Tolbert taught science and English as a second language in the USA, Mexico, Guatemala and New Zealand, before moving into academia.
[3] She worked as an assistant and then associate professor at the University of Arizona, receiving a National Academy of Education Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2015.
[2][4] Tolbert's postdoctoral research was focused on facilitating social justice education for minoritized students and teachers.
[1] Tolbert was part of a research team that won the 2022 Advancing Sustainability Knowledge Award at Canterbury, recognising work "in developing an innovative course helping trainee teachers create and contribute knowledge for a better society".
With Professor Diane Mollenkopf, Tolbert is co-leader of the Ōtautahi Food Justice Research Collaborative, and with Professor Ben Kennedy she co-directs Canterbury's Learning for Earth Futures research cluster.