Our Members

Lara Coughlin, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan Addiction Center, director of the CHOICE Lab and co-director of the Michigan Innovations in Addiction Care through Research and Education. In 2024, Dr. Coughlin joined Center leadership as the Center’s DEI faculty lead. She received her Ph.D. from Virginia Tech and joined the University of Michigan as a postdoctoral fellow in 2018 before joining the faculty in 2020.

Dr. Coughlin’s research focuses on addressing health inequities for marginalized populations by centering the voices of communities and translating scientific findings into actionable measures, interventions and policies. Outside of her published research, she has partnered with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and other organizations to implement low-barrier interventions to improve smoking cessation rates in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities.

She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in working collaboratively with communities to bring pragmatic, effective and practical solutions to historically underserved populations. As the Center’s DEI faculty lead, she uses her knowledge of the working at the intersection of DEI and mental health to support members and guide the Center’s DEI strategic vision.