Laura manages the DPI/Illinois Department of Public Health Wastewater Surveillance System project. Before joining DPI she served as the Director of External Affairs at the American Society of Safety Professionals, where she worked with volunteer leaders to develop and administer programs advancing the occupational safety and health profession, including academic relations, government affairs, awards, and partnerships and alliances. Earlier in her career, she was an English teacher in South Korea and an Americorps*VISTA, supporting the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma through community engagement and resource development.
Laura is a native of Wichita, Kansas, and is a lifelong learner, with a BA in Anthropology and Government from Lawrence University, an MA in International Relations from the University of Chicago, and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern.