Tara Jollie - Background
With a public service career spanning more than twenty years with the State of Alaska, Tara's career has progressed from her starting position as a Grants/contract Administrator and Compliance Officer, to Program Manager, Division Director, and Deputy Commissioner. She worked in the State Departments of Community and Regional Affairs, Labor and Workforce Development, and Commerce.
Consulting services include, but are not limited to:
o Ghost Writing/ technical reports and proposals
o Navigation of state bureaucracy
o Advocacy with state agencies
o Positive relationship building with state government (including Legislature)
o Grant writing support and instruction.
Ms. Jollie is especially skilled as the third party needed to facilitate meetings dealing with difficult issues brought about by needed, often unwelcome, change.
During her career she has traveled to all parts of Alaska and has a track record of success in
o facilitation of difficult change,
o organizational trouble shooting,
o development of corrective action plans,
o introducing difficult first steps of strategic planning,
o organizational policy development and team building,
o executive level budget/resource allocation,
o organizational succession planning.
Until retirement, Tara worked for the State of Alaska for 20 plus years in three Departments; first, the Department of Community and Regional Affairs, second, Department of Labor, and lastly, the Department of Commerce. She spent many years in the field traveling all over Alaska in her first position as a grants/contract administrator and compliance officer~ writing regulations and manuals until blue in the face. After several years, she progressed to a workforce development programs manager. (Her favorite job with the State.)
Eventually, graduating to the Executive Branch as Department of Labor Deputy Commissioner, she then transferred to where her heart was - Director, Division of Community and Regional Affairs (DCRA, rural affairs). Over the years a passion for public service was, and still is, steadfast. She wants to see equitable public policy, advocate for the fair distribution of state resources; and help people access job training and jobs, and, so importantly, preserve Alaska’s rural lifestyle option.
Alaska villages, so rich in cultural diversity, share the challenges of high unemployment and scarce opportunities which were present on two Indian reservations in Montana and North Dakota where she was growing up. She wants to make a difference. As a state program manager, a proud achievement was developing the Peer Outreach Project in 1997 in response to the Western Alaska fisheries disaster. This work was acknowledged via Citation from the Legislature. The Peer project put 28 people into good full time jobs in villages across southwestern Alaska. We achieved 100% local hire.
As Director of DCRA, reinstatement of Community Revenue Sharing is another achievement she was proud to be key in helping to pass. This version included a funding formula within state statute. This funding mechanism is important because previously the law allowed the legislature to leave it unfunded.
Her dedication to public service was recognized by the Alaska State Legislature in the form of a Legislative Citation issued May, 2002.
Since retiring in 2011, she enjoys blogging and spending time with her dogs Rocky and Buddy. In Tara Jollies’ words: “LeadDog is a nickname given to me years ago during the training of my first dog, Buster (since passed). Puppy Buster wouldn’t pull the sled unless I was running out in front of him; thus, the nickname LeadDog. It stuck and has since become my pen name. On my blog, I write articles based on my personal views of current state issues. Topics include legislation, campaigns, candidates, or any other related subject. I consider myself non-partisan. I am not aligned with any political party and it is my hope to promote dialog on current affairs via this blog. Check it out at http://leaddogalaska.net
With a public service career spanning more than twenty years with the State of Alaska, Tara's career has progressed from her starting position as a Grants/contract Administrator and Compliance Officer, to Program Manager, Division Director, and Deputy Commissioner. She worked in the State Departments of Community and Regional Affairs, Labor and Workforce Development, and Commerce.
Consulting services include, but are not limited to:
o Ghost Writing/ technical reports and proposals
o Navigation of state bureaucracy
o Advocacy with state agencies
o Positive relationship building with state government (including Legislature)
o Grant writing support and instruction.
Ms. Jollie is especially skilled as the third party needed to facilitate meetings dealing with difficult issues brought about by needed, often unwelcome, change.
During her career she has traveled to all parts of Alaska and has a track record of success in
o facilitation of difficult change,
o organizational trouble shooting,
o development of corrective action plans,
o introducing difficult first steps of strategic planning,
o organizational policy development and team building,
o executive level budget/resource allocation,
o organizational succession planning.
Until retirement, Tara worked for the State of Alaska for 20 plus years in three Departments; first, the Department of Community and Regional Affairs, second, Department of Labor, and lastly, the Department of Commerce. She spent many years in the field traveling all over Alaska in her first position as a grants/contract administrator and compliance officer~ writing regulations and manuals until blue in the face. After several years, she progressed to a workforce development programs manager. (Her favorite job with the State.)
Eventually, graduating to the Executive Branch as Department of Labor Deputy Commissioner, she then transferred to where her heart was - Director, Division of Community and Regional Affairs (DCRA, rural affairs). Over the years a passion for public service was, and still is, steadfast. She wants to see equitable public policy, advocate for the fair distribution of state resources; and help people access job training and jobs, and, so importantly, preserve Alaska’s rural lifestyle option.
Alaska villages, so rich in cultural diversity, share the challenges of high unemployment and scarce opportunities which were present on two Indian reservations in Montana and North Dakota where she was growing up. She wants to make a difference. As a state program manager, a proud achievement was developing the Peer Outreach Project in 1997 in response to the Western Alaska fisheries disaster. This work was acknowledged via Citation from the Legislature. The Peer project put 28 people into good full time jobs in villages across southwestern Alaska. We achieved 100% local hire.
As Director of DCRA, reinstatement of Community Revenue Sharing is another achievement she was proud to be key in helping to pass. This version included a funding formula within state statute. This funding mechanism is important because previously the law allowed the legislature to leave it unfunded.
Her dedication to public service was recognized by the Alaska State Legislature in the form of a Legislative Citation issued May, 2002.
Since retiring in 2011, she enjoys blogging and spending time with her dogs Rocky and Buddy. In Tara Jollies’ words: “LeadDog is a nickname given to me years ago during the training of my first dog, Buster (since passed). Puppy Buster wouldn’t pull the sled unless I was running out in front of him; thus, the nickname LeadDog. It stuck and has since become my pen name. On my blog, I write articles based on my personal views of current state issues. Topics include legislation, campaigns, candidates, or any other related subject. I consider myself non-partisan. I am not aligned with any political party and it is my hope to promote dialog on current affairs via this blog. Check it out at http://leaddogalaska.net