Lara Honrado

Lara has over 20 years of senior leadership experience in politics, public policy and communications. She is currently affiliated with Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) where she works closely with journalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa at the Institute for Global Politics.

Most recently, she was co-founder and CEO of Ouano Foundation, supporting human rights defenders around the globe. She led community relations for Vancouver's longest-serving Mayor and subsequently guided efforts to address equity in urban planning, pandemic emergency response and cultural policy. She serves on the board of 221A, an innovative arts organization implementing new models of social and cultural infrastructure including housing for low-income artists and their families.

Lara began her career in Washington, DC as a reporter covering Capitol Hill and has worked on political campaigns in Canada and the US, most recently in the battleground state of Wisconsin during the 2024 US election.