Laura is an ecologist, educator and communicator driven by a deep love for all living beings. She has taught in the Department of Sustainable Development at Appalachian State University for over a decade and previously worked in the nonprofit sector as an outreach professional. In 2017 she founded the Climate Stories Collaborative, a learning community at Appalachian designed to grow the capacity of faculty and students across the university to use creative expression to understand and tell the stories of climate change. She also founded the Emblems of the Anthropocene project through which she and her students are growing their understanding of the biodiversity crisis through creative non-fiction essay writing. An active community member, Laura has been involved in her local climate action movement, Appalachian ClimACT, and has served on seven non-profit boards. Outside of work, Laura enjoys singing bluesy tunes and exploring the creeks, forests, peaks and valleys with her family.