ÂÜÀòÂÒÂ×

Lara‘s first TimeLine experience was being invited to a Company meeting in the fall of 1997. Known by TimeLine’s founding members from her job as Director of Marketing & Public Relations at The Theatre School, she was invited to listen and offer marketing thoughts during the company’s first year of planning and organization. She remembers going to Juliet Hart’s home in Andersonville for the meeting, and the overwhelmingly open and friendly and respectful way that the entire group welcomed her into their conversations. She was hooked! She signed up to serve as producer of the company’s inaugural production, SUMMIT CONFERENCE and became the first non-founding Company Member in 1998. She joined TimeLine’s full-time staff in 2006 as Director of Marketing and Communications. During her tenure on staff, TimeLine has more than tripled its annual earned income and increased subscriptions by more than 300%.

Lara previously was Director of Marketing and Public Relations at The Theatre School at DePaul University, where she worked for 13 seasons coordinating publicity, marketing strategy and special events for the Midwest’s leading theatre training conservatory. In Chicago she has also worked at Next Theatre, Roadworks Productions and Gateway Theatre Company. She has been a member of the Publicity Club of Chicago and served as chair of the marketing committee of the League of Chicago Theatres.

Lara has presented on arts marketing topics both locally and nationally, including for Chicago’s Arts Engagement Exchange, the Arts & Business Council of Chicago, and Americans for the Arts’ National Arts Marketing Project, among others.

Lara grew up in Orofino, Idaho and went on to Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University where she earned a B.S. degree in journalism. She was a founding member and former co-chair of the Medill Alumni Club of Chicago.