Laura is an experienced historian, researcher, and writer who is passionate about understanding the past and communicating its relevance in the present. She holds a Ph.D. in History and Peace Studies from the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame, where she studied religion, conflict, peacebuilding, and the intersection of culture and foreign relations.

Her dissertation, Interpreting Islam: U.S.-Indonesian Relations, 1953-1968, examined the salience of religion in how U.S. policymakers engaged with political, military, and religious leaders in Indonesia during the height of decolonization and the Cold War. At Notre Dame, Laura also worked in Rare Books and Special Collections at the Hesburgh Libraries, where she processed two collections of nineteenth-century family papers. She later worked as a Graduate Professional Development Assistant, liaising between students, professors, and administrators to facilitate application processes for Graduate School-sponsored research grants and fellowships.

As a Backlog employee, Laura is currently serving as Project Archivist in the Archives and Rare Books Division of the Bernard Becker Medical Library at the Washington University School of Medicine. She is processing two collections: the Institute for Biomedical Computing Records and the Jerome R. Cox Papers. In addition to processing work, she provides related reference assistance, contributes to the Becker Blog, and will curate an exhibit. During her time with Backlog, Laura has also performed historic property research and has assisted with developing archival policies and procedures, processing manuals, and facilities plans.

In addition to Backlog, Laura’s professional experience includes libraries, nonprofits, and public policy. Most recently, she worked as an Information Specialist and Circulation Assistant at St. Louis Public Library (SLPL). Prior to SLPL, she coordinated the Slavery, History, Memory, and Reconciliation (SHMR) Project, an initiative of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and Saint Louis University to research the lived experiences of people enslaved by the Jesuits; connect with their descendants; and, together, begin a process to repair the harms done by the history and legacies of slavery. Laura also worked in the foreign policy arena with the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) and the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) in Washington, DC, lobbying for legislative policies in support of the peaceful prevention of violent conflict. She subsequently traveled to Banda Aceh, Indonesia, where she briefly worked with the Aceh Peace Resource Center, an organization engaged in post-conflict peacebuilding. She also served as Assistant Director for the Center for Immigrant Healthcare Justice in St. Louis, Missouri, which advocated for equitable access to Medicaid for immigrant women and children.

Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Laura is an alumna of Saint Louis University and Cor Jesu Academy.