During her sophomore year of college, Tamara Hiler dressed as a “Vote No on Prop 85" advertisement for Halloween. It was then that she knew her love of politics was more than just a fleeting interest. It has been this passion for educating others, promoting political engagement, and advocating for progress on issues she cares deeply about that has led Tamara on a professional journey to Washington.

Today, Tamara leads Third Way's efforts to create demand for a comprehensive college quality agenda by helping change the national conversation about higher education from cost to value. This includes forging strong relationships with Hill staff and other advocacy groups dedicated to improving student outcomes through increased transparency and the inclusion of new accountability mechanisms in higher education. Since joining Third Way in 2013, she has laid out a comprehensive policy platform to modernize the teaching profession, pushed Congress to maintain strong testing and accountability provisions in the rewrite of No Child Left Behind, and amplified the college quality crisis through a series of reports, videos, and infographics.

Prior to her time at Third Way, Tamara worked as a Network Coordinator for Teach Plus Los Angeles, where she helped to mobilize a network of teachers working to elevate the teaching profession. She also proudly taught 7th grade science and health at Johnnie Cochran Jr. Middle School for three years as a Teach for America corps member in Los Angeles. She graduated with a B.S. in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Studies from the University of Southern California and holds a Master’s in Public Policy & Administration from Northwestern University.

What College Students Want Congress to Know and Address Right Now