Tara Bruening (Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate) has a close relationship to the Indian Child Welfare Act and the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act. Growing up, Tara’s family was one of two Native American homes in Hennepin county providing foster care.
In her professional life, Tara has worked as a mental health and substance use counselor, working with individuals and groups, and providing community-wide training. Tara came to the TTCP from the Minnesota Guardian ad Litem Program where she was an ICWA Guardian ad Litem Coordinator in the 2nd District. Tara is passionate about working with groups of people to help them better value, understand, and respect ICWA. She incorporates this passion into curriculum for the TTCP’s training participants.