Before NC Local, Laura served as the news director at Blue Ridge Public Radio, the NPR affiliate for Western North Carolina. She led the expansion of the newsroom from two staff to eight staff in 2023 with a focus on increasing daily digital publication.

In late 2024, she managed BPR’s coverage of Hurricane Helene, the most devastating storm in the state’s history. In recognition of her leadership, she received the Public Media Journalists Association (PMJA) 2025 Editor of the Year,

EXPERIENCES

Laura began her journalism career as a producer and booker at NPR on Talk of the Nation and All Things Considered.

She returned to her native North Carolina to manage The State of Things, a live daily statewide show on WUNC.

She helped build the team at EdNC, an education journalism start-up, where she served as managing editor. In 2018, Laura participated in the Online News Association Women's Leadership Accelerator, and she continues that work today as a mentor in the Digital Women Leaders cohort.

Laura moved from state education coverage to national and international education work as a writer and editor at a Edutopia. She created digital and video content for teachers, parents and students across the globe.

During the pandemic, Laura served as the news editor at Carolina Public Press, a statewide investigative newsroom. As part of the NC Watchdog Reporting Network (a collaborative network with Carolina Public Press, the Charlotte Observer, the News and Observer, WBTV, WECT, WRAL and WUNC), she reported and edited stories on a range of topics including health, criminal justice and education.

EDUCATION

Laura received her master’s in journalism from the University of Maryland and her bachelor’s degree in political science and J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is licensed by the NC bar.