
Lara Furtado
Teacher of Psychology / Year 12 Class Teacher
Lara graduated from the Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Brazil, with a bachelor's degree in Psychology with a teaching qualification before embarking on an international teaching career. She also holds a Teaching Qualification from the District of Columbia, United States of America.
Over the past decade, she has built a diverse international teaching career, including more than nine years of experience teaching AP Psychology in China and two years teaching IGCSE History. She also served as the founder and coordinator of Mind Over Matter, a student mentoring group that promoted mental health in high schools for 3.5 years. In recognition of this work, Lara received the United Nations “Sustainable Development Goals Award” in 2023, being named “Best Mentor” while her group was honored with “Best Project.”
With four years of experience in pastoral care, Lara takes a holistic approach to student well-being, emphasizing empathy, inclusion, creativity, and critical thinking. She is deeply committed to advancing mental health awareness both inside and beyond the classroom, supporting students and teachers alike.
Outside of work, Lara enjoys traveling, learning new languages, exploring different cultures, painting, and cooking.