Tiarra (Comer) Owens achieved her first role at 4-H as a 13-year-old mentor. Two decades later, the Impact 100 Young Philanthropist holds a professional position with the same organization.
As senior manager of development, Tiarra leads fundraising strategy and execution for 4-H, the largest youth development organization in the nation.
She credits the mentorship with guiding her path toward serving youth – and laying the first of many stepping stones on her personal journey. Tiarra says, “4-H taught me soft skills…such as communication, teamwork and team building, which have been pivotal to leading me where I am today.”
The Dayton, OH, native recalls specific training that shaped her adult persona: “4-H engaged us in mock interviews, where we learned ‘when you’re in an interview, if you’re in a swivel chair, you’re not twirling and doing spins.’ Some of those sessions stick with me today.”
A philanthropic spark ignited during Tiarra’s undergraduate years at Ohio University. “Most of my friends attended other colleges. I opted to branch out and got involved with nonprofits in Athens County – specifically those serving children. That’s when I first started contributing financially to organizations that were doing great things around campus,” Tiarra says.
The spark intensified during graduate school at the University of Cincinnati – where she earned a master’s degree in counselor education/school counseling while consecutively engaging in a two-year Teach for America program. Her placement: a fifth grade social studies classroom in Covington, KY, where “a lot of my students came with significant challenges. Many were trying to figure out where their next meal was coming from,” Tiarra says.
The experience “opened my eyes. It was another stepping stone moment that led me to be so passionate about giving and finding ways to fundraise for different events and causes,” she adds.
Tiarra joined Impact 100 in 2022 at member Clare Blankemeyer’s suggestion. The two became acquainted through former roles: Tiarra was senior partnership manager, UpTogether, and Clare served as executive director, GreenLight philanthropic fund. “Clare informed me about Impact’s Young Philanthropist program. So, that was my gateway. What a wonderful growth opportunity!” Tiarra says.
Tiarra’s involvement has expanded over the past two years – she served on a Grant Review Team in 2024 – and is eager to share her gifts on the leadership level. “It’s about making meaningful connections…with professional women who have families…and share a love for giving and doing great things out in society. Who wouldn’t want more of that?!”