Our Team

Theresa Lu, Ph. D.

The CEO and Founder of Lu & Associates, Theresa Lu has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of California, Irvine. She earned her Master's and Ph.D. degrees in Counseling Psychology at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Theresa has over eighteen years of experience working in non-profit organizations, ranging from grass-roots agencies to universities. She worked in management positions including Women's Transitional Center, University of San Diego Counseling Center, Southern Illinois University Office of the President, and Orange County Rape Crisis Center, where she developed her skills in staff, board, organizational, program, and resource development.

Theresa is on the board of the Association of Fundraising Professionals in Orange County, serving as Vice President of Membership. She is a volunteer with Orange County's United Way and has worked with First 5 in Los Angeles. Theresa is also an adjunct professor at USC and Alliant University.

For more information on Dr. Lu's personal commitment towards working with non-profits, please read the "Our Story" page.

Carolyn Elgar

Carolyn Elgar has a bachelor's degree in English from Union College. She earned a Masters Degree in Education, with emphasis on school counseling, from Virginia Commonwealth University which inspired her interest in the developmental stages of student growth. She worked in elementary schools and focused on supporting children's emotional and intellectual development, conducting educational assessments, and increasing parent understanding of their children's unique needs. Carolyn worked with teachers and administrators to help students achieve desired competencies and reach their full potential.

In 1997 Carolyn relocated to California. She earned a certificate in graphic communications. She has designed, edited, and produced newsletters for various nonprofit organizations in the Orange County, as well as writing articles for local newspapers and national magazines. In grant writing, Carolyn has found a way to connect her passion for writing and her belief in social causes together. Key areas of interest for her are educational assessment, child development, learning styles, parent education, and underserved families.

Elisabeth Jensen

Elisabeth Jensen is a doctoral candidate, completing her final year of graduate school in Forensic Psychology. Her educational training experiences include correctional environments working with juvenile offenders, and therapeutic environments working with individuals of all ages. She currently treats clients both within and outside of the criminal justice system, including children, families, and adult offenders. Elisabeth has a history of volunteering for organizations aiding children, developmentally disabled individuals, and victims of crime. In the non-profit sector she has assisted in providing services to underserved children, refugee families, and at-risk youth.

Elisabeth joined the team at Lu & Associates as a Junior Associate in 2006, and has recently become a full Associate. She employs her talents in her areas of expertise: writing grants, conducting grant- and organization-related research, developing strategic plans, and developing program evaluation projects.

Lorraine Labayen

In June 2008 Lorraine graduated from Bishop Montgomery High School with honors and will attend UC Irvine in fall 2008, with a plan to major in Chemistry. She has worked extensively with two organizations that service the homeless community by making blankets and coordinating food drives. While at Bishop Montgomery she was editor of the school yearbook. She continues to work for Lu & Associates as a researcher. For fun she likes to dance hula and Tahitian every week.

Lissa Parker, M.A.

Lissa is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Forensic Psychology, with an emphasis in Policy and Justice. She has worked with local and federal law enforcement agencies as well as non-profit foster care agencies. Lissa currently works with the Center for Forensic studies in areas of program development, policy development and implementation, and curriculum development. She also serves as the Student-Faculty Liaison for the Center and as Chair of the system-wide student government association. Lissa is also a member of the adjunct faculty at CSU, Fresno.

Pat Pruuel

Pat Pruuel joined Lu & Associates team in December 2007. Pat retired recently after 30 years in the aerospace industry. She spent five years working as a contracts administer preparing proposals and budgetary estimates and ten years as a Human Resources control point for a large manufacturing group, all of this for Raytheon Systems in El Segundo.

As a former single mother, her children benefited from the school lunch program of LAUSD. After retiring, she volunteered for non-profit organizations and became cognizant of the financial needs of well-run agencies that endeavor to enact social change. Pat is grateful to be working in an industry, which finds financial solutions for these well deserving agencies.

Adriana Pulido, M.S.

Adriana received a Bachelor's degree in Social Welfare at UC Berekley then continued her education with a Master's degree at the University of Southern California at the Rossier School of Education in Counseling Psychology. While at RSOE she became the College Advisor for severely underserved high schools in South Central Los Angeles through the Educational Talent Search Program. Concurrently, she headed the Latino Parent Association and translated for the Trojan Parent Perspective. Adriana currently serves as the School Counselor at Ánimo Venice Charter High School, part of the Green Dot Public Schools in Los Angeles.

With her strong background and expertise in program development, college readiness, counseling, and working with at-risk youth in urban communities, Adriana joined the Lu & Associates team in 2005, where she works in curriculum and program development, grantwriting.

Adriana plans on pursuing a Ph.D. degree and wishes to continue serving under-resourced communities.

Bethany Ranes

Bethany Ranes has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from California State University, Fresno, as well as a Master's degree in Forensic Psychology from Alliant University. She is currently a doctoral candidate at Alliant University, studying Forensic Psychology with an emphasis in Social Justice and Policy. Bethany has worked as a senior case manager with the Fresno Police Department, and played a large role in the program development for the Fresno Mayor's Gang Prevention Initiative. She is currently working with the Fresno County Juvenile Court System in the Behavioral Health Court. Outside of law enforcement, Bethany has a strong background in higher education advising for rural high school students. She has worked as a college admissions advisor for Kerman High School and as an SAT instructor for Firebaugh High School, both located in rural west Fresno County.