Lara grew up in Newton, MA before receiving a BS in Environmental Science from Brown University. She was a student on HMI’s Fall 2020 Gap Semester, where she grew her love for backpacking and being outdoors. She continued this passion throughout college, serving on the leadership for the Brown Outing Club and working as an intern for HMI Summer Term in 2023. After graduating, she worked as an outdoor educator in California before settling in Flagstaff, AZ. She is excited to return to HMI Summer Term again as a faculty member. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, trying new sports, hiking, reading, and crafting.