Lara is the Associate Director of Research and Pedagogy for the Program on Negotiation (PON). She oversees PON’s research activities, curriculum development, and events. She previously had served as the Negotiation Pedagogy Manager and ran the Teaching Negotiation Resource Center at PON.

Before joining PON in 2017, Lara worked at the U.S. Department of State, in the bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs as well as the Office of Inspector General.

Lara holds a M.A. in International Peace and Conflict Resolution, with a concentration in Negotiation, from American University’s School of International Service. While completing her M.A., Lara served as the co-president of the American University Negotiation Project, and also worked as a negotiation simulation writer for the U.S. Institute of Peace.