About Laura
Empowering Careers Through Education
I have dedicated my entire career to guiding students and alumni towards making informed career decisions based on their true passions and aspirations. It is both an honor and a privilege to have served as a career educator, accumulating three decades of progressive experience in career counseling, professional speaking, and leadership.
My professional journey has been enriched by my roles in career services within higher education at various universities and small liberal arts colleges across the Midwest. I have had the pleasure of assisting clients ranging from recent high school and college graduates to mid-level alumni.
Championing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
Throughout my career, I have excelled in collaborating effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and identities, including various gender identities, sexual orientations, neurodiverse individuals, and individuals from diverse racial, ethnic, and citizenship backgrounds. Fostering inclusive environments and promoting respectful communication across differences has been a top priority in my career, enabling safe and authentic dialogue.
Enriching Life Beyond Work
Outside of my professional endeavors, I enjoy engaging in meaningful experiences that allow me to connect with people on a deeper level. I particularly enjoy cooking (and I’m fortunate to be married to a chef!), gardening, and singing karaoke (especially in the comfort of my living room). Additionally, I pride myself in fulfilling roles as a daughter, wife, and mother within a blended family, which includes young adults and a teenager. I also actively contribute to my community by volunteering in the Quad Cities.
Harnessing Strengths for Success
My CliftonStrengths include being an Activator, having Input, fostering Connectedness, excelling in Communication, and exhibiting Individualization, have continually propelled me forward in my endeavors.
The Story of Authentic Career + Life Design
Authentic Career + Life Design was born out of a desire to help real people seeking straight-forward answers to questions around their careers.
Authenticity refers to the quality of being genuine, real, and true to oneself. It involves aligning one’s actions, beliefs, and values with their innermost identity, without pretense or external pressures.
An authentic person is sincere, transparent, and trustworthy, reflecting a deep sense of self-awareness and integrity.
In the context of career + life design, authenticity entails pursuing paths and making choices that resonate with one’s true aspirations, values, and passions, rather than conforming to societal expectations or norms. It involves embracing one’s unique strengths, interests, and experiences to create a fulfilling and meaningful life journey.
