Laurie Wink

Laurie has a diverse background in communication, fundraising, grant writing and program development. She has won state and national awards for news writing and magazine production. As the national director of education for the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, she advanced understanding of food production systems among K-12 and consumer audiences. She served as a continuing education program director at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. At Michigan State University, Laurie held positions as College of Agriculture and Natural Resources alumni editor, and as chief information officer for the MSU Agricultural Experiment Station.

Laurie began her career as a high school English and Journalism teacher and has taught classes at MSU and Purdue University Northwest. Since moving to Michigan City in 2003, Laurie has held positions as news reporter for The News-Dispatch, grant writer at PNW, and development manager at United Way of La Porte. Most recently, she was the managing editor of Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly. She has served on the board of directors of La Porte Habitat for Humanity, the Barker Civic Center Commission, and the League of Women Voters of La Porte County.

Laurie received a Ph.D. in higher education administration and an M.A. in journalism from Michigan State University. She earned a B.S. in secondary education from Central Michigan University. Laurie is a native of Michigan.