For the entirety of her professional career, Laura has worked at various levels with youth, community, and some aspect of STEM, ranging from tropical agricultural production to looking at issues of climate change in Idaho. Her career began as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Independent State of Samoa, where my first assignment was working with youth on animal husbandry. From there, Laura became a high school science teacher, first in Samoa, and then in American Samoa. She joined the American Samoa Community College staff in Agriculture Extension, and eventually became the Department Chair for our Agriculture and Natural Resources Associate Degree programs. Her work in the Samoan Islands helped her understand how critical the integration of culture and place are to supporting student success.
From Samoa, Laura returned to her home state of Idaho to work in Extension with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe in their Natural Resources Department, working on issues of water rights and water quality outreach and education. In 2016, Laura returned to school to pursue a doctoral degree through the University of Idaho in Education Curriculum and Instruction, with a dissertation centered on issues of concern to the Tribe.
