Lara Embry is an American clinical psychologist, writer, educator, and documentary filmmaker who became widely known outside her professional field because of her marriage to actress Jane Lynch. Although much of the public interest in Lara Embry has centered on her relationship with the Glee star, her own career has included psychology, research, teaching, writing, and advocacy.
Embry built a professional career around psychology, particularly work involving children, adolescents, families, resilience, and LGBTQ+ mental health. She has also been involved in projects that focus on LGBTQ+ families and equality. One of her best-known media projects is the documentary Alabama Bound, which she co-directed and co-produced with Carolyn Sherer.
Her marriage to Jane Lynch lasted from 2010 until their divorce was finalized in 2014. Since then, Embry has largely maintained a more private life while continuing her professional interests.
Lara Embry’s Early Life and Family Background
Lara Embry grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. In her professional biography, she says that she attended Birmingham City Schools before spending her high school years at Indian Springs School. Indian Springs later recognized her with its 2018 Outstanding Alum Award for her work as a clinical psychologist, social activist, author, and filmmaker.
Embry has spoken about how growing up in Alabama influenced her later interests. Her childhood connection to the state eventually became important to her work on Alabama Bound, a documentary examining the experiences of LGBTQ+ families in the South. She returned to Alabama as an adult while working on the project and explored the lives of families dealing with legal and social challenges.
Information about Lara Embry’s parents and siblings is less consistently documented in reliable public sources. Some online biographies identify her parents as physicians Joseph and Bonnie Embry, but these details are not as well established as the information in Embry’s own professional biography. For that reason, claims about her wider family should be treated cautiously.
Lara Embry’s Education and Psychology Career
Education played an important role in Lara Embry’s professional development. According to her own biography, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Smith College in 1991. She then attended Columbia University, where she received a master’s degree in 1994. She later studied at the University of Washington, earning her Ph.D. in 2004.
Her interest in psychology developed during her graduate studies. While studying philosophy at Columbia, Embry became interested in psychology and began working at Bellevue Hospital. She eventually changed the direction of her education and pursued child and adolescent clinical psychology at the University of Washington.
As part of her doctoral training, she completed a clinical internship at the James Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, Florida. Her research interests included resilience, adolescence, maternal depression, marital communication, and LGBTQ+ mental health. Her dissertation focused on resilience and the factors that help people develop it.
Embry later worked as a psychologist at Carter Psychology Center in Florida, where she worked with children, adolescents, adults, and families. She also became involved with family court-related work and received training in parenting coordination and custody evaluation. Her professional biography identifies her as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Lara Embry’s Professional Life Beyond Psychology
Lara Embry’s career has extended beyond clinical psychology. She has worked as a lecturer, writer, filmmaker, and advocate, using her professional experience to address issues involving children, families, resilience, and LGBTQ+ communities.
She has given lectures on topics such as adolescence, internet safety for young people, moral development, domestic violence, resilience, and childhood development. Her work has also included research and publications related to family psychology, youth homelessness, and psychobiology.
Embry also became involved with The Trevor Project and served as Co-Vice Chair of its board. Her work with LGBTQ+ youth and families has been an important part of her professional and advocacy activities.
Another notable part of her career is Alabama Bound, a 2017 documentary directed by Embry and Carolyn Sherer. The film follows LGBTQ+ families in Alabama and examines their efforts to protect their families and fight for equal rights.
Lara Embry and Jane Lynch’s Relationship
Lara Embry and Jane Lynch met in 2009 at a fundraiser in San Francisco. Embry was being honored at the event, and the two quickly became interested in each other. Contemporary reports said their relationship developed after that meeting and eventually led to marriage.
Their relationship attracted public attention largely because Lynch was already a recognizable actress, particularly for her work on television. At the time of their relationship, Lynch was gaining major recognition for playing Sue Sylvester on Glee.
Embry, meanwhile, had her own established career as a psychologist and educator. Their relationship therefore brought together two people from very different professional worlds.
Lara Embry’s Marriage to Jane Lynch
Lara Embry and Jane Lynch married on May 31, 2010, in Sunderland, Massachusetts. Their wedding took place less than a year after they first met. Reports at the time described the ceremony as a small and intimate event.
Their marriage also made Embry more familiar to entertainment audiences. Lynch became a stepmother figure to Embry’s children, and she spoke publicly about her affection for them. Contemporary coverage specifically mentioned her close relationship with Embry’s daughter Haden.
The couple also registered a domestic partnership in California in July 2010, according to court documents later reported by E! News.
Lara Embry’s Children and Family Life
Lara Embry had children before her marriage to Jane Lynch. Public reporting around the marriage and divorce identifies daughters named Haden and Chase, although different biographical sources do not consistently provide the same family details.
Haden received particular public attention because of her relationship with Jane Lynch. Lynch described her affection for Haden and spoke about the importance of being a supportive stepmother.
Embry has generally kept her family life away from the spotlight. As a result, there is limited reliable information about her children’s lives today, and it is best to avoid treating unverified online claims as established facts.
Lara Embry’s Divorce From Jane Lynch
The marriage between Lara Embry and Jane Lynch ended after roughly three years. In June 2013, Lynch publicly confirmed that the couple had decided to end their marriage. She described the decision as difficult while also saying that they cared deeply about each other.
Lynch filed for divorce in July 2013, citing irreconcilable differences. Court documents reported by E! News stated that the couple had separated on February 7, 2013.
The divorce was finalized in October 2014. According to CBS News, the settlement included an agreement involving royalties from several of Lynch’s entertainment projects, including Glee.
There has been considerable online speculation about the reasons for their divorce, but neither woman publicly provided a detailed explanation beyond saying that they had decided to move in different directions. Lynch also characterized the breakup as amicable.
Lara Embry’s Net Worth and Sources of Income
There is no reliable, publicly verified figure for Lara Embry’s current net worth. Various websites publish estimates, but these figures often lack financial documentation and should not be treated as confirmed.
Embry’s professional income has come primarily from her work as a clinical psychologist, educator, lecturer, writer, and other professional projects. Her background includes private clinical practice, university teaching, research, writing, and documentary work.
Her divorce settlement with Jane Lynch was publicly reported at the time, but the settlement should not be confused with Lara Embry’s net worth. A legal settlement is a specific financial arrangement and does not provide a complete picture of someone’s assets, income, or wealth.
For that reason, it is more accurate to describe Lara Embry’s net worth as not publicly verified rather than attaching an unsupported dollar amount to her name.
Lara Embry’s Life and Career After the Divorce
Following her divorce from Jane Lynch, Lara Embry has continued to be associated primarily with psychology, education, writing, and advocacy rather than entertainment celebrity.
Her professional background includes work with children, adolescents, families, and adults. She has also remained connected to issues involving LGBTQ+ mental health and family rights. Her work on Alabama Bound is one of the clearest examples of how her professional and personal interests came together in a public project.
Embry has also worked as a lecturer and writer. Her professional biography lists talks on subjects including resilience, adolescence, internet safety, and family development. These activities reflect a career that has remained focused on psychology and public education.
Because Embry has maintained a relatively private life since her divorce, there is limited reliable information about her current personal circumstances. Her professional work, rather than celebrity appearances, remains the strongest source of information about her career.
Lara Embry’s Age, Birthday, and Personal Details
Information about Lara Embry’s exact birth date is not clearly confirmed through her own professional biography. Some celebrity databases list May 5, 1969, but this date is not independently verified by the strongest available sources. Therefore, it is safer to describe that date as commonly reported rather than confirmed.
Embry grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, attended Indian Springs School, and later studied at Smith College, Columbia University, and the University of Washington. Her academic background ultimately led her into clinical psychology.
She was previously married to Jane Lynch. Their marriage began in May 2010 and ended with a finalized divorce in 2014. Public sources also identify Embry as a mother, although detailed information about her children is limited.
Today, Lara Embry is best known for her work as a clinical psychologist, educator, writer, and filmmaker, as well as for her past marriage to Jane Lynch.
Conclusion: Lara Embry’s Life, Career, and Public Story
Lara Embry is more than a name associated with Jane Lynch. Her own career has included clinical psychology, education, research, writing, advocacy, and documentary filmmaking. Her academic path from philosophy to clinical psychology helped shape a professional life focused on children, families, resilience, and mental health.
Her marriage to Jane Lynch brought her considerable public attention, but it represents only one part of her story. From her Alabama roots and psychology career to her work on Alabama Bound, Lara Embry has built a professional identity that extends well beyond her connection to Hollywood.
Because much of her personal life remains private, the most reliable way to understand Lara Embry today is through her documented professional work and the public record surrounding her past marriage. This provides a clearer picture of a psychologist and advocate whose career has developed largely outside the entertainment spotlight.
FAQs
Who is Lara Embry?
Lara Embry is an American clinical psychologist, educator, writer, and filmmaker. She is also known publicly as the former wife of actress Jane Lynch. Her professional work has included psychology, research, teaching, advocacy, and documentary filmmaking.
What does Lara Embry do for a living?
Lara Embry’s career has centered on clinical psychology and education. She has worked in private practice, taught, lectured, conducted research, and participated in writing and documentary projects.
How old is Lara Embry?
Lara Embry’s exact age is difficult to confirm because her official professional biography does not provide a birth date. Some public databases list May 5, 1969, but that information should be considered unverified.
Who was Lara Embry married to?
Lara Embry was married to actress Jane Lynch. They married in Massachusetts on May 31, 2010, and their divorce was finalized in October 2014.
When did Lara Embry and Jane Lynch get married?
Lara Embry and Jane Lynch married on May 31, 2010, in Sunderland, Massachusetts.
When did Lara Embry and Jane Lynch divorce?
Jane Lynch filed for divorce in July 2013, and the divorce was finalized in October 2014.
Does Lara Embry have children?
Yes. Public reports identify Lara Embry as a mother. Contemporary coverage of her marriage to Jane Lynch identified daughters including Haden and Chase, although detailed information about her family is limited.
What is Lara Embry’s net worth?
Lara Embry’s net worth has not been publicly verified. Online estimates vary and generally do not provide enough financial evidence to establish a reliable figure. Her income has been associated with her professional work in psychology, education, writing, and other projects.
Where is Lara Embry now?
Lara Embry has kept much of her post-divorce personal life private. Publicly available information continues to associate her with psychology, education, writing, and advocacy, but detailed information about her current personal life is limited.
