Laura is an executive leader with 38 years of experience in child welfare administration and systems transformation, specializing in family preservation, foster care, and independent living services for children, youth, and families. She played a key role in developing the West Michigan Partnership for Children (WMPC) model prior to its launch in 2017 as Kent County’s performance-based foster care system and served for many years as both an agency partner and WMPC Board Member. Through her consulting practice, Laura Mitchell LLC, she partners with human services organizations to strengthen organizational effectiveness, advance innovative approaches, and improve outcomes for children, families, and communities. Laura holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Grand Valley State University and a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) from Western Michigan University.