Tara Andersen is a seasoned strategic advisor with nearly two decades of experience helping some of the country’s best-known brands manage complex reputational challenges, advocacy efforts, and other moments of high scrutiny. She specializes in developing and leading integrated campaigns that drive outcomes across stakeholders—from employees and customers to media and policymakers.
Tara brings deep expertise in labor and workforce dynamics and has advised clients across a wide range of sectors including energy, logistics, automotive, consumer packaged goods, aviation, pharmaceuticals, sports, and higher education. Her work blends sharp strategic instincts with an ability to translate insights into action across paid, earned, shared, and owned channels.
Tara earned her master’s degree from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, and her bachelor’s degree summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Trinity University in San Antonio. A former Division III Kodak All-American college athlete, she is also a sustaining member and past two-term board member of the Junior League of Washington.
“Each client I’ve had over the years is as unique as the challenges they face. I love immersing myself in new subject matter and learn something new about the world, about human behavior and about myself with each new engagement. It’s one reason I love what I do.”
“At Purple, we don’t just interrogate our clients’ challenges from every angle, we do the same with our work – with every recommendation we bring forward. Sometimes this level of examination can feel intense, but it’s made me a better, more thoughtful advisor to my clients.”
“I was required to take two introductory economics classes as part of my political science major in college and ended up finding the entire field so interesting that I decided to pursue a double major in economics and political science. I’m not sure if it was the unique way to look at human behavior – or maybe just all the graphs – but I was hooked on economics from the beginning. Even decades later, I think that economics training helps me take a step back to analyze client challenges from all angles.”