2020 winner

Laura comes from a family of aviators. Her grandfather and uncle were both pilots. Before setting her own sights on becoming a pilot, Laura was a volunteer firefighter, personal trainer, and corporate manager. She enjoyed leading and overseeing others at work and through volunteering. 

Sustaining serious injuries after a rock climbing accident, Laura began to reevaluate her direction. Her recovery was a long battle. She spent some time trying to juggle her volunteering and demanding career, from a wheelchair. Ultimately, she made the decision to focus on flight training full-time once she had made significant progress in her healing. Her heart longed to be involved in something more fulfilling than climbing the corporate ladder. 

She took a job at an FBO so that she could begin networking immediately with others in aviation and have convenient access to the flight training school, Epix Aviation. She gives time to aviation organizations, including The 99’s and Girls Can Fly! She simplified many things and took up residence in an RV, which has allowed her to minimize her expenses so that she has more available funds for her flight training. She has long-term goals of becoming an aerial firefighter and pilot mentor. Her smile is infectious and she is a bonafide #AvGeek!