QL Plus Welcomes Tara Newell as Executive Director
Tara Newell, Executive Director of QL Plus
MIAMI (June 11, 2025) — QL Plus, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for injured veterans and first responders through student-led engineering design, is proud to announce Tara Newell as its new Executive Director, effective May 12.
Newell brings to QL Plus more than a decade of leadership in strategic philanthropy, innovation, and community engagement. Most recently, she served as Program Director for Innovation Philanthropy at the Florida International University (FIU) Foundation, where she led development initiatives at the intersection of education, technology, and public service. She also helped lead strategic initiatives for FIU Foundation and FIU Ventures and has served as an active leader in the military community through her longstanding volunteer work with the U.S. Southern Command Family Readiness Group.
“As someone from a military family, I am deeply honored to lead an organization that understands the importance of service and the real challenges that can follow,” said Newell. “What drew me to QL Plus is the incredible power of pairing engineering talent with a human mission. We’re solving real problems, in real time, for people who have sacrificed so much for our country—and that’s work worth doing. I look forward to expanding our partnerships with donors, companies, and universities who share this vision so we can scale our impact and deliver meaningful solutions to more of the heroes who need them.”
Newell succeeds Mark Robbins, who retired in May after serving as Executive Director for four years. Under his leadership, QL Plus expanded its university partnerships, increased its project output, and weathered the challenges of the pandemic era while remaining steadfast in its mission: America’s brightest serving America’s bravest.
“Mark helped QL Plus navigate a critical period of growth and stability—we are incredibly grateful for his service and leadership,” said Bob Wolff, Chair of the QL Plus Board of Directors and a former Executive Director of QL Plus. “Tara brings fresh energy, deep fundraising expertise, and a personal connection to the military community. We are confident that under her leadership, QL Plus will reach new heights.”
Since its founding in 2009, QL Plus has partnered with over 25 universities and more than 2,000 engineering students across the country in developing innovative assistive devices for more than 1,300 veterans and first responders. The organization is now focused on deepening industry and philanthropic collaborations to reach more challengers and expand the program’s footprint.
In the past year alone, QL Plus student teams across the country have delivered breakthrough assistive technologies that restore independence and dignity for veterans and first responders. At Virginia Tech, biomedical engineering students won first place in QL Plus’ annual National Design Competition for a prosthetic socket cooling system that enhances comfort for amputees. CU Boulder students created an adaptive fishing rod controller for veterans with limited hand function, while SDSU teams developed mobility devices for veterans living with paralysis. At Colorado School of Mines, students engineered adaptive tools for climbing, music, and golf. These projects, and many others, reflect QL Plus’ unique ability to pair engineering talent with real-world impact—delivering solutions that matter.
About QL Plus
The Quality of Life Plus Program (QL Plus) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of injured and disabled veterans and first responders through innovative, custom-engineered solutions. By partnering with leading engineering programs, QL Plus empowers the next generation of engineers to create life-changing assistive technology for those who have served. Learn more at www.qlplus.org.
