Lara Morgan Rush

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

You should get to know her because:

• She is a strategic fundraising professional with 16 years of experience in nonprofits, and has a deep commitment to creating a more just and equitable world through connecting people’s passion with purpose.
• Before joining ERA, Lara most recently served as Development Director with Global Student Embassy, an organization working to empower youth and create a network of future leaders rooted in action and activism locally and globally.
• She has also worked for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area as the Director of Individual Giving and then as the VP of Development with Women’s Audio Mission, an organization focused on providing equal access for women and girls to specialized education and employment opportunities in tech.
• Earlier in her career, she also worked at the Gay & Lesbian Medical Association and Equality California, both focused on advocacy for LGBTQI equality. Outside of her full-time work, she has also managed a private consulting practice with a primarily youth-focused organization client base, supporting fundraising efforts including major gifts and grants. Lara holds a Certified Fund Raising Executive credential from CFRE International.
• Lara currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Association of Fundraising Professionals Golden Gate Chapter as the Chair, VP of Membership. As a volunteer, she has also served as the pro-bono Chief Development Officer of Giving Stage, a start-up company focused on doing good through webcasting live performances, the Director of Development and Community Engagement for the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network, and as a member of the Center for Volunteer & Nonprofit Leadership and Young Women Social Entrepreneurs.

Alumna of:

• Lara earned her Master’s degree in Integrative Health and Coaching from the California Institute of Integral Studies, with her thesis focusing on improving education outcomes for underserved youth in the US.
• Prior to her Master’s work, Lara earned her Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from the University of California at Santa Cruz with a focus on Law and Gender Studies.

Outside of work:

• A native of California, in her spare time Lara has an active meditation practice and attends silent retreats regularly.