About

Lara is a macro-economist interested in analyzing the policy implications and impacts of real-world events. A strategic thinker with strong writing and research skills, Lara can compellingly frame issues, as well as formulate original analyses and policy proposals. She is comfortable working in global and diverse settings and can communicate findings with technical and non-technical audiences. Lara has extensive experience engaging international organizations and an in-depth understanding of the inner workings of institutions such as the IMF and World Bank, the UN, and the OECD, as well as of the processes within the G20.

Building on her background in macroeconomics, Lara's work has touched on multiple issues over the years, including sustainable economic development, sovereign debt, monetary and fiscal policy, financial stability, trade and investment, digitalization, climate policies, and global economic governance. This is reflected in the diverse outputs she has produced, which include academic articles, policy reports, technical briefings, as well as articles aimed at general audiences. Her work has been featured by media outlets such as Reuters, BBC, NPR, Al Jazeera, The Intercept, openDemocracy, Vox, and The Hill.

Lara’s academic research focuses on the role of money, the international financial architecture, and the intersection between policy space and where countries are situated within an observed global currency hierarchy.

A dual citizen of the US and Romania, Lara’s education spans the two places she calls home. She holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Bard College and an M.S. in Economic Policy and Theory from the Levy Economics Institute. She is currently finishing her Ph.D. dissertation at the Bucharest University of Economics, in her home country of Romania.

Work Experience

Lara is currently working as an independent researcher and consultant for UN agencies, think tanks, and civil society organizations. She was previously employed at the Boston University Global Development Policy Center, as an advisor for the International Trade Union Confederation which represents over 200 million workers worldwide, and at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, where she is currently a Senior Research Fellow. Her past projects include co-founding and managing “Economic Questions” aka “The Minskys”, a pluralist economics blog, where she was a managing editor and frequent contributor. 

If you would like to connect about projects, research, and writing ideas, you can get in touch by sending a message through this form.

Below are some samples of Lara’s external publications.