MEET LAURA CORLEY!
LAURA CORLEY Programming Specialist |
Laura Corley is a native Texan, born and raised in the Pineywoods of deep East Texas. She is the oldest of 7 children and has 8 nieces and nephews. She attended East Texas Baptist University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education degree in Physical Science, and subsequently earned a Master’s of Education in Educational Leadership from Stephen F. Austin State University. She completed one year of doctoral work but found that her passions aligned more with solving problems as a hands-on practitioner rather than in academia – the experience of pursuing then departing from a doctoral program taught her the importance of finding the right fit, a philosophy that has served her well and ultimately brought her to C3. Laura currently resides in New Caney and has a cocker spaniel named Annie. Laura stays busy with family and friends but also enjoys reading, traveling, cooking, and spending time in and around the pool. Laura was a K-12 educator and has taught chemistry at all levels from remedial through Advanced Placement in schools in East Texas and the DFW area, and she also has College and Career Readiness and Career and Technical Education experience, as well as serving in a variety of leadership roles including department head, lead teacher, and academic dean. After 13 years in K-12 education, Laura moved to the Houston area to transition to higher education as a Learning Specialist at the Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Conroe. In addition to her experiences in education, Laura has worked with The Summer Science Program since 2017, a nonprofit that gives high school students immersive hands-on research experience in astrophysics, biochemistry, and genomics through residential summer programs at universities throughout the United States. Laura has served SSP as a site director and campus manager and has supported its expansion from 3 programs in 2017 to 6 programs in 2022, including direct oversight of expansion programs hosted at the University of California at San Diego and Indiana University, as well as supporting the successful transition to remote programs for 2020 and 2021 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Laura’s experiences and expertise in K-12 and higher education as well as nonprofit work made C3 the perfect choice to bring those experiences together to benefit construction partners and provide innovative workforce development solutions. Mission-driven work has always been a top priority for Laura, and serving as a bridge between industry partners and people whose lives could be improved through better access to opportunities aligns perfectly with her personal mission of helping people find the right fit for personal and professional success. Laura believes in prioritizing people over processes and craving the success of others and strives to bring those values into every facet of her life and work. |
