Lara grew up in Appleton, Wisconsin, and spent two years at Macalester College in St. Paul before transferring to the University of Minnesota, where she earned a degree in the Sociology of Law, Criminology & Deviance. After college she spent several years working as an organizer for a variety of non-profit organizations in Madison, 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 spending time in Madison, however, it became clear that the Twin Cities was really where she wanted to be, and  moved back to Minneapolis to work as a Program Coordinator with Admission Possible. She is thrilled to be starting her second year here, working with the coaches at Armstrong, Cooper and Johnson High Schools.