Tamara Love
Missoula
Summary
Experienced leader with a 23-year track record in driving equity, inclusion, and amplifying community voices in nonprofit, philanthropic, and mission-based retail sectors. Proven ability to foster cross-sector collaboration, secure nearly $2 million in funding, and oversee a $2.5M department. Skilled in strategic storytelling, partnership building, and spearheading initiatives that prioritize belonging, cultural transformation, and systemic change. Committed to transforming institutions into catalysts for dignity, access, and opportunity in a world where mere surface-level inclusion is outdated.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
Work History
Narrative Strategist & Freelance Writer
Storytelling for Systemic Change
01.2011 - Current
- Wrote and edited narrative materials for land trusts and housing justice projects.
- Designed writing workshops for incarcerated individuals, centering voice, healing, and agency.
- Currently developing a book manuscript on justice, memory, and systemic inequity.
- Use storytelling to reframe public discourse and drive structural change.
Department Manager & Buyer
Good Food Store
01.2005 - Current
- Lead procurement, strategy, and staff development for a $2.5M department with year-over-year double-digit growth.
- Supervise and develop a 9-person team, emphasizing inclusion, accountability, and collaborative leadership.
- Piloted initiatives that increased women-owned brands by 150%, aligning procurement with equity goals.
- Created an annual wellness fair spotlighting local health experts and community care, engaging 20+ vendors.
- Partnered with executive leadership to launch organization-wide belonging and cultural transformation work.
Co-Founder & Facilitator, Writing Workshops
Missoula County Detention Facility
01.2017 - 01.2020
- Created writing programs for incarcerated adults; recruited and trained volunteers.
- Built affirming spaces for dignity, storytelling, and restoration within carceral systems.
Adjunct Instructor
Missoula College – University of Montana
01.2009 - 01.2012
- Taught composition and creative writing with a focus on marginalized voices and personal narrative.
- Developed culturally responsive curricula and mentored students toward academic success.
Program Director
Citizens Committee for NYC
01.2000 - 01.2003
- Directed 7 city-wide programs supporting grassroots community leadership and environmental justice.
- Managed a $700K budget and led a team of 5, distributing grants and conducting site visits to over 100 community projects annually.
- Authored impact reports and funder evaluations that highlighted community-led outcomes.
- Expanded funding access to underrepresented groups, building long-term partnerships across NYC.
- Organized high-profile events, award ceremonies, and stakeholder forums that amplified local voices.
Development Officer
The Children’s Village
01.1998 - 01.2000
- Secured nearly $2M in new funding through strategic grant proposals and RFP responses.
- Collaborated with program directors to align proposals with community needs and organizational goals.
- Represented the organization in donor meetings and external events, increasing visibility and funder engagement.
Education
MSW - Social Work
Columbia University
MFA - Creative Writing
University of Montana
BSW - Social Work
Florida A&M University
Skills
- Strategic Leadership
- Community Partnership
- Grantmaking
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Verbal and written communication
- Facilitation & Public Speaking
- Narrative Strategy
- Budget Oversight
- Cross-Sector Collaboration
- Event Planning
- Strategic planning
Honors & Publications
- 2024 Rona Jaffe Bread Loaf Nonfiction Scholar
- 2023 Periplus Fellow
- 2022–2023 Baldwin for the Arts Fellow
- 2021 Sally Bowerman/Bob Hall Scholar, Summer Fishtrap Gathering of Writers
- “More Than Grace”, in Evergreen: Grim Tales and Verses from the Gloomy Northwest, ed. Sharma Shields (Scablands Books, 2021)
- “Please Do Not Be Bitter”, in We Leave the Flowers Where They Are, ed. Richard Fifield (Sweetgrass Books, 2019)
Timeline
Co-Founder & Facilitator, Writing Workshops
Missoula County Detention Facility
01.2017 - 01.2020
Narrative Strategist & Freelance Writer
Storytelling for Systemic Change
01.2011 - Current
Adjunct Instructor
Missoula College – University of Montana
01.2009 - 01.2012
Department Manager & Buyer
Good Food Store
01.2005 - Current
Program Director
Citizens Committee for NYC
01.2000 - 01.2003
Development Officer
The Children’s Village
01.1998 - 01.2000
MFA - Creative Writing
University of Montana
BSW - Social Work
Florida A&M University
MSW - Social Work
Columbia University
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