BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Tara Palacios is the Director of BizLaunch, an award-winning division within Arlington Economic Development that assists small businesses and entrepreneurs in Arlington County.

Tara joined Arlington in 2001 and founded the BizLaunch program in 2002 to help diverse entrepreneurs successfully launch, grow, and expand their businesses in the County. Since its inception, BizLaunch has reached over 75,000 entrepreneurs through sponsored workshops, seminars, and one-on-one counseling sessions.

Tara has over 30 years of experience in Marketing and Business Development at various for-profit firms, including a health maintenance organization, an IT software developer, a financial institution, and a uranium enricher.

She has received numerous awards for her work and dedication to small businesses from organizations such as the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Arlington Chamber of Commerce and the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity.

Tara received her undergraduate degree in Political Science and Journalism from the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) and her graduate degree in Communications from Johns Hopkins University. She also is a certified Public Manager from George Washington University and a Leadership Center Alum of the Class of 2003.