Tarpening, who earned her bachelor’s degree in religion and philosophy from C-SC, was the senior pastor at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Macon, Missouri, where she has served since 2022. She was previously the senior pastor at the church’s Brookfield, Missouri, location from 2015 to 2022. From 2010 to 2015, Tarpening was the pastor of Adult Ministries and Discipleship at the First United Methodist Church in Kirksville, Missouri.  She has also served congregations in Sedalia, Windsor, and Maywood, Missouri, as well as McPherson, Kansas.

She earned her Master of Divinity degree from Central Baptist Theological Seminary in 2010 and her Doctor of Ministry from South College in 2022. She received her clinical pastoral education from Carondelet Health from 2005-2006.

Her community service and memberships, both past and present, include Macon County Ministries, food bank distribution, P.E.O., Beta Sigma Phi, Macon Kiwanis Club, North Central Missouri YMCA board member, Brookfield R-III school board member, Ministries in Linn County chair, Brookfield Chamber of Commerce board member, Brookfield Country Club social committee member, Northeast Missouri Inclusion Project, and Sigma Kappa Sorority at Truman State University local advisor.