As Executive Vice President for Michael Torrey Associates, Tara Smith leads a team of talented staff focused on developing and implementing legislative and regulatory strategies, building coalitions and informing policymakers on client priorities, including work for the Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB). Before joining Michael Torrey Associates in August 2013, Smith worked as a Senior Professional Staff for the Senate Agriculture Committee under Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) where she covered commodity programs, crop insurance and disaster assistance. Smith was also previously Director of Government Affairs for the American Farm Bureau where she handled the farm bill and commodity issues. Smith has past worked for Monsanto Company and Promar International, an agribusiness consulting firm. Tara grew up on a corn and soybean farm in central Illinois. She has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Davidson College in North Carolina and an MBA from the University of Michigan.