Amy Pouba, Superintendent of KIPP Chicago Schools

As a Coach myself, I can speak effusively of the transformation I’ve experienced in Laura’s care. Her biggest strength is her loving boldness. Growth happens at the edges and frequently coincides with some discomfort. This is where we have gone together in our coaching and where Laura has had a truly life-changing impact on my leadership development.

Working with Laura is like having your own personal trainer for leadership development. She challenges you by asking the hard questions while also providing you with the love and support you need throughout the session. Because Laura coaches with her entire being, you immediately trust that she truly has your best interest at heart. Laura’s passion for coaching is seen in every session through her deliberate intention to stay grounded in the conversation, follow up on action steps and the intentional tools she provides that align to your goals for yourself. I leave every coaching conversation centered, focused and confident that I have the necessary tools to reach my end goals.

Fabeah Newton,

Chief Program Officer at BridgeYear

Melissa Parry Gall, Director of Talent and Leadership Development at KIPP Foundation

Laura is one of the most masterful coaches and facilitators of adult learning that I have encountered in my 20+ years in the education field. She makes each person in the room feel seen and heard. She listens, notices, and responds by pushing gracefully and supporting each person to see a different version of themselves. Laura leads and coaches from her core strengths and supports the people around her to do the same. Working with Laura has not only improved my work as a practitioner, but it has improved who I am as a mother, partner, daughter, sibling, and friend.

I have had the privilege of being both a mentee and a coaching client of Laura’s for the past eight years. Throughout this remarkable journey, Laura has been the unwavering force in my life - consistently championing, challenging, and inspiring me to see myself as a strong leader and to develop the skills necessary for success in leadership roles. She expertly navigated me through the complexities of change management as I took on new roles within education and was invaluable through the challenge of leading through the pandemic. What sets Laura apart is her ability to coach through an equity lens, empowering me to believe in myself and fostering an inclusive and transformative environment. Laura employed a transformational coaching approach by profoundly understanding my strengths and seeing me as a person first, which propelled my success as a Principal. Her instrumental coaching played a pivotal role in turning around a school, in guiding us through the trials of the pandemic, resulting in our school achieving our performance targets. Laura’s expertise in education and leadership makes her a truly exceptional Coach.