Tara Kleinpeter was born in Nashville, Tennessee, to Tom and Ginger Sanford, and has a brother, T.R. Sanford. While still young, her family moved to Florida, where they stayed until she was a teen. They then moved to Charleston, South Carolina, where she spent her formative years. Studying Dramatic Arts alongside her degree coursework, Tara received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the College of Charleston. She was so fascinated with the workings of the heart that she went on to study Perfusion and Echocardiography at the Medical University of South Carolina.

After finishing her formal education, Tara continued to pursue education and training in the Dramatic Arts. She studied at Tulane University, with The Groundlings, under Laura Gardner at The Howard Fine Acting Studio, and with Donovan Hardwick in Los Angeles. Tara's thirst for knowledge and the desire to learn has continued to play a major role in her life, most recently studying with Los Angeles-based acting coach Louis Herthum and Tim Phillips at Celtic Studios. Her dedication to the craft has paid off, as Tara landed a lead role in the upcoming Night Claws (2012), a dynamic small town horror movie starring Frank Stallone and Leilani Sarelle. This is Tara's largest part to date and her second speaking role in a SAG feature film. She credits writer David A. Prior for the role.

Tara's studies have prepared her for a variety of work. She has acted in television commercials and movies, shorts, and numerous feature films. Her most recent works include "The Exile," The One Warrior (2011) with Dominic Keating and James Russo, and "The Saints of Mt. Christopher" with Tom Sizemore and Clifton Powell. She has also produced several of the projects she has performed in, including "Metamorphosis" with Nick Searcy and Patricia Bethune.