MEET LAUREL
I chose Shawnee for my family after moving back to Kansas after 15 years away. We were looking for a home in a neighborhood where our children could make life-long friends, attend a strong public school, play at good, safe parks, and give back to our community in meaningful ways.
After months of searching for a home, we knew Shawnee was the place for us.
I grew up in Basehor, just 20 miles from here. After graduating from KU, I left Kansas to pursue my Master's degree at Arcadia University outside of Philadelphia. While pursuing higher education, I was privileged to study abroad in Hungary and intern in Tanzania and Ethiopia. I landed in Michigan, where my husband and I started our family and lived for 10 years.
Living away from home taught me the importance of community - of having a family (both born and chosen) whom you can lean on when times get tough. It also taught me the value of a strong city, from its roads and services to its people and heart. I have spent most of my career advocating for the infrastructure and services that empower communities to best serve their residents and prepare for the future.
I currently work for Jewish Family Services (JFS) as Director of Marketing and Communications where I support an amazing staff providing food security, counseling, financial assistance, and connections to partner support services for our greater Kansas City community. While in Michigan I served as the Associate Director of the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness where we advocated for affordable housing opportunities for our most vulnerable residents across the state. I've also volunteered with public transportation coalitions, the League of Women Voters, and my daughter's elementary school PTA.
I believe that everyone is welcome in Shawnee. Our infrastructure, policies, and culture must reflect that to those who have spent a lifetime in our community, folks who visit or work in our city, and those like myself who choose Shawnee to be their home. As your city council member, I will listen to our residents' concerns and the expertise of our city staff while always seekings ways to strengthen Shawnee for our children and the future of our community.
As your city council member, I will listen to our residents' concerns and the expertise of our city staff while always seeking ways to strengthen Shawnee for our children.
