Lara James has served as Chief Marketing and Communications Officer since 2017. She develops the planning, progression, and execution of all audience-facing content, working across the organization to build our reputation and scale our impact. Since arriving, Lara has built a team of skilled marketing and communications professionals who have raised Facing History’s public profile, which in turn has driven dramatic growth in our educator network, more than doubling it to over 400,000 educators in 2021. She has also significantly expanded our earned media reach, digital engagement, and donor support.
Before joining Facing History, Lara was Vice President of Brand Marketing for MassMutual, most recently leading their brand and advertising relaunch. Prior to MassMutual, Lara was Vice President of Brand Marketing at Capital One where she managed the successful extension of their brand beyond the credit card vertical.
A seasoned marketing communications veteran, Lara’s work has received national and global accolades. Black Enterprise magazine has recognized her three times, including in 2017 as a Top Woman in Advertising and Marketing.
Lara has a BA from Oberlin College.
