Program Director for the Encova Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
A Parkersburg native, Tara St. Clair has a passion for collaboration across the state of West Virginia. Working to amplify Appalachia, Tara serves as the Program Director for the Encova Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. In her role, she provides critical direction for the development and implementation of programs in the center. Her expertise lies in developing strategies to implement new programs and expand existing programs. She has a strong commitment to building innovative initiatives that create synergistic relationships between the academic world and the community. She has developed and implemented a number of initiatives across the state. She is also an adjunct instructor for the WVU Chambers College of Marketing Department.
A connector by nature, Tara has been working in the space of "ecosystem building" since she co-founded the West Virginia Entrepreneurship Ecosystem in 2019 and has since helped grow the network to engage thousands of stakeholders annually in one of the country's most rural, distressed regions. She brings a unique rural perspective, lived experience, and vibrant energy to her work in ecosystem building. She currently serves as the Co-Chair for the ecosystem and Bridging Innovation Week.
Tara continues to grow and expand her entrepreneurship initiatives by co-launching her new business, WV Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Experts (E3). She works alongside, Dr. Carrie White using their collective expertise to meet people where they are by helping innovators find the resources they need to be successful.