Lara Tarantini

Interested in learning languages since an early age, Lara studied English, French, and Spanish. Later, she attended the University of Bologna and earned a B.A. in Storia, Culture, e Civiltà Orientali, and an M.A. in Lingue e Culture dell’Asia e dell’Africa, with a focus in Islamic studies and Arabic. While earning her degrees, she worked as a promoter and played the drums in a band on weekends. In 2014, she left her job as an Apple Solution Consultant and moved to Tucson to earn her second M.A. in Middle Eastern and North African Studies at the University of Arizona. While at UArizona, she worked as a teaching assistant and instructor, and during this time, she learned how to use Brightspace and developed an interest in LMSs. Combining her experience and passion for helping people use technology and teaching, Lara has often helped fellow graduate students and instructors in developing their Brightspace sites. Eventually, she decided to turn this experience into a career and joined the Instructional Technology Team in 2020.

When not at work, Lara has many diverse interests. An avid music listener, she loves going to hard rock and heavy metal concerts whenever she can. She loves painting, and at times you can see her painting watercolor sketches around campus or by the Rillito River Path. She also loves cooking regional Italian dishes and baking, so if you want to know how to make tiramisù, don’t hesitate to ask.