Laura first worked at Hale Kipa more than a decade ago, returning in 2016 with nearly three decades of experience in social services. She previously served as Executive Director of PATCH (People Attentive to Children) Hawai‘i and as CEO at The Center for Families in Louisiana, and co-founded FREE – The Coalition to End Human Trafficking in NW Louisiana. She holds an Ed.M and M.A. in counseling psychology from Teachers College at Columbia University, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Louisiana State University, Shreveport. She serves on several mental health and wellness task forces.