Faculty

The arts have shaped Tara Aesquivel’s life and, through her work, she hopes to share the power of the arts with others. Tara is a classically-trained musician and earned a B.A. in Music from the University of Missouri–Kansas City. Convinced that she could have a broader impact offstage, Tara earned a Master’s degree in Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University, during which she was selected to study Cultural Economics at the University of Bologna, Italy, and conduct a thesis project for Americans for the Arts.

Tara’s professional experience includes fundraising, marketing, production, and community engagement for Pittsburgh Opera, LA Opera, A Noise Within, Antioch University Los Angeles, and The Lukens Company. Tara has more than a decade of executive leadership experience as Executive Director of Invertigo Dance Theatre and American Youth Symphony, and served as the founding Executive Chair of Emerging Arts Leaders/LA.

A dedicated lifelong learner, Tara has pursued professional development and DEI-focused learning through Executive Service Corps, Dance/USA, Annenberg Alchemy, The People’s Institute, Vu Le, the DeVos Institute’s 2-year Arts Innovation & Management program, as well as local and national conferences and gatherings. She has also learned volumes from participating on advisory boards and serving as a mentor.

Tara is now an independent consultant and is on faculty for USC Thornton’s Arts Leadership program. Tara’s consulting clients include LA28, Invertigo Dance Theatre, Muse/ique, and the Association of California Symphony Orchestras. Tara’s adventures also include traveling, gardening, martial arts, and being a mom.