hi!
I'm Tara!
about me
I'm a front-end developer who got here the long way, and I think that's my strength. I taught myself HTML, CSS, and JavaScript as a kid, long before it was a career plan, and later built on that foundation through two bootcamps (LaunchCode and Skilled KC) before a 5-year career at VML.
That career has centered on design systems: owning and maturing them across many large-scale client projects, building components in HTL or React, backed by Java and Sling Models, styled with Sass. Before development, I spent three years as a content design specialist, designing brochures and templates in InDesign across dozens of client brands, training that still shows up in how I approach design systems today.
Outside of shipping components, I've led conference representation (KCDC, RenderATL), organized volunteer initiatives, and was featured on local radio discussing women in tech.
I'm currently exploring my next opportunity, ideally somewhere that values strong design and strong culture in equal measure.
skills
Languages/Frameworks
- CSS,
- HTML,
- Java,
- JavaScript,
- Next.js,
- Node.js,
- React,
- Sass,
- TypeScript
CMS/Platforms
- Adobe Experience Manager (AEM),
- Contentful,
- WordPress
Testing & CI/CD
- eslint,
- GitHub Actions,
- Jest,
- Maven,
- Prettier
Accessibility
- ARIA,
- Semantic HTML,
- WCAG
UI/UX
- Figma,
- Storybook
Version Control
- Bitbucket,
- Git,
- GitHub
Project Management & Collaboration
- Confluence,
- Jira,
- Notion,
- Slack,
- Trello
AI Tools
- Claude Code,
- Copilot,
- Vercel V0
resume
work
Midwest Burners : Rebuilding the Hub for a Five-Site Network
Midwest Burners Association ran 4 events and their official non-profit board communications on a default WordPress theme with no structure, no formatting, and no room to grow. I split it into a five-site network, designing the org site's neo-brutalist system from the ground up and building the shared architecture the other four event sites now run on.
let's connect!
I'd love to hear from you. Whether you have a project in mind, want to collaborate, or just want to say hi, feel free to reach out.
You can reach me at me@taradunmore.com