Laura’s journey into the travel industry started with a leap—literally—into whitewater. Raised in Florida, she spent her summers guiding rafting trips and teaching kayaking in the mountains of North Carolina. After earning a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Tennessee, she faced a crossroads: take an engineering job or become a kayak guide in Costa Rica. To her parents’ dismay (at least at the time), she packed her bags for Costa Rica.

For years, Laura pieced together seasonal guiding jobs and personal travel before landing her first full-time role as a tour guide in Central and South America. After more than five years leading trips in the field, she transitioned to an adventure travel office job, Program Director for National Geographic Expeditions, overseeing their portfolio of active trips. In 2020, she took a detour into public health, stepping up as North Carolina’s contact tracing program manager during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, as Nat Hab’s Head of Field Team, Laura supports nearly 300 Expedition Leaders and field staff. When she’s not working, she’s on a river, trail or ski slope with her husband and son, embracing the wild places that first inspired her.