Lara Garey

Lara Garey serves as Director of State Policy and Engagement for the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, where she advances state policy initiatives and fosters cross-sector engagement to strengthen support for military and veteran caregivers and their families. She works with government agencies, nonprofit organizations, healthcare systems, community partners, and most importantly, caregivers, to translate policy into practice, helping improve access to resources, services, and support.

Lara brings more than 30 years of experience translating complex state regulations into practical, implementable solutions through regulatory compliance, stakeholder engagement, and public policy implementation. Her career spans more than two decades in environmental regulatory compliance and consulting before redirecting her career to military and veteran caregiver advocacy after spending more than six years navigating healthcare, benefits, and support systems while caring for her late husband, an Air Force veteran who fought ALS.

Throughout her work, Lara draws on lived experience gained as an active-duty military spouse, veteran spouse, caregiver, and survivor to help ensure policies are practical, implementable, and responsive to the needs of military and veteran families.

An Elizabeth Dole Foundation Alumni Fellow (Class of 2019), Lara believes the most effective policies are those shaped by lived experience, strengthened through collaboration, and designed to be practical, implementable, and responsive to the needs of military and veteran families.