Lara grew up in Appleton, Wis., and graduated from the University of Minnesota, where she earned a degree in sociology-law, criminology and deviance. After college she spent several years working as an organizer for a variety of non-profit organizations in Madison, Wis., leading an internship program, directing summer canvasses and helping run voter registration drives throughout Wisconsin. The issues she tackled as an organizer ranged from hunger and homelessness to environmental sustainability, but the issue she was most passionate about was access to higher education.

After a few years in Madison, however, she was ready to return to the Twin Cities and moved back to Minneapolis to work with Admission Possible. When not working for equality in college access, she spends time reading, sewing, volunteering with pit bulls and generally enjoying being in her favorite city.