More About Laura

For the past 25 years, Laura has been leading public relations efforts for national leaders, national and state non-profits, global businesses and educational institutions. She began her political career as an assistant in the west wing of the White House followed by service as White House presidential speechwriter, presidential campaign communications director, U.S. Senate communications director. Laura has started and run non-profits, served on ten national and local non-profit boards and managed large government affairs and communication operations. She was just re-elected to her second term on the Santa Barbara School Board. Laura is passionate about issues and helping to advance worthy causes and organizations by sharing her expertise.

After growing up in Santa Barbara and learning the importance of service from her parents, she began her career in government and public service in the Clinton White House, working first as an aide to White House Senior Advisor George Stephanopoulos and then as a speechwriter for President Clinton. In the U.S. Senate, she was Senator Ted Kennedy’s Communications Director, serving as his primary spokesperson and developing strategic communications plans on a wide range of issues. Laura was a senior aide on John Kerry’s presidential campaign, starting first as his Iowa Communications Director and then directing communications for the seven battleground states in the west during the general election.

For over a decade, Laura worked with national non-profit organizations, building a reputation as a respected advocate for environmental conservation and climate issues through senior positions at Ocean Conservancy and climate non-profit founded and chaired by Vice President Al Gore. Recently she was the president of Working Hero Action, a national non-profit focused on ending poverty by expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit, the strongest tool to alleviate poverty especially among working mothers. For seven years she has worked with Jeff Bridges, spokesperson for No Kid Hungry, to provide more food for kids in need. 

Excited to share her knowledge and experience, Laura has taught college courses on Congress and politics at the University of California Washington Center. She served as UC Berkeley's Director of Government Affairs, representing the campus both on the federal and state level. She served multiple terms on the UC Berkeley Foundation Board of Trustees

Locally, Laura is committed to her community and was recently elected to her second term on the Santa Barbara School Board, the public school system where she attended and where her son is in elementary school. She has also served as President of the Community Environmental Council, on the boards of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Golden State Opportunity, and America’s Voice (an immigration advocacy non-profit). She was appointed Chair of the Santa Barbara County Commission for Women.