For Tara Nicole Whitaker ’98, drawing has been part of her life for as long as she can remember. That early love of art has led to a career in animation with Disney, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Netflix and Hulu as well as into the pages of several children’s books. Now, she is co-directing her first feature-length animated film, Pierre the Pigeon-Hawk.

On this episode of The Buc Stops Here, Head of School Peter G. Curran P’27 ’27 talks with Tara about her career and the Blair experiences that helped shape her journey.

Tara spent more than a decade at Disney, where she worked in design, illustration, visual development and character design. She helped design the main characters for Disney Junior’s Ariel and served as an episodic director on The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder. Both experiences were a dream come true for Tara, giving her the chance to collaborate with talented artists and create stories that bring people together.

“Putting something out into the world that we hope touches people and brings folks together was just such a gift,” Tara explains.

The theme behind Pierre the Pigeon-Hawk, a CG animated comedy featuring executive producers will.i.am, Jennifer Hudson and Snoop Dogg, shares those goals. The film explores identity and belonging as characters from different backgrounds work together. Tara hopes the film, set for a late 2026 or early 2027 release, will bring “happiness and joy to the world.”

Tara details during the podcast how her approach to animation is a collaborative one. Directing, she explains, is a lot like conducting an orchestra, where storytelling, character design, animation, music and the team’s ideas each play their own part. One of her biggest lessons on her current project, she says, has been learning to trust her instincts and not doubt her creative decisions.

The idea of trusting her art began right on Blair’s campus; Tara credits former Blair arts department chair Rita Baragona, who proudly inducted Tara into the Arts Guild in 2023, with encouraging her to believe in herself. Nearly 30 years after graduating, Tara says the relationships she formed at Blair remain among the most cherished parts of her experience. 

“Draw every day, carry a sketchbook with you at all times,” Tara advises students at Blair who may share her dreams. She encourages young artists to observe the world around them and continue exploring without being afraid to make mistakes. 

Most importantly, she says, “Don’t doubt yourself. Have fun.”

Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.