Goodwill of Mississippi Announces Promotion of Tara Barnes-Pereyra to Director of Community and Employer Engagement

At Goodwill Industries of Mississippi, we know that strong community partnerships and employer relationships are essential to creating opportunities for the people we serve. That's why we're excited to announce the promotion of Tara Barnes-Pereyra to Director of Community and Employer Engagement.

Tara brings a wealth of workforce development experience to her new role. Before joining Goodwill, she spent 23 years with the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services (MDRS), serving in several leadership positions, including Regional Manager for the Office of Business Development. Throughout her career, Tara has been dedicated to helping individuals overcome barriers to employment while building meaningful partnerships with employers across Mississippi.

Since joining Goodwill of Mississippi a year and a half ago as a Program Manager, Tara has quickly become an integral part of our team. Her passion for serving others, leadership of Goodwill's Job Extravaganza events, and commitment to connecting people with opportunities have helped strengthen our workforce development efforts throughout Central Mississippi.

In her new position, Tara will lead Goodwill's employer engagement initiatives, cultivate new community partnerships, and expand relationships with businesses seeking qualified and motivated employees. Her work will help ensure that Goodwill continues to serve as a trusted workforce development resource for both job seekers and employers throughout the region.

"Tara has already made a tremendous impact on our organization in a short amount of time," said Brad Steffani, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Mississippi. "Her experience in workforce development, her relationships throughout the state, and her passion for helping people succeed make her the perfect fit for this role. We are excited about the opportunities she will create for both the people we serve and the employers we partner with across Central Mississippi."

As Goodwill of Mississippi continues its mission of transforming lives through lifelong learning and meaningful work, leaders like Tara help strengthen the connections that make that mission possible. Through collaboration with employers, community organizations, and workforce partners, she will play a key role in creating new pathways to employment and economic opportunity for individuals across Central Mississippi.

Please join us in congratulating Tara on this well-deserved promotion. We look forward to seeing the positive impact she will continue to make in her new role.