Laura Rath is a doctoral student at the Davis School of Gerontology. She received her Bachelor of Science in Gerontology, with minors in Biology and Bioethics from the University of Southern California in 2000; and a Masters of Science in Gerontology from the University of Southern California in 2002. Her research interests include promoting a secure old age for all people, improving the overall health and quality of life for older adults, and family caregiving.
Since 2005, she has been a Program Officer at the Archstone Foundation, a private grantmaking organization, whose mission is to contribute towards the preparation of society in meeting the needs of an aging population. At the Foundation, her duties have included the management of the Elder Abuse and Neglect Initiative, the End-of-Life and Palliative Care Initiative, the Depression in Late-Life Initiative, Family Caregiving and other projects in the foundation’s responsive grantmaking portfolio. Prior to joining the Foundation, she was the Coordinator for the Orange County Elder Abuse Forensic Center, at the University of California, Irvine during its initial three year development.
Currently, she is serving a three-year term on the Board of Directors for Grantmakers In Aging (GIA), a membership organization of funders that is a national catalyst for philanthropy, with a common dedication to improving the experience of aging. She lives in Seal Beach, California with her husband and two practically perfect daughters.