Tyra joined First Witness Child Advocacy Center in 2019 as a Forensic Interviewer and Trainer. She has held various roles in her time at First Witness and is currently the Associate Director. As the Associate Director, Tyra is responsible for supervising all program staff and overseeing the core programs at First Witness, including First Witness’s national training program. She also has the important responsibility of providing neutral and forensically sound interviews for children and vulnerable adults. A large part of her role also includes being a national trainer, and she has conducted multiple national training courses for professionals across the county in topics such as forensic interviewing, multidisciplinary team facilitation, and trauma-informed leadership methods.
Tyra holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminology with a minor in Psychology from the University of Minnesota Duluth, and an MBA in Organizational Leadership and Change from The College of Saint Scholastica. Tyra’s focus in her master’s level studies surrounded secondary trauma, change management, and nonprofit leadership.
Prior to working at First Witness, Tyra had experience working in various roles in the community, including afterschool curriculum and programming, and working with at-risk youth and youth experiencing homelessness. She has a passion for working with and for her community and currently serves as a commission member for the City of Duluth Human Rights Commission, and a board member for the Duluth Children’s Museum.
When not working, Tyra enjoys attending community events, cooking new recipes, and being with her family and pets.