Originally from Chicago, Laura’s adult life has been far from ordinary. She held a demanding position as the General Manager of The Discovery Channel Europe. After returning to the United States, she began making documentaries, until one day a friend asked “when are you going to step out from behind the camera and start living what you’re filming.” And so she did. As a teenager Laura became interested in healthy food, and has always had an appreciation for the human spirit. In 2000 these interests led her to the study of Ayurveda and she was inspired to become a practitioner of Ayurvedic medicine.
As an Ayurvedic Practitioner Laura offers world-wide consultations and classes in the ancient practice of Ayurveda, Jyotish, and Yoga Therapy. She graduated from Kerala Academy and the American Institute of Vedic Studies, and has become a leading educator on the power of Vedic sciences. Laura is a contributing Ayurvedic educator at UCSD Center for Integrative Medicine.
Laura makes regular sojourns to India which include leading retreats where participants are exposed to Yoga, Ayurvedic holistic practices and local culture. While in India Laura connects with a local orphanage, Ramana’s Garden, a haven for homeless children. Laura also includes a medical center in her visits to India, where she teaches patients Ayurvedic medicine, reintroducing a healing process that was lost to many of the poor over time.
Ten years ago, Laura founded Sophia’s Leadership Camp for Girls right here in our community. “My mission is to inspire a value-based way of life in future generations of young women.” The activities, designed to help navigate the difficult transition from child to adulthood, enhance self-esteem, self-awareness, and self-care. Laura’s goal for her campers is that they will “grow up to be their very best selves, and in turn, positive forces in the world.” Laura got her inspiration for the camp when several women who she guided in Yoga, meditation, and holistic practices said to her “I wish I had experienced this when I was a girl.” Laura started it as a weekend retreat, and it has developed into a five-day leadership camp for girls.
The tag on Laura’s website, LauraPlumb.com, is “awakening radiance.” To that end she embraces health from a holistic point of view, and that includes her recent publication “Ayurveda Cooking for Beginners”, a daily blog, consultations, and classes. Her extraordinary commitment of time and effort springs from a genuine interest in the health and well-being of others. In addition to authoring a cookbook, she is the writer and host of an international 58-part TV series VedaCleanse and a 12-part TV series Divine Yoga.
Laura’s focus and priority to educate women and girls locally and internationally embraces the Soroptimists commitment to improving the lives by building bridges of opportunity for women and girls through education. We are honored to add her to our Legends Hall of Fame.