Dr. Lara Thompson

Biography

Lara Thompson graduated from Washington State University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Child, Consumer and Family Studies and a minor in Sociology. She began her career as a school-based case manager for a private agency working with homeless families, which sparked her interest in bridging communication gaps between schools and families to support children's social, emotional, and educational well-being. She obtained her Master's degree in Social Work with a concentration in School Social Work from Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia. With over 25 years of experience in social services, Thompson has provided direct services in areas such as teen pregnancy, therapeutic foster care, and educational advocacy. She started working for Washington State's Children’s Administration in 1997 and has held various social work positions. In 1999, she received the Outstanding Social Worker Award from the Foster Care Assessment Program. Thompson also developed a curriculum and provided training for new employees at the Children’s Administration Training Academy for seven years. In August 2008, she joined the School of Social Work as a field instructor for the Child Welfare Training Advancement Program (CWTAP) and in 2010, her students nominated her for the Outstanding Field Instructor Mentorship Award.

Research Interests

Experience