Tara Baker

Tara Baker serves as a Lead Tech in sterile processing at Steris ORC in Salisbury, North Carolina. With six years of experience in the field, she began her career in healthcare in December 2020 at St. Luke's hospital in Pennsylvania after completing an online class during the COVID-19 pandemic and relocating from New Jersey. Prior to this transition, she worked as an office manager for NJPAC, a nonprofit organization that provides arts exposure to children in inner-city communities. Tara holds a high school diploma, attended Essex County College for one year, and completed trade school at Drake College of Medical Business. She earned her CBDSP certification in July 2021 after passing her boards, which led to increased responsibilities including floating across campuses before advancing to her current lead role. Tara is passionate about her work in SPD, describing it as the heart of the hospital, and she advises young women entering the field to treat every tray as if it were for a loved one. She attributes her professional success to her faith and hope, values balance between work and personal life, and encourages others never to give up, particularly during challenging times. Tara has also noted the need for improved collaboration and understanding between operating room and sterile processing departments.