Laurie is a native Oregonian, born and raised in Klamath Falls. She left the state to attend college, obtaining a BS from Cornell University and a MSc from UC Santa Cruz, both in Geological Sciences. Her career as a geologist was based in Texas but included numerous international assignments in Asia, Europe and the Americas.  After retiring, she returned to Oregon and selected Florence as her new home. Since then, she has been active as a volunteer in several local organizations, including serving as a Board member for the Boys and Girls Club and a member of the city’s Environmental Management Advisory Committee (EMAC). Laurie is currently Vice Chair of the Florence Planning Commission.