Team Saylor
Working For You
Don Saylor
How can we help you
navigate Yolo County's government processes?
How can we work together
to build a stronger community?
District 2 Staff
Tara Thronson
Sara Simmons
Tara Thronson is serving as Deputy to Supervisor Saylor in Yolo County District 2. Tara was formerly a Project Leader at Valley Vision, a nonprofit social enterprise that strengthens communities in the Sacramento region through research, collaboration and leadership. For six years she managed a range of regional initiatives at Valley Vision to improve the economic, social, and environmental prosperity of the Sacramento Capital Region. In 2014 Tara introduced Village Square to the Sacramento region, a national effort that enables civil dialogue among neighbors on tough public policy topics. Through her role co-managing the Cleaner Air Partnership, she helped the business and public health communities mutually agree on strategies that lead to cleaner air in the Sacramento region. Previously Tara helped cultivate and manage the Connected Capital Area Broadband Consortium. She was often called the resident “broadband evangelist,” spreading the word about the positive economic and social equity impacts resulting from a population who understands how to navigate the web and has regular access to high-speed Internet.
From an early age Tara has wanted to make a positive impact on her community. Throughout her career and volunteer efforts she has viewed her work through the lens of striving to make the world a better place for everyone. Tara finds that connecting with people who have had different life experiences helps shape her worldview and inspires her to strive to be a better person every day.
When not trying to save the world, Tara enjoys biking*, running, spending time with her husband and two young children, listening to some good tunes, drinking wine, and enjoying the beauty of California.
*Not the “ride a bike with a tiny, uncomfortable seat for a long time” kind of biking, but the sit up straight and ride with ease by herself or with the kiddos in tow kind of biking.
Sara Simmons is serving as the Assistant Deputy to Supervisor Saylor in Yolo County District 2. Sara is a Winters resident and is actively engaged in the community. She has worked with the Winters Joint Unified School District as a classroom volunteer and parent representative. Sara has also served as a volunteer with youth sports such as Winters Little League and the American Youth Soccer Association. Recently, she participated in Project Playground, a community-based volunteer group that rebuilt the beloved “Wooden Park” in Winters. Helping Project Playground easily became one of the most rewarding volunteer experiences of Sara’s life, as it was a physically demanding week of camaraderie, hard work, laughter, and love—love for the kids, the town, and each other.
Sara’s background is largely in education—she has worked as an in instructor for the Yuba Community College District, a tutoring specialist at Solano Community College, and a lecturer and academic advisor at CSU, Chico—her alma mater (Go Wildcats!). The highlights of Sara’s career in education have largely stemmed from fostering an atmosphere that celebrates and thrives on diversity. Sara loves learning about people—their cultures, families, successes, and challenges—and believes that connecting with others in a collaborative, curious way is essential to living a healthy, positive life.
As a mother, Sara has worked hard to build a values-centered home that focuses on a respect for community connection, building relationships with our neighbors, investment in our youth and their education, commitment to physical and mental well-being, creating space for innovation, failure, and growth, and cultivating an alliance with our land, food, and water. Engaging with neighbors, volunteering in classrooms, on playgrounds, ball fields, and soccer pitches, and getting involved at any level that seems interesting, concerning, or fun can be deeply rewarding and motivating. Being informed is empowering; being involved is inspiring.
Some of Sara’s favorite things to do include reading, working in the yard, thrifting, sewing, and traveling.