ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

Expertise: Indigenous rights, human rights, international development and governance, consensus-building in complex multi-party negotiations.

Locations: Latin America, Africa and the Pacific.

Laura is a human rights lawyer, with over 15 years’ experience empowering and building trust with indigenous communities for self-determination, and consensus-building with business and government for community-inclusive development. Laura has worked in the Pacific, Latin America, North America and sub-Saharan Africa. Most recently, as a Human Rights Officer for the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Guatemala.

As a solicitor for Aboriginal communities in Australia for many years, Laura managed litigation, negotiation and mediation in response to large-scale developments on behalf of affected communities in a highly political context. Laura negotiated with 108 stakeholders in reaching an agreement for community-inclusive development, including government ministers, mining companies, telecommunication companies, farmers, water and forestry agencies. Laura has also served as a board coach and mentor, as well as executive coach, for indigenous organisations, including development and strategic planning, risk management and business and operational planning.

Laura’s specific strengths are:

  • Complex multi-party negotiations and mediations.
  • Strategic litigation on indigenous rights at national, regional and international levels.
  • Cross-cultural communication, legal empowerment and relationship-building with indigenous communities.
  • Crisis management.
  • Risk management.