Her Story
About Tarah
Tarah Shepard serves as Area Director in the mental health counseling field, where she has worked for 20 years. In this role, she oversees operations of several mental health clinics throughout Western Massachusetts, Central and Western Mass, as well as Child Behavioral Health initiative clinics, managing two separate divisions of services. She earned a bachelor's degree in psychology, followed by a master's in education with a focus on child and human development, and a CAGS, or Certification in Advanced Graduate Studies, in clinical mental health counseling, which enabled her to become independently licensed in mental health counseling in Massachusetts. Tarah attributes her success to the support of fellow female leaders, her direct manager Rebecca Humphrey, and her family. She is also a visible volunteer with her community's 4-H equine program alongside her children and continues to compete and participate in the local equestrian community. Tarah values integrity, community, growth, and goals in both her work and personal life. She advises that there is no such thing as perfect work-life balance, but rather a constant juggle of managing two separate worlds, and encourages young women entering the field to be bold and daring, transparent in leadership, and to always explain the why behind the what.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Tarah
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think the support of my fellow female leaders. The person that I report to directly has been a big influence on my growth. Always supportive, always listening, always coaching. I think my family as well has always supported me to pursue leadership dreams.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
There is no such thing as a work-life balance. It is a constant juggle. It's a constant management of both in two separate worlds. If you can balance both, if you can juggle both, then you will succeed. But if you try to have that perfect work-life balance, it does not exist.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be bold and daring, and be transparent in your leadership. Always don't hesitate to explain the why behind the what. Gives good motive for moving forward in the direction you want.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Challenges right now are being able to provide the services to the population that actually needs them the most, the underserved and disadvantaged population. In Massachusetts we're gearing up for Medicaid cuts which will harm the disadvantaged even more and have care be less available.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity, the value I have on community and growth, and the goals too are the most important values to me.
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