Laura grew up in the midwest, mostly in Iowa and Minnesota. She graduated from the University of Minnesota, Mankato with a Bachelor's Degree of Nursing. She worked as an acute care nurse in a variety of settings and locations over 18 years, with experience in perioperative services (preop/pacu), float pool, medical-surgical, cardiac, mental health, pediatrics, and ICU. She enjoyed living in Colorado for 13 years, where she became an experienced mountain climber, rock climber, backcountry skier, and trail runner. She graduated with her Master's in Nursing from Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff in a specialty program that prepared her to work with rural and underserved communities. She is licensed as a Family Nurse Practitioner.
Her other interests include playing any sport she’s allowed to participate in, faith-based international mission and service work, coffee, and spending time with her husband, Josh.