Laura Allen

Laura's work in higher education seems to stem directly from her family tree—namely her father, who began his schooling in a rural three-room schoolhouse, then went on to earn engineering and business degrees, and to lead a national company. "It demonstrates the power the commitment to education has to transform lives," she remarks. For her part, Laura studied art, art history and fashion design before discovering architecture, appreciating that her chosen profession is "both artistic and practical, creative and measured," she says. "I especially enjoy interacting with end users to learn the ins and outs of a particular project—whether it be the requirements for a ceramics studio or a structural testing lab." With her diverse education, Laura can tick off lots of ideas for time travel: "Ancient Rome, Belgium during the Northern Renaissance, Japan during the Heian Period…all three have significant art and amazing costumes."