Contact Information
Biography
Laura Smail is the administrative assistant for the Patricia Doherty Yoder Institute for Ethics and Integrity in Journalism and Media. She manages numerous, large-scale projects and initiatives for the Yoder Institute, including the annual Keystone News Summit — a statewide conference focused on solutions to the news desert crisis.
Before settling in Pittsburgh, Laura had the opportunity to live and work in the Philippines, Washington, D.C., Mississippi, San Francisco and San Diego. Her love of education and public service led her to pursue career opportunities with the United States Peace Corps, AmeriCorps*VISTA, Teach For America and several nonprofit organizations in the education and disability spaces.
Laura loves the collegial and welcoming environment at Duquesne and is grateful to have landed in a role that combines her love of the written word with her skills in organization, team leadership and project management.
In her spare time, Laura takes photography classes at CCAC and contributes articles as a freelance journalist for the West Hills Gazette. She is active in her local church and enjoys spending time with her three young nephews.
Education
- B.S., Elementary and Kindergarten Education, The Pennsylvania State University, 2002