grants and administrative assistant. In addition to her role as the parent-staff liaison with Girls Rock! Chicago , she is also the head of the Girls Rock Inclusion, Anti-oppression, and Diversity Committee -- a group founded with the intention of educating staff, volunteers, and board members on the importance of enacting policies which engage social justice issues.

She not only brings a commitment to social justice to IMPACT but considerable administrative skills. Quoting Lisa Amoroso: “Tara is a passionate advocate for women and girls. She has the ability to build a warm rapport with people very quickly. In addition, her ability to juggle many things (e.g., emails about an upcoming program, workshop inquiries, deposits, etc.) with a smile is just what is needed in this position.”

    Tara says about her first two months with IMPACT: “I have admired IMPACT Chicago since participating in the Core Skills training years ago, and I am thrilled to be a part of the IMPACT team. It has been a busy few months learning the intricacies of the position, but I am continuously inspired by the staff and board’s enthusiasm and commitment to self-defense, social justice, and ending gender-based violence.” You can reach Tara at info@impactchicago.org or 773-561-9000.