Keynote Speaker

Tara Roberts

Tara Roberts spent the last seven years following, diving with, and telling stories about Black scuba divers as they search for and help document slave shipwrecks around the world. Her journey was turned into an award-winning National Geographic-produced podcast called “Into the Depths” and featured in the March 2022 issue of National Geographic magazine. Tara became the first Black female explorer ever to be featured on the cover of the magazine. That same year, she was also named the Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year. Currently, Tara is an Explorer in Residence at the National Geographic Society. Her book “Written in the Waters: A Memoir of History, Home and Belonging” hit stands in January 2025.
Tara is also a former magazine editor and indie publisher, a nonprofit communications director and editor of several non-fiction books for girls. 
She calls Atlanta home but loves to hit the road ... Her motto is - have suitcase, will travel.