A (somewhat) short introduction.
My name is Laura, or Laura Ann as I prefer since I like my middle name and there are so many Lauras around. While in college, people started calling me LA. I like it. It's shorter than Laura Ann, more original than Laura and it makes my signature shorter. Besides, I always wanted a hip nickname and I'm from California anyway.
I wear a lot of hats, preferably all at once. I'm a strong communicator. My journalism and public relations background means I'm constantly revising and editing for effectiveness and clarity anything from texts to tweets to press releases. It also means I ask a lot of questions and I don't give up until those answers are found. It's a good thing then that I'm also very technical because sometimes those answers are stored in an ugly-looking database or hidden in an Excel sheet. But I don't just want to find answers, I want to understand the software that provided the data in the first place. I'll never forget the feeling I had sitting in my first college computer science class. The concepts were clicking faster than anything had before and a whole new world opened before my eyes.
My philosophy is simple: Strong communication is a fundamental asset to any organization, but it's weak at best if the technology behind it is inadequate. Data must be collected, stored, analyzed and properly distributed by computers and software designed for the job. When this is working, communication is backed by knowledge. That communication in turn informs the decision making of leadership, rallies the members of an organization around a common goal and establishes an organization as a leading authority in their field. Thus, data-driven communication empowers an organization to accomplish its goals. This is where public relations and marketing meets IT. The bridge between the two, that's me.
I've done it already. I've worked as both a public relations specialist and a business information systems intern where I've used communication and dogged determination to manage projects that saw current data systems improved and rallied a community to support foster kids and their parents across Western Washington. I just completed a public relations campaign proposal for a local nonprofit for which I contacted every government and school office I could find for information regarding local businesses and analyzed the data myself so I could position this nonprofit as the leading authority on their demographic. I also currently work as paraprofessional at a Title I high school where I use my communication skills to teach students how to code in hopes that it might open doors for them as it has me.
In June 2018, I will graduate from Western Washington University with a bachelors degree in Journalism-Public Relations, a minor in Internet Resource Creation and Management and a certification in Web Content Development. Upon graduation, I will work as an executive assistant to the founding director for a foster care nonprofit where I will manage all outgoing communications and serve as a key player in major research projects. But I won't stop there. I will also apply to the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington in order to obtain a Masters of Science in Information Systems. And that's just the beginning.
Wondering if I make any time for fun? Sure thing. This year I plan on training for a half marathon. Not that kind of fun? Well I also enjoy a good hike around Whatcom County or day trip to Vancouver, B.C. with my friends, trying new recipes with my boyfriend, reading books to my nieces and nephew, and beating my little sister at a lively round of Nertz.