Program Director

Tara Fenamore, Ed.D.

Tara Fenamore brings a unique blend of research expertise, educational leadership, and hands-on teaching experience to her role as Director of Old Firehouse School in Mill Valley. Most recently, she served as an Educational Manager and Research Associate at the Marian Wright Edelman Institute at San Francisco State University, where she led initiatives to strengthen Early Care and Education (ECE) and support the development of the ECE workforce in San Francisco.

Tara earned her Ed.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, where she also completed an M.A. in Philosophy and Education. Her research examines how young children’s movement patterns—such as posture and motor coordination—directly influence long-term learning, attentional capacity, and overall well-being. Her dissertation proposed a preschool curriculum grounded in sensorimotor awareness, drawing inspiration from the work of Dr. Theodore Dimon, with whom she both studied and taught in New York City.

With experience teaching infants, toddlers, preschoolers, early elementary students, and undergraduates, Tara brings a whole-human approach to education and leadership. She is especially passionate about interweaving Sensorimotor Awareness and Mindfulness, inclusive and child-centered curriculum design, and relationship-based care to nurture each child’s unique development.

Tara is thrilled to join the Old Firehouse School family and looks forward to partnering with families, teachers, and staff to build a vibrant learning community for all. She is deeply committed to fostering a warm, joyful, and connected environment where every child feels seen, supported, and inspired to explore, play, inquire, and grow. A proud Marin resident, Tara enjoys spending her free time hiking and visiting the koi fish and turtles at the Marin Country Mart fountain, usually accompanied by her beloved dog friend, Buster.