Raised in Philadelphia, PA, Laurie has lived in District 3 since 1987. The mother of two adult children, she’s put down deep roots in Lane County and is now watching her twin grandsons grow up in this community she calls home. She was motivated to seek public office in part because of concern for the health and wellbeing of future generations. Laurie is committed to building a Lane County where all residents have equal opportunity to thrive and to ensuring Lane County is a safe, supportive place for everyone to live, work, and play. She brings to the Commission her lived experience as a mother, a former foster parent, low wage worker, nonprofit professional, active community volunteer, and an advocate fighting for better working conditions for women and better futures for families.
As a new parent Laurie utilized county programs like WIC, and also food stamps, to help keep nutritious food on the table; giving her firsthand experience as to the importance of county services and how much they help individuals and families meet their basic needs. Having worked many low wage service industry jobs prior to establishing her career in nonprofits, she understands the challenges faced by many in our community—what her Mother used to say was the struggle of “having too much month left at the end of the money.”
She is proud of the work she has done in her professional and volunteer roles; from initiatives as wide ranging as food and nutrition policy work, to reining in predatory pay-day lenders, to advocating for policies to end racial profiling, to securing funding for bike and pedestrian projects.
Laurie has also been a strong partner and ally to the labor movement with a body of work that includes managing the successful campaign to pass a city-wide sick time ordinance in Eugene in 2014 and leveraging that coalition to support passage of Oregon’s statewide paid sick time law. She has organized mothers and other caregivers and advocated for worker protections such as anti-wage theft laws and equal pay, and for bold policies such as paid family and medical leave, a higher minimum wage, retirement security for all, affordable childcare, and access to health care.
Using a public health equity approach as a framework for decision-making and community improvement Laurie focuses on prevention and interconnection in order to address our homelessness and housing crises, develop anti-racist policies and procedures at the County, address gender inequality, promote better health outcomes, rapidly respond to climate change, and ensure community resilience.
The breadth and depth of issues Laurie has worked on coupled with her lived experiences as a service recipient, volunteer, and administrator gives her unique insights into county programs and operations and their impact on our communities.
Professional History (2000-2020)
FOOD for Lane County, Advocacy & Outreach Coordinator
LCHAY (Lane Coalition for Healthy Active Youth), Executive Director
NEDCO (Neighborhood Economic Development Corporation), LocalWorks Department Manager
Family Forward Oregon and Family Forward Action, Regional Outreach Director
Mount Pisgah Arboretum, Development Director
Sponsors, Inc., Development & Communications Strategist
Governmental Experience (2010-2020)
Oregon Health Authority’s Health Improvement Plan Work Group
School District 4J Equity Committee
City of Eugene Revenue Task Team
Lane County Budget Committee
Lane County Equity & Access Advisory Board
Community Volunteer Service (Sampling, 1990-present)
Whiteaker Community Council
United Way of Lane County
Lane County Food Policy Council
Project Homeless Connect
Statewide Food Stamp Outreach Steering Committee
Nonprofit Association of Oregon
Emerge Oregon, Board of Directors
Better Eugene-Springfield Transportation (BEST)
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon
NARAL Pro-choice Oregon
Egan Warming Centers
Food for Lane County Board Advocacy Committee
Meals on Wheels