Tahra Goraya is the President and CEO of Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP), a regional nonprofit organization dedicated to a more resilient and inclusive economy across the tri-county region of the Monterey Bay of the Central Coast of California. As a regional convener, MBEP serves as a catalyst bringing together diverse stakeholders from public, private, and civic entities to improve the economic health and quality of life in the tri-county region of Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz. 

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Goraya has spent the past two decades working on numerous issues to forge solutions and lead change. Known as a bridge builder, she is an experienced leader who has worked on diverse issue areas across multiple sectors including nonprofit management, business, and government. Previously, Goraya was an organization consultant as well as an executive coach. Goraya has served as the Director for Zero to Three Western Regional Office, a national early childhood public policy and research organization; District Director for California State Senator Carol Liu; National Director for the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), a national American Muslim civil rights organization in Washington, DC; and Executive Director of Day One in Pasadena, a substance abuse prevention and policy organization. She considers herself a generalist who is adept at leveraging strategic relationships, building cross-cultural and cross-sector coalitions, crafting public policy, and organizing multi-faith and grassroots communities.

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Goraya is a graduate of the University of California at Irvine with a degree in Biology, has a Masters in Organizational Management, and a Masters in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Notable achievements include recipient of the Barbara Jordan Award for Women’s Leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School Woman and Public Policy Program, Nonprofit Executive Director of the Year by the California State Senate and Assembly, Founder of Monterey Bay Muslim Neighbors, Elected Town Council Member in Milton, and Advisor to Latino Muslim Unity. In 2024, Goraya was appointed by Speaker Robert Rivas as Commissioner for the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs (CAPIAA). 

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A native of California, Goraya grew up in Bakersfield, California. She is a proud daughter of Pakistani Punjabi Muslim immigrant parents. As the eldest of five children, she learned early the importance of hard work and the struggles of immigrant families, especially in rural farming communities. Through her agronomist father, she grew to appreciate the tremendous agricultural contributions to the economy. And through her mother, she learned the importance of building community bridges. In her spare time, Goraya loves to hold interfaith and intercultural dialogue, and loves exploring the world with her two daughters and husband.

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