#PrintHERStoryMonth 2025: Meet Lauren Tarbet, Pflugerville ISD

Lauren Tarbet Coordinator- Distribution and Printing Services Pflugerville ISD

LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-tarbet

What does empowerment mean to you as a woman in printing?

Empowerment to me as a woman in printing means that my hard work and dedication to printing has enabled me to represent the industry in a world that has always been primarily dominated by men. I have been enabled to not only accomplish my personal goals, but also help motivate and empower other younger women to do the same.

Can you share a moment in your career when you felt truly empowered?

I have been fortunate enough to have always had great support at my current school district. As the coordinator for both our distribution and print services department, I have been given free rein to make suggestions to better the district through printing. I truly felt empowered when my district fought to keep me on as an employee when I received a job offer at a much better paying position at another company. Had I not been empowered to make my print department my own, the district would not have realized how important my job is for the entire district. They valued me enough to counteroffer as soon as I told them. Since then, I have been able to open many new offerings for the district and to continue establishing our in-plant as one of the highest volume K-12 in the area.

What resources or programs have helped you grow in your career that you would recommend to young women?

There have been several print-specific and also a few non-related resources that have greatly benefited me and empowered me to do my in-plant printing job better. The first would be LinkedIn, because I have been able to network and reach people and groups, I never would have been able to reach without it. I also have found PIA MidAmerica to be a valuable resource not only for myself but my staff as well. Online training specific to printing through PIA has been crucial in keeping my staff relevant in the printing industry.

Since 2019 I have also been on the advisory council for Printing United Women in Print Alliance. This group has brought me a wealth of information that has proved to be useful many times. Although not a member yet, I have been following Girls Who Print on LinkedIn since 2020 and have found many of the posts and articles very helpful, specifically for women in the print industry.

All of the information I have collected from all of these wonderful groups or companies has grown me in my career and will continue to help me grow into the future. I would highly recommend any/all of them to young women who are either starting their careers in the print industry, or who may be stuck needing help.