Tahra brings to MBEP strong skills in leadership, management, policy advocacy, and public affairs. She is experienced in diverse issue areas across multiple sectors including nonprofit management, business, and government. Most recently, Tahra was an organization consultant as well as an executive coach. Previously, Tahra served as the Director for Zero to Three Western Regional Office, a national early childhood public policy and research organization; District Director for California State Senator Carol Liu; National Director for the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), a national American Muslim civil rights organization in Washington, DC; and Executive Director of Day One in Pasadena, a substance abuse prevention and policy organization. Her familiarity in leveraging strategic relationships, building cross-cultural and cross-sector coalitions, crafting public policy, and organizing multi-faith and grassroots communities helped her succeed and pass legislation for over a dozen policies.

Tahra is a graduate of the University of California at Irvine with a degree in Biology, has a Masters in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix, and a Masters in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Notable achievements include recipient of the Barbara Jordan Award for Women’s Leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School Woman and Public Policy Program, Nonprofit Executive Director of the Year by the California State Senate and Assembly, Elected Town Meeting Member in Milton, Founder of Milton Muslim Neighbors, Advisor to Latino Muslim Unity, and Advisory Board Member for the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts. A native of California, Tahra is a proud daughter of Pakistani Punjabi Muslim immigrant parents.
As the eldest of five children, she learned early the importance of hard work and the struggles of immigrant families, especially in farming communities. Tahra’s passion for health equity and economic justice was shaped by her experience growing up in Bakersfield, and through her agronomist father, she grew to appreciate the tremendous agricultural contributions of Kern County. Tahra and her family are excited to return to California after five years in Massachusetts.