Through the Gardener’s Eyes: Mountain Shadows Foundation
Welcomes Tara Bradburn
to The Board of Directors
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Tara Bradburn, Afghanistan, 2016 |
by Sheryl Wilde
Every morning, she would wake and walk out onto her balcony. As she looked out across the landscape, over the huge, concrete walls surrounding the base, beyond the armed men and women in uniform protecting her, she could see the snow gently blanketing the mountaintops. It was gorgeous. It was a beautiful country – Afghanistan.
She remembered walking through a beautiful rose garden. She and her male colleague, both carrying arms, and wearing flak jackets, paused to admire the delicate roses. They were stunning. The gardener watched them for a time, then took a rose and offered it to her colleague. For a moment, her colleague hesitated. They were in the midst of a war zone. Who was this gardener?
Finally, she realized what was happening, and she let her colleague know it was okay to accept the rose.
And, as the woman’s colleague took the rose and handed it to her, the gardener’s eyes filled with tears. |
Tara and her husband, Jim McAlary, and their daughter, Callie, at the United States Naval Academy, 2024. |
“The gardener was so excited and proud that I appreciated his work,” says Tara. “He wanted to give me the rose, because I was admiring it. But he couldn’t give it to me, because I’m a woman.”
It was such a beautiful country – Afghanistan. A country of contrasts – concrete walls, armed guards, heartbreaking poverty, political division, war – and delicate roses.
“It was sad to see such immense suffering amidst such incredible beauty,” continues Tara. “It made me wonder why we can’t all just come together. That experience, seeing through the gardener’s eyes, made me reflect on my life, on how I treated others, and about the importance of embracing the little things, like the flower. It was incredibly beautiful. It’s a moment I’ve never forgotten.”
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Tara in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between South and North Korea, 2019. |
Similar to the beautiful, yet war-torn landscape of Afghanistan, Tara’s life has been filled with stark contrasts.
Her career has encompassed a broad range of positions, from Special Education Teacher, to Qualified Intellectual Disability Professional (QIDP) at Mountain Shadows, to overseeing global childcare programs for the US Army and Marine Corps, to Director of Artificial Intelligence, Automation, and Augmentation (AAA) at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), where she provided satellite imagery analysis to warfighters and other national security customers, about everything from counterterrorism, to the Eurasia Mission, which included Ukraine and Russia.
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Tara and family, France, 2019. |
During the pandemic, Tara retired from her position as Director of AAA, and in a feeling of coming full circle, she has returned to Mountain Shadows to serve as a Board Member.
“I’ve had an unusual life,” says Tara. “I’ve had the opportunity to deploy several times. I’ve seen a lot. I’ve seen a lot of poverty. I’ve seen loss of life. I’ve seen hard scenarios that are hard to think about. It’s a reminder that life is fragile, and you have to embrace the gifts you’ve been given – the treasures you’ve been given – because life pivots at any moment.” |
Tara and Callie, Egypt, 2019. |
“I still have so many good friends from Mountain Shadows,” adds Tara. “I’ve stayed in touch over the years. Leaving Mountain Shadows was hard. But the core of what Mountain Shadows was, all those years ago, has been passed down through generations of employees. The culture of Mountain Shadows is hyper-focused on ensuring the residents have the best life possible. It’s a culture of keeping the residents at the forefront of the decision-making process – and delivering incredible services with kindness, empathy and encouragement.
“Working with the residents was a real growing point for me as a human being. There was hope in my job. There was sadness in my job. But there was always the human spirit. The ability to see the human spirit at work, through the residents, to see what individuals can do when provided the right support – it taught me that you can overcome a lot. That you can accomplish a lot.” |
Tara and family, Greece, 2016. | Tara served for 22-plus years as a federal employee and member of the intelligence community. As the Director of AAA, she was instrumental in establishing the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s first AI framework in coordination with the Department of Defense, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the US Congress.
Tara also served as the NGA Office of Eurasia and Africa Deputy Director and Chief of Staff, and as GEOINT Mission Manager for Eurasia. She served two tours of duty in Afghanistan, supporting special operations and intelligence missions. Prior to these assignments, she served with the NGA Office of Counterterrorism, United States Special Operations Command, Joint Special Operations Command, US Department of Army, and the United States Marine Corps. She is the recipient of the Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award, the Department of Army Civilian Service Award, The US Department of Defense Global War on Terrorism Medal, the NATO Non-Article 5 Service Medal, and the NGA Medallion for Excellence.
Tara is a graduate of Texas A&M University. She and her husband, Jim, and their daughter, Callie, enjoy traveling the world together. She is the President of the Texas Eta Pi Beta Phi House Corporation Board and board member of the Dyslexic Edge Foundation. |
Tara and her husband, Jim, at Callie’s confirmation, 2023. |
Says Tara, “I once had a boss who said I could juggle cotton balls in a hurricane. That’s always been my MO. I’m really good in a stressful environment. I have a talent for seeing past the fog and figuring out how to organize around it – in the midst of chaos.
“I’m the person who comes in, sits back, and looks. I have a strong strategic planning background. The world is changing, and I think with all the digital transformation I’ve experienced in the intelligence community, I can help Mountain Shadows answer the question, “Are we automating our business processes so we can give our best selves as humans back to the residents?” |
There is a two-fold nature to “coming full circle” for Tara.
“You never know what path God is going to put in your future,” she says. “My daughter, Callie, is 15 years old, and severely dyslexic. I never knew all the skills I had as a QIDP at Mountain Shadows would need to be applied in my own life. I use so many of the skills I developed as a QIDP today with my own child.
“School is very, very hard for Callie, but she embraces it and realizes she is going to get to the point where she achieves her dreams. I tell her teachers all the time that the only thing I care about at the end of the year, is that she comes out as a confident, young student. That she feels, in the end, that she worked hard. That she put forth her best effort. That’s something to be proud of. No matter the struggle, she knows she will achieve her goals. Sometimes you learn as much from the struggle. She never complains. She just always enjoys the process of learning. There’s an opportunity to learn in almost everything you do in life.”
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Tara looked through the gardener’s eyes amidst the chaos of a war-torn landscape and saw the beauty of a single rose – and the potential of the human spirit. As she joins the Mountain Shadows Foundation Board of Directors, we welcome her as we all work hard together to fulfil the dreams of our residents.
And let us keep all of the cotton balls in the air for those we serve. |
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The Mountain Shadows Foundation – Because We CARE |
Thanks to YOUR SUPPORT, the Mountain Shadows CARE program provides recreational and social experiences to residents and participants adding meaning and richness to their lives.
It’s easy for you to help us continue to provide activities like this – activities that improve the quality of our residents’ lives in fulfillment of their dreams. Here are some ways you can help ensure these crucial activities can continue for years to come: -
Make a one-time donation today by clicking on the donate button below.
- Make a monthly or annual contribution.
- Leave a Legacy Gift.
To learn more about the Mountain Shadows Foundation Legacy Society, to include us in your estate plan, or to let us know if you have already designated Mountain Shadows to receive a legacy gift, please contact Mandy Huiras, Director of Development at: mhuiras@mtnshadows.org, or visit our website by clicking here:
Learn More About the Mountain Shadows Foundation Legacy Society Please share this story with your family, friends and co-workers to help grow our Mountain Shadows Family!
To learn more about Mountain Shadows volunteer opportunities, please click below:
Learn about Mountain Shadows Volunteer Opportunities Here |
Mandy Huiras
Mountain Shadows Foundation Director of Development
Contact Mandy today to learn more about the Mountain Shadows Foundation and how you can continue to make a difference in the lives of our residents:
mhuiras@mtnshadows.org |
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