Tara earned a degree in Sports Medicine from the University of Virginia in 2003 and a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Delaware in 2006. After graduating Tara followed her love of the mountains and skiing out to Vail, Colorado and then to Park City, Utah, where she spent five years as the head Physical Therapist / Athletic Trainer for the United States Ski Team. During this time, she was chosen to be a member of the US Medical Team at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Tara has been working in the outpatient orthopedic setting in Charlottesville since 2012. She has enjoyed treating patients of all ages and ability levels, working with the individuals aged 6 to 96. She believes in being a lifelong learner, having received additional trainings in biomechanics and movement analysis, gait analysis and dry needling in order to expand the skillset she can offer to patients.

Her advanced training includes Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, a distinction held by only 6% of Physical Therapists in the US. Tara’s passion for physical therapy extends to education as well, serving as a clinical instructor for students and site coordinator of clinical education. She is an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association, serving as a reviewer for the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. She also provides lectures & labs in various Physical Therapy programs on a myriad of topics including breathing mechanics and techniques, taping techniques and management of sports injuries.

Eager to expand her knowledge of movement analysis and biomechanics, Tara trained in the STOTT PILATES® method. She joined Posture Studio in 2020 and has enjoyed using Pilates in her practice to help connect the dots for patients between core control, breathing techniques, movement patterns and function. Her years at Posture have made her increasingly aware of how physical therapy and Pilates can be used to create an integrated system of training for full recovery.

Tara’s approach is holistic - looking at the body and person as a whole in order to treat the root of the pain and not just the symptom. She blends education, manual therapies, and functional-based movement retraining to create change in her clients. She is also able to integrate modalities such as dry needling for pain management.