Laura Schroeder

Laura Schroeder is the lead of legislative affairs at PEN America. Prior to joining PEN America, she was the manager of government affairs at Teach For America, advocating for federal policies and funding to support low-income students and their diverse teachers. She previously served as a program analyst in the Bureau of Diplomatic Security at the U.S. Department of State.

Schroeder got her start in policy at the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education in Washington, D.C., where she worked to increase student attendance by crafting and implementing policies and programs to eliminate barriers for students and families. Her career began as a high school social studies teacher in Charlotte, NC. Schroeder is a graduate of the University of Minnesota with degrees in Spanish and global studies with a thematic focus on human rights and justice and a minor in political science.