As Executive Director of ULI Philadelphia, Laura is responsible for all operations, programs policy and management of the almost 1,000-member region. Laura joined ULI and returned to her native Philadelphia last fall from New York City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), the largest municipal housing finance agency in the country, where she managed a portfolio of preservation finance programs, transactions and policy initiatives. Prior to joining HPD, Laura served on Mayor Bloomberg’s Housing Recovery Team working to restore properties affected by Superstorm Sandy. She has significant government, political and nonprofit experience with a focus on community development and affordable housing, including serving as a Presidential Appointee as the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development and as Deputy Field Director for the Obama Presidential Campaign in Florida. Laura received her master’s degree in Public Administration, and started her work on urban revitalization issues in Philadelphia, from the Fels Institute of Government at Penn.

The opportunity to work across sectors on a variety of land use and real estate issues drew Laura to ULI and she has enjoyed getting settled, working with colleagues across the country and leading the team and members to position the organization within the city and region’s exciting new trajectory.  Laura lives in Graduate Hospital with her husband, Peter and 3 ½ year old, Zoey. She is a lifelong Philly sports fan and loves travel, running, the outdoors and the amazing local food scene. She is thrilled to be in Philadelphia and near her family during such an exciting time for the City and ULI.