Tara Leweling

Dr. Tara Leweling is a collaborative, innovative and inclusive leader with over 25 years of global public policy, strategy, and social impact experience spanning the private sector, White House and U.S. military. As USAA’s Chief Diversity and Sustainability officer, she leads enterprise-wide diversity, inclusion and sustainability initiatives to drive meaningful impact for employees, members and communities.  

 Prior to joining USAA, Tara served as Vice President, Stakeholder Engagement and Sustainability at Allstate. She chaired the Allstate Sustainability Council, a cross-functional executive team that established and advanced the company’s enterprise environmental, social and governance strategy. Other responsibilities included directing social innovation initiatives such as Better Arguments, strengthening key diversity, equity and inclusion workstreams and serving as the executive sponsor of the employee resource group for military members, veterans and their families.  

 Prior to Allstate, Tara served at Executive Director of International Policy and Programs with JPMorgan Chase, where she was accountable monitoring of global political developments in key markets. She coordinated the J.P. Morgan International Council, an advisory body of former prime ministers, Cabinet officials and CEOs of global Fortune 50 companies.  

 Tara is a 22-year Air Force veteran. At the White House, Tara served at the National Security Council as the Acting Senior Director for European Affairs and Director for NATO and Western Europe. As the U.S. President’s principal advisor on European affairs, she developed, led, and oversaw execution of U.S. policy toward 49 countries and three international organizations.   

 Tara also served as Senior Policy Advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to NATO. Responsibilities included building coalitions to advance U.S. policy objectives through regular engagement with the diplomatic community, think tanks, civic groups and academic institutions. Prior to USNATO, Tara had various command, operational and planning tours and deployed multiple times in support of NATO operations.   

 Tara serves on Congressman Casten’s Service Academy Nomination Committee and is on the board of the National Diversity Council. She previously served as a member of YWCA Metropolitan Chicago Impact Investing Advisory Council and USO Illinois board. Tara was among the inaugural cohort of a unique, year-long fellowship organized by Loyola University’s Institute for Racial Justice and Baumhart Center for Social Enterprise and Responsibility.   

 Tara holds a Ph.D. in Information Sciences and M.S in Systems Engineering from Naval Postgraduate School, M.S. in International Relations from Troy University and B.A. in History and Mathematics from the University of Michigan.