Lara received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Michigan in 2006. Following her undergraduate education, she relocated to Germany, where she received a Master of Science in Molecular Medicine from the Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin and worked in molecular virology abroad and upon her return to the United States. Lara received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Colorado State University and completed a Rotating Internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at the Animal Medical Center in New York City the following year. She went on to complete a three year Residency in Cardiology at North Carolina State University. After moving to the UK, she joined the Cardiology Service at the Royal Veterinary College in support of the cardiothoracic bypass program before joining the team at Davies.