Tara Davila, LCSW

Tara Davila, MSW, identifies as a cis-gendered, heterosexual, multiracial Puerto Rican woman.  Born and raised in New York City, she is a first-generation college student. She earned her bachelor's from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, majoring in Psychology and minoring in African American Studies and Spanish.  Tara received her Master’s degree in Social Work from Boston College.  Tara also has a certificate in Advanced Clinical Supervision from Smith College Graduate School of Social Work and was a Standards of Professional Practice Fellow through the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education(NADOHE). Tara has also worked to strengthen her leadership skills through the Community Leadership Program(CLP), Yale's Emerging Leaders Program, and Bentley University's DEI Certificate Program.

Tara is a licensed clinical social worker who has committed over 20 years to serving Connecticut’s historically marginalized children through direct clinical practice, supervision, advocacy, and clinic administration. Tara is passionate about teaching and training the next generation of clinicians, which has been her focus for the last 11 years as Assistant Clinical Professor of Social Work and one of the Associate Directors of the Yale Child Study Center’s Youth Services. Tara is a skilled bicultural and bilingual clinician trained in several evidence-based practices that she delivers with culturally responsive adaptations.  She is a nationally certified provider of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and a state trainer for MATCH- ADTC, a Cognitive Behavioral approach to treatment. 

Tara feels strongly about supporting the growth of others and spends a great deal of her time mentoring, teaching, and sponsoring early-career clinicians and emerging leaders. She works to help others go beyond their learning edges and gain the skill and confidence to grow in their fields, interests, and talents. She co-coordinates the clinical intern program and co-teaches a practice seminar for multidisciplinary graduate students at the Child Study Center. 

Guided by her social work values, and supported by her colleagues, Tara accepted the call to serve her community as the Child Study Center’s inaugural Chief Diversity Officer in 2020 and currently serves as Vice-Chair for Diversity, Equity, and inclusion. In her vice- Chair role, Tara has taken an innovative approach that centers on connection, empathy, education, and best practices.  This approach incorporates Restorative Justice principles and practices, racial equity education, and the creation of a professional learning community that harnesses the power of the collective to interrupt and dismantle structures that maintain the “norm”.  

Tara supports her Child Study Center community through participation on several clinical and DEI committees.  She is chair of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging(DEIB) Action Group and co-chair of the clinician-focused mentorship committee. Tara received the Social Work Service Award in 2021 and the Sally Provence Award for Excellence in Clinical Supervision in 2022 and endeavors to operate in ways that will make her worthy of those honors. 

When she is not spending time with her family and her dog, she can be found enjoying New Haven's cultural scene or working to grow philanthropy for and by the Latine community as co-chair of the Progreso Latino Fund.