Consultant, Executive Coach
Laura graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a B.S. in microbiology and a minor in chemistry. She then went on to receive a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from the University with an emphasis on the instruction of physics at the secondary level.
Laura began her career in independent schools as a science instructor and department chair at The Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut, a leading New England boarding school. At Taft, Laura was introduced to the extraordinary gift of an independent school education and career, the joy of being a part of a mission-focused community, and the amazing opportunity to impact students in all areas of their lives. Knowing she would spend her life’s work in independent schools and after 15 years as a classroom educator, involvement in all-school committees ranging from strategic planning to discipline to professional development motivated Laura to seek a career in educational administration.
Laura was offered the opportunity to lead the Upper School at Berkeley Preparatory School in Tampa, Florida. At Berkeley Laura was the division head of an Upper School with 500+ students and mentored and evaluated more than 75 faculty members. She was involved in strategic planning, initiated a defined disciplinary system with an emphasis on restorative justice, coordinated a significant curriculum overview, and updated the faculty evaluation system.
The chance to lead as the head of Saint Catherine’s School drew Laura to Richmond, Virginia in 2011. St. Catherine’s is an all-girls’ school with more than 900 students. The opportunity to focus on single-sex education significantly broadened Laura’s outlook as an educator and administrator. At St. Catherine’s Laura had the unique opportunity to participate in a coordinated educational system with St. Christopher’s School as well as being a member school of the Church Schools in the Diocese of Virginia. This complicated governance and administrative structure was significant to Laura’s training and experience as a head of school. Strategic planning, overseeing a major capital campaign, guiding a large historical renovation, growing enrollment, and initiating unique programming in science and foreign language highlighted Laura’s St. Catherine’s experience. The lessons she learned at St. Catherine’s continued to propel Laura as she entered her final headship at University School of Milwaukee.
In Milwaukee, Laura took the helm of a large, complex day school of 1100+ students and 250 faculty and staff members. Strategic planning, development of board governance protocols, hiring and mentoring over a dozen administrators as well as 50% of the faculty, raising over 40 million dollars (exceeded final campaign goal by $3M), overseeing construction of athletic, performing arts, innovation, and community spaces were goals reached during Laura’s tenure at University School of Milwaukee. Additionally, she led the school through two successful ISACS evaluations as well as leading evaluating teams at several ISACS schools; while mentoring and coaching new ISACS heads of school.
As she retired in June of 2020, Laura has enthusiastically signed on to serve in a consulting role with The Education Group. Influenced by the mission of this very experienced group of educators – especially the collaborative approach used to support all searches and coaching opportunities – Laura intends to bring her diverse and broad experience as a classroom teacher, department chair, division administrator, and head of school, in 4 different regions of the country, to her role as consultant for head of school searches and executive coaching.
