Tara Ritter

Senior Program Associate for Climate and Rural Communities

Tara worked at IATP on rural communities and climate change issues from June 2013-January 2021.


Tara Ritter joined IATP in 2013 and is a senior program associate for climate change and rural communities. She works on state and federal climate and agriculture policy with a focus on expanding conservation practices, transitioning to pasture-based animal agriculture and analyzing carbon markets. 

For six years, Tara helped lead the Rural Climate Dialogues, a program that engaged rural communities across Minnesota to think critically and plan strategically to address local climate-related challenges. The events provided a venue for community members to share their experiences, connect over community values and priorities and create place-based climate action plans outside of the polarized political process.  

Prior to IATP, Tara worked throughout the Upper Midwest researching farm-level decision making around nutrient management and soil health practices. In Ohio, she worked with a nonprofit and food hub to expand local markets for farmers and increase access to healthy food. 

Tara holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from St. Olaf College and a Master of Science in Environment and Natural Resources from The Ohio State University.