EQUAL PAY DAY Presentation

featuring Professor Tara Newsom

Join us via Zoom on Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at noon, as we welcome Professor Tara Newsom for an interactive Zoom presentation in recognition of Equal Pay Day.

Since President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act of 1963, women, especially minority women, continue to suffer the consequences of unequal pay. Professor Newsom is uniquely qualified to speak on this topic from a legal and constitutional standpoint.

Professor Newsom is a Professor at St. Petersburg College (SPC) where she also serves as the Founding Director of the Center for Civic Learning & Community Engagement. In her early career, she worked as a U.S. Senatorial Page, then served as Policy Director for Michigan’s Governor Engler, Chief Counsel to Lt. Governor Posthumus as well as staff member for U.S. Senator Abraham and the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s Sub-Committee on Immigration.

Tara has contributed to TedX with her talk “The Constitution: It’s Personal”. She is also the recipient of the St. Petersburg College Distinguished Faculty of the Year award and a graduate of SPC Leadership & The Florida Chancellors Leadership Program. She is also a regular guest on PBS’ “Florida This Week”, and serves as a political analysist for WFLA Channel 8, Tampa Bay NBC Affiate, and NPR’s, Florida Matters. 

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Tara Hechlik Newsom, JD, LLM

Tara Newsom is a Professor at St. Petersburg College (SPC) where she also serves as the Founding Director of the Center for Civic Learning & Community Engagement. Tara’s academic focus is on strengthening student success thru civic engagement and service learning, capitalizing on the unique interests and skill sets individuals bring to their community.  Newsom currently focuses on American National Government coursework, but also enjoys teaching State & Local Government, Political Parties & Elections, Constitutional Theory & Ethics. Equal access to civil liberties for all students, including those who have been disenfranchised due to social justice issues continues to be a priority for her.

Tara earned a B.S. in Environmental Policy from the University of Michigan, a J.D. from the University of Detroit-Mercy School of Law, and an L.L.M in Law & Government from American University Washington College of Law. In her early career, she worked as a U.S. Senatorial Page, then served as a Policy Director for Michigan’s Governor Engler, Chief Counsel to Lt. Governor Posthumus as well as a staff member for U.S. Senator Abraham and the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s Sub-Committee on Immigration. Before teaching at St. Petersburg College, Tara taught at Eastern Michigan University, Mississippi College and Eckerd College.

Tara has contributed to TedX with her talk “The Constitution: It’s Personal”. She is also the  recipient of the St. Petersburg College Distinguished Faculty of the Year award and a graduate of SPC Leadership & The Florida Chancellors Leadership Program. She also a regular guest on PBS “Florida This Week”, ans serves as a poliyical analysist for WFLA Channel 8, Tampa Bay NBC Affiate, and NPR’s, Florida Matters.

Committed to a number of community organizations, Tara volunteers regularly with the Goodwill, Florida Dream Center, St. Petersburg Free Clinic, Pinellas County Habitat for Humanity as well as serves on the Co-Chair of the Advisory committee for Journey’s in Journalism Magnet program in Pinellas County Schools.

Tara lives in Downtown St. Petersburg with her family and her beloved golden retriever Francis.