Staff Highlight: Tara Jacobi, Office Manager & Accounting Assistant

Some of the most important work at the Foundation happens quietly through organization, careful stewardship, and the daily details that allow everything else to move forward. For the past four years, Tara Jacobi has helped make that happen.

As Office Manager and Accounting Assistant, Tara plays a key role in keeping operations running smoothly. Her work helps create the structure that supports the Foundation’s mission.

During her time with the Foundation, Tara has also taken on projects that will have a lasting impact. She played a hands-on role in the office remodel, helping shape a space designed to serve the community well into the future. She also led a full reorganization of internal processes and files, streamlining systems to make the work more efficient for the team today and for those who will follow.

“Knowing that the work I contributed will be around for years to come is something I’m really proud of,” Tara said. “It’s been incredibly rewarding to know I’ve made a lasting impact.”

For Tara, what makes the work especially meaningful is the long view. “I really appreciate the legacy and mark we’re making in the community,” she shared. “Knowing that the impact we create will last long past our own lifetimes and being part of something that will keep going is an amazing feeling.”

Being part of the Foundation’s 40th anniversary celebration stands out as one of her most meaningful experiences, serving as a reminder that today’s work builds on decades of generosity and thoughtful planning. She also helped navigate two GIFT initiatives, challenging work that required collaboration and focus, but something she describes as both exciting and deeply rewarding.

Tara hopes people understand that much of the Foundation’s impact begins with thoughtful conversations and careful planning behind the scenes. “There are times when we have some of the brightest minds in the county gathered in one room, collaborating on how to make the greatest impact,” she said. “The people who work and volunteer here devote incredible effort and thought into being responsible stewards of the dollars entrusted to us.”

She also sees firsthand how the Foundation brings people together, working alongside local nonprofits to strengthen organizations and build connections across the community.

For Tara, the work is about more than keeping things organized. It’s about helping ensure that generosity today continues to make a difference for generations to come.