Public Counsel is proud to congratulate Senior Counsel Tara Ford on being selected to receive the 2026 Distinguished Achievement Award from the National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC), recognizing her exceptional leadership and lasting contributions to children’s legal advocacy.
In announcing the award, NACC recognized Tara’s extraordinary career as a lawyer, advocate, nonprofit leader, and educator, highlighting both her legal achievements and her unwavering dedication to the well-being of children and families.
For more than three decades, Tara has been a tireless advocate, leading groundbreaking litigation and systemic reform efforts to protect the rights of children and families involved in the child welfare system. Her work spans foster care, education, health care, disability rights, and advocacy in partnership with Native children, families, Tribes, community organizations, and service providers. Across these efforts, Tara combines outstanding legal advocacy with a client-centered, equity-driven approach, holding government systems accountable while ensuring that the voices and agency of her clients remain at the center of her work.
Congratulations, Tara, on this well-deserved recognition. We are proud to celebrate this honor and grateful for your extraordinary leadership, compassion, and enduring commitment to advancing justice for children and families.
Read NACC’s full recognition of Tara’s extraordinary career and impact.
