Consultant, Public Health Research and Development
Tara Hayward brings a diverse and robust background in business strategy, finance, and fundraising to the Board of Directors of AFS-USA having worked across various industries.
Tara is currently an independent consultant supporting clients with public health research and development programs for biotech and non-profit sectors. From 2022-2024. Tara worked at Icosavax, Inc. as Senior Director and then Vice President of R&D Partnerships. In these roles, she focused on business development, alliance management, and non-dilutive financing to advance the company’s infectious disease vaccine portfolio. Tara managed business development efforts exploring IVX-A12 partnerships (RSV/hMPV clinical-stage vaccine), leading to $1.1B acquisition of Icosavax by AstraZeneca in early 2024.
Tara dedicated nearly 12 years to the Sabin Vaccine Institute where she held progressively senior roles. As Vice President of Resource Development & Policy, Tara developed and led organization growth, fundraising, public policy, programmatic, and partnership strategies in close collaboration with executive leadership and the Board of Trustees to support the institute’s mission of improving lives through immunization.
Prior to joining Sabin, Tara served as the Manager of Development for the International Women’s Media Foundation where she was responsible for creating and managing the infrastructure and operations of annual giving, foundation and corporate fundraising, and special events.
Tara’s professional journey began interning for the United Nations Population Fund in Bosnia and Herzegovina and volunteering in the Peace Corps (2002 to 2004), fostering her commitment to international development and public service. She holds a Master of Arts degree in International Development from the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies (2004-2006), and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Writing from DePauw University (1998-2002).
