Tara Hechlik Newsom is a Professor at St. Petersburg College (SPC) where she also serves as the Founding Director of the Center for Civic Learning & Community Engagement. Tara’s academic focus is on strengthening student success thru civic engagement and community engaged learning, capitalizing on the unique interests and skill sets individuals bring to their community. Newsom currently focuses on American National Government coursework, but also enjoys teaching State & Local Government, Political Parties & Elections, Constitutional Theory, Ethics & International Relations. Equal access to civil liberties for students and communities remain a priority. Tara earned a B.S. in Environmental Policy from the University of Michigan, a J.D. from the University of Detroit-Mercy School of Law, and an L.L.M in Law & Government from American University Washington College of Law. In her early career, she worked as a U.S. Senatorial Page, then served as a Policy Director for Michigan’s Governor Engler, Chief Counsel to Lt. Governor Posthumus as well as a staff member for U.S. Senator Abraham and the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s Sub-Committee on Immigration. Before teaching at St. Petersburg College, Tara taught at Eastern Michigan University, Mississippi College and Eckerd College. Tara has contributed to TedX with her talk “The Constitution: It’s Personal”. She is also the recipient of the St. Petersburg College Distinguished Faculty of the Year award and a graduate of SPC Leadership & The Florida Chancellors Leadership Program. She also a regular guest on PBS “Florida This Week”, ans serves as an analyst for WFLA Channel 8, Tampa Bay NBC Affiate, and NPR’s, Florida Matters. Committed to a number of community organizations, Tara volunteers regularly with Goodwill and Florida Dream Center as well as serves on the Co-Chair of the Advisory committee for Journey’s in Journalism Magnet program in Pinellas County Schools. Tara lives in Downtown St. Petersburg with her family and her beloved golden retriever Francis.