In recent years Laurie has strategically positioned PA Humanities as a state and national leader and sharpened its focus on areas of need in Pennsylvania where the humanities – and our shared humanity – can illuminate possibilities for Pennsylvanians to improve wellbeing, connect, and make positive change.
With community partners in Chester, Pennsylvania, Laurie launched nationally-recognized Chester Made, a humanities-based initiative to promote arts and culture and to harness their power as a force for community revitalization. Animating Democracy/American for the Arts found the initiative to be “an informative and valuable test … of applied humanities.”
Also under Laurie’s leadership, PA Humanities partnered with the Orton Family Foundation to bring the nationally successful Community Heart and Soul® method to Pennsylvania. Now in 16 communities, PA Heart & Soul has been called a model of “the humanities in action” by evaluators Elizabeth Myrick and Rachel Mosher-Williams, attracting co-funding and direct support from multiple state agencies. In addition, PA Humanities has expanded its award-winning Teen Reading Lounge program to ensure it reaches a diverse group with PA’s state Office of Commonwealth Libraries. Teens who take part in this interactive, nontraditional book club report stronger interpersonal, communication, literacy, and critical-thinking skills—and increased confidence.
As a vocal advocate for the cultural sector, Laurie has led participatory, mixed-methods research like Humanities in Action, PA Humanities Discovery Project, and PA Culture Check. This work puts findings into action with innovative grantmaking, like Wingspan, which cultivates space for creativity and connection. Also a thought leader in the academy and philanthropy, she has published work on centering the human in graduate education and emergent strategies in philanthropy.
Laurie joined PA Humanities in 1995 as a program officer and, after playing a number of leadership roles in the organization, was named executive director in 2012. She holds a B.A. in English from Temple University and an M.A. in rhetoric from Penn State. She is an alumnus of Leadership Philadelphia, a graduate of the Nonprofit Executive Leadership Institute at Bryn Mawr College, and holds certificates in fundraising and executive administration from the University of Pennsylvania’s College of General Studies. Laurie serves on the board of Leadership Philadelphia and Grassroots Grantmakers.
To me, Eradicate Hate was the most important gathering of 2021 for those of us who work on issues related to domestic extremism and organized hate. The Summit uniquely combined a variety of perspectives, including experts, civil society representatives, politicians and policymakers, and the families and loved ones of victims. Eradicate Hate has the important mission of standing against the rising tide of hate and extremism in our society, and it’s an honor to be able to support this mission.
