Elevate Your Advocacy, Government Affairs, and Engagement Strategy

Services We Offer

Government Affairs & Lobbying

Leveraging over 25 years of experience at the local, state, and federal levels, navigating political and regulatory landscapes to advocate for policies that align with your mission.

Public Policy Analysis & Research

Connecting the political and policy dots by providing data and research-driven policy recommendations to inform strategic planning and decision-making.

Strategic Engagement & Advocacy

Helping organizations strengthen internal and external relationships, build grassroots advocacy campaigns, and connect with government officials for impactful outcomes.

Starla Tanner Consulting Ethos

With over 25 years of experience in governmental affairs, advocacy, campaign management, and public policy, Starla Tanner Consulting is your strategic partner in navigating complex political, community, and legislative landscapes.

We specialize in bridging the gap between people, policy, and politics for public, private, and community stakeholders, driving meaningful change.

Let’s work together to build opportunities that make a difference.

Meet Starla

A deep-rooted belief in public engagement and advocacy began at the corner of Paris Avenue and Spruce Street in a small Eastern North Carolina town, where seven-year-old Starla knocked on doors with her parents and sisters to register neighbors to vote.

The family continued to work on issues impacting the community with both parents eventually serving as elected officials. Those decades of grassroots toils instilled a firm understanding in Starla of the power of connecting people, policy, and politics.

Starla has decades of experience gained from serving in leadership positions for several statewide political campaigns, multiple state agencies, the university system, local government, and non-profits. She thrives on opportunities and challenges that need strategic navigation through the intersection of politics, people, and policies.


  • Principal Consultant

    Starla Tanner is a consultant based in Charlotte, North Carolina, with over 25 years of experience in managing intergovernmental affairs, lobbying, advocacy, community engagement, and public policy. She has a proven track record of building relationships between public, private, and community stakeholders to address critical community needs, including public education, access to health and human services, preserving local authority, and securing federal funding. Starla thrives on opportunities to use her extensive policy and politics experience on local, regional, state, and federal levels to meet the needs of clients.

    Most recently, Starla briefly served as Chief Operating Officer for The New Georgia Project Action Fund until the selection of a new governing board. Previously, she spent six years as Intergovernmental Affairs Manager for Mecklenburg County, where she directed legislative and regulatory strategy, engagement with surrounding municipalities, and policy priorities at regional, state, and federal levels.

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, she played a key role in analyzing federal policies, overseeing eligibility determinations for over $200 million in direct funding for community-led organizations, and guiding CARES Act funding. She also led efforts to expedite emergency rental assistance, securing additional funding for Mecklenburg County. Additionally, she directed the drafting, presentation, and advocacy of national platform issues, including:

    • Integrated delivery of community-based services

    • The impact of corporate-owned rental housing

    • Prevention of source-of-income discrimination in rental housing

    • Addressing gun violence as a public health epidemic.

    Her additional legislative initiatives have included expanding the Homestead Exemption Act to support aging homeowners, advocating for A Home for All, developing public housing policies against source-of-income discrimination, supporting eviction post-judgment relief agreements, and securing federal earmark funding for community-based services.

    Before her role with Mecklenburg County, Starla directed Government Relations, Communications, and Research for the Georgia Association of Educators (GAE), where she lobbied for public education support, engaged in national coalition efforts, managed the political action committee, and oversaw media and digital strategy. While at GAE, she led a bipartisan coalition of forty organizations and a $5 million budget to successfully defeat a proposed constitutional amendment that would have reduced local control over public schools.

    At the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), Starla launched a state affairs program, creating a state-by-state legislative tracking system and lobbying in over 25 states for healthcare affordability. She also developed the ACR Key Contact Program, training members to advocate for access-to-care legislation nationwide.

    Before returning to her home state of North Carolina, Starla held government relations and advocacy roles with the North Carolina Departments of Insurance, Health and Human Services, and State Treasurer. She also served as Director of Government and Community Relations for her alma mater, North Carolina Central University, where she built bipartisan relationships to advance higher education initiatives, strengthen community programs, and increase engagement with elected officials at all levels.

    As a principal consultant, Starla leverages her expertise and passion to connect people, policy, and politics to drive meaningful change. She works with a select number of clients to provide focused and strategic support in achieving their priorities.