Laura is a sixth-generation islander. Her family has been in the San Juan Islands since 1852, residing on both San Juan and Orcas Islands. She was thrilled to become a full-time island resident in 2009. Raised and educated in Kirkland, Washington, Laura did her post-secondary education in Santa Monica, California. As a Graduate Gemologist her work required a lot of travel and educating others, which became lifelong passions. For the past fifteen years she has managed the Heritage Bank branch in Friday Harbor. Laura is excited to join the Spring Street team as college counselor.
Laura is well versed in both domestic and international admissions and understands that post-secondary education can look different to everyone. She has been through the admissions and scholarship processes for many, most recently with her youngest child Shaw who is heading to UW for undergraduate studies.
Laura served on the Spring Street Board of Trustees, and for the past seven years as the Chairman of the Scholarship committee for the San Juan Island Community Foundation. Through that role she became very familiar with the scholarship process and what organizations are looking for in candidates for financial assistance, both locally and nationally.
Laura is a passionate advocate for the educational rights of people on the Autism Spectrum and loves traveling for humanitarian work. A favorite such trip was to Honduras where they focused on building a water purification system and painting a local orphanage. When not working or volunteering, Laura can be found hiking with her family, watching her husband’s band at local venues, or discussing the latest novels with her book club.
