Overview
Laura Lara-Brady is an education leader with more than 16 years of experience in advancing systems change across higher education. Her work bridges research, practice, and policy to help colleges, systems, and partners redesign structures that expand access, improve outcomes, and strengthen social and economic mobility—particularly for students from historically marginalized communities. Grounded in lived experience and a strengths-based lens, Lara-Brady is driven by a commitment to building educational systems that truly serve all learners.
At WestEd, Lara-Brady leads statewide and national initiatives focused on Guided Pathways, systems change, the alignment of K–12, higher education, and workforce systems. She directs large-scale projects in California, Utah, and across the nation, including the evaluation and scalability of the Puente Program and leadership on a National Science Foundation–funded INCLUDES Coordination Hub aimed at broadening participation in STEM. Her work emphasizes action-oriented research, cross-system collaboration, and practical tools that help institutions translate equity goals into sustainable change.
Lara-Brady’s career spans roles as a researcher, practitioner, and executive leader. She has served as Dean of Student Equity at City College of San Francisco, founded and led a nonprofit focused on closing achievement gaps, and conducted research at Educational Testing Service and WestEd. She was born and raised in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, and is a first-generation college graduate. Lara-Brady brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work, which fuels her ongoing commitment to ensuring that education functions as a true engine of social and economic mobility.
Education
- PhD in educational psychology and statistics & research methods, University of Northern Colorado
- MA in educational psychology, University of Northern Colorado
- BA in psychology, San Francisco State University
Select Publications
Vandal, B., Lara-Brady, L. G. & Getz, A. (2025, April 4). Guided Pathways interim report Presentation]. Head & Heart Convening, New York, NY, United States. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1HLb6FjS89NKEv9CAE1RaEHHGI0mfPjSk
Lara-Brady, L. G. (2024). Strategies for creating and sustaining organizational systems change [Paper presentation]. Strand 2, NSF INCLUDES Coordination Hub Leading Conference.
Lara-Brady, L. G., Rodriguez, O., Lundy-Wagner, V, & Dadgar, M (2024, September 25). Realizing the opportunity of college &career: A vision to eliminate tracking. EdTrustWest, Ed Equity Forum, Oakland, CA, United States. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1TlwK1W5MmpmFtXxDrCfE9PF9EHNPXZaRGeR5sVWqNio/edit?slide=id.g2ff3bebd0f5_0_0&pli=1#slide=id.g2ff3bebd0f5_0_0
Wright, A. M, & Lara-Brady, L. G. (2024, June 1). It was all a dream: Improving access, equity, and economic outcomes for adult learners in rural locations. WestEd Bulletin: Insights & Impact. https://www.wested.org/blog/improving-access-equity-outcomes-rural-adult-learners/
Bailey, N., Hart, W. S., & Lara-Brady, L. G. (2024, May). Building cohesion among current frameworks and initiatives statewide for optimal student success. Education Insights Center. https://edinsightscenter.org/building-cohesion-among-current-frameworks/
Wright, A., Bollella, A., & Lara-Brady, L. (2023). The enhanced role of IR in the modern institute: Data analysis to support pathway planning, equity gap analysis, and resource development. RP Conference.
Lara-Brady, L. G., & Felix, E. R. (2022). How can the Vision for Success serve as a tool for racial equity? USC Race and Equity Center. https://www.racialequityforccc.com/s/THEME-1-BRIEF-4-Brady-Felix.pdf
Honors, Awards, and Affiliations
Advisory Committee for the study Exploring Geographic Isolation as a Barrier to Equitable Transfer Outcomes Resources (2024–present)
AERA Invited Panel: Division D Equity & Inclusion Committee Invited Session: Politics and Policy: Navigating the Challenges, Opportunities, and Implementation of DEI Initiatives and AI in the Future of Educational Research—moderator and committee member (2025)
Manuscript reviewer: Pathways to College Completion in the San Joaquin Valley PPIC, 2024
Recent Media Appearances
- Higher Education Can Connect Diverse Students to Lucrative, Technical Careers, Diverse Issues in Higher Education, January 2023