Lara Lightbody is a UK-qualified lawyer with over 15 years’ experience in both private practice and as an in-house counsel for various multinationals. She now runs a legal consultancy assisting companies with Asia market entry and legal department strategy.
Previously, Lara was Head of Legal for North East Asia for global telecommunications company BT (British Telecom) and led the legal team covering China, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan and Taiwan. Lara completed her undergraduate degree in Law and Russian at University of Sussex and her postgraduate at St Catherine’s College, Oxford University with a focus on Intellectual Property.
In addition to her expertise in law, Lara is also a passionate advocate for education. She serves as an advisory board member of Music House for Children, an award-winning social enterprise in London, UK that specializes in using music to encourage learning and language acquisition in early childhood. Lara also produces the podcast Coexisting, a show presenting audio stories from lockdown across the globe. She lives in Pasadena with her husband and two children.
“I am honored to join the PUENTE Learning Center board and team, especially in this unprecedented moment of need and opportunity,” said Lightbody. “I know that education is the most important tool we have to improve the world, and I look forward to helping PUENTE make a difference in Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles, and beyond.”
“We welcome Lara’s expertise on the Board of Directors,” said PUENTE Board Chair Chun Wong. “I admire her background of community leadership, her legal experience, and her international perspective. She truly believes in our mission to build bridges to education and opportunity.”
“PUENTE is so fortunate to have Lara join the board of PUENTE,” said PUENTE CEO Jerome Greening. “We have been offering vital educational resources for students and families for 35 years, and we are grateful for our Board of Directors’ commitment to the mission. Lara brings her wonderful experience that will help ensure sustainable support for those we serve.”