About Kinetic Minds
Meet Tara
I’m a Montclair mom of three, a software engineering manager, and a former coding instructor who cares deeply about helping kids build the thinking skills that shape their future.
Where My Curiosity Started
I fell in love with computers as a kid by customizing little corners of the internet — long before I knew what coding even was. I didn’t have mentors or classes; I just had curiosity, persistence, and a desire to create.
That early experience taught me how powerful it is when kids feel supported while they explore.
Breaking Into Tech
After college, I found free workshops for women learning to code and immediately felt at home.
I eventually left my job, enrolled in a full-time JavaScript bootcamp in NYC, and trained in the MEAN stack (Mongo, Express, Angular, Node).
Teaching Experience
I went on to become a Teaching Assistant at Fullstack Academy, helping adults learn to code.
That role taught me how to explain complex ideas in ways that feel clear, compassionate, and confidence-building — the same approach I use with kids.
Industry Experience
Over the past decade, I’ve worked across:
- startups
- consulting roles
- large companies like Priceline
- fast-growth teams like HelloFresh
Today, I’m an Engineering Manager at Gusto, where I lead teams, mentor developers, and support learners at all levels.
Across all of these roles, one thing has stayed true:
problem-solving, creativity, and resilience matter far more than memorizing code.
Why I Built Kinetic Minds
I wanted Montclair kids to have early access to the kind of creative, confidence-building support I never had — a place where they can explore, take risks, think logically, and feel proud of what they create.
Kinetic Minds is built to be that space: warm, supportive, playful, and intellectually empowering.
Want to see how I think about learning and leadership?
You can read my published work in UX Collective, Gusto Engineering, and Bootcamp:
