Hi! I'm Laura. I grew up outside DC, went to school in Massachusetts, moved to Las Vegas to work for a venture capital firm for two years, moved to SF two years ago to work for a startup, and most recently joined a healthcare company to pursue my growing passion for behavioral health.

Fun facts:
--I was a ballerina for 17 years
--I created four public art murals on buildings in Downtown Vegas
--I make killer chocolate chip banana bread
--One of my dreams is to go to the World Cup (I've played soccer all my life)

Two Truths and a Lie:
I lived in Russia for 3 years as a kid. I’ve never been on a rollercoaster. I’m deathly allergic to poison ivy.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love meeting new people while I'm traveling, especially when I'm solo. I've found that the most authentic travel experiences happen when you're with locals or take the advice of a local :)

Interests

• dancing
• wine
• fitness
• yoga
• podcasts
• live music
• hiking
• soccer
• dinner parties
• farmers markets
• exploring cities
• blogs
• npr
• craft fairs

Music, Movies, and Books

Movie: Big Fish, Hector and the Search for Happiness

Music: Everything from Bon Iver to Beyonce to Buena Vista Social Club to Kanye

Regular reading: NYTimes, The Atlantic, Humans of New York, The New Yorker, Wait But Why, anything on behavioral economics & psychology

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I hiked over 80 miles in New Zealand last year over the span of a couple weeks. It was incredible, best hiking I've ever done!

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm really passionate about behavior change and mental health. Always happy to nerd out on those subjects.

Over the last few years, I've become quite interested in meditation. If you're looking to learn more about disconnecting from technology, being more present, and mind-body connection, happy to help!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'm a great cook - would love to contribute by cooking a meal or baking sweets.
Also, stories...lots of stories

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Bahamas, Canada, Egypt, France, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, Russian Federation, Scotland, Spain, United Kingdom, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, United States