The nonprofit sector is in a constant state of disruption, such as external and market forces, changes in demographics and geography, technological advances, funding...
Laura Thrall brings more than 35 years of leadership experience in the nonprofit sector to her consulting engagements and roles as both a corporate and nonprofit board director and lecturer. A four-time CEO, Thrall previously served as CEO for D.C.-based Epilepsy Foundation of America, CureSearch for Children’s Cancer, United Way of Metropolitan Chicago, and YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago. Thrall led transformations of established legacy operations in each of her leadership roles to deliver measurable impact for their constituencies more efficiently.
In addition to her staff leadership positions, Laura acted in various civic and board leadership roles. She served as an appointed member on two Illinois Governor’s Commissions, chaired the Chicago Alliance for Collaborative Effort, and was a founding board member of the Illinois Partners for Human Services (IPHS) and the Back Office Cooperative (BOC). She served on the Visiting Committee of the University of Chicago Biological Sciences Division and as a board director for the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois, America’s Charities, and St. Clement School. She serves as board director for SmithBucklin Corporation and Vice Chair of the Board at Melwood, HTC, a large Mid-Atlantic agency dedicated to ensuring that neuro-divergent adults are included in the workplace.
Laura was a fellow in the inaugural cohort of the University of Chicago’s Leadership & Society Initiative (23/24) and holds a Master’s degree in Public Service Management from DePaul University in Chicago. She and her partner, Kevin Booth, relocated to Annapolis, MD, in 2012, and they have five adult children, residing in Atlanta, Chicago, DC, and London.