Laura Lunsford, PhD is an expert in coaching, mentorship, leadership development and evaluation. She excels at translating research to practice. In 2022 she was a U.S. Fulbright Scholar (Germany) where she studied a virtual, global online mentoring program for talented youth in STEM. A prolific author, she has published 50+ peer-reviewed articles, case studies and chapters. She wrote the definitive guide for mentoring programs The Mentor’s Guide: Five steps to Build a Successful Mentor Program (2nd ed), co-edited the Sage Handbook of Mentoring, and co-authored the textbook Leadership. Her work has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the Institute for Decision Sciences, and the Department of Education among others. 

She is an experienced higher education leader. A tenured associate professor at the University of Arizona, she provided mentorship education and evaluated a large-scale first-generation mentoring program. She was assistant dean and tenured professor at Campbell University. Laura has worked across university functions, including as director of alumni relations at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, executive education director at UNC-Wilmington’s Cameron School of Business, and director of the Park Scholarships at NC State. She was a social scientist as the U.S. National Science Foundation. 

Laura has delivered high-impact workshops and training for companies such as Citrix and Live Oak Bank and state and federal governments such as the NC Dept of Revenue and the U.S. Army. She has coached hundreds of mentoring program directors on how to develop and evaluate effective mentoring programs. An engaging speaker, she gives motivational keynote talks and delivers action-oriented workshops.  

Laura received the International Mentoring Association’s Hope dissertation award and is a certified IMA consultant. Her PhD and BA in psychology are from NC State and her MS is from the University of NC, Greensboro. She regularly consults on effective mentorship and leadership through Lead Mentor Develop, LLC. 

SPEAKER TRAVELS FROM

North Carolina

AVAILABLE FOR: 

In person and virtual consultation

CONSULTANT TOPICS

Managing & Evaluating Effective Mentoring Programs

Increase your efficiency and effectiveness as a program manager with actionable tools you can implement right away. In this session, you will clarify the goals of your mentoring program, shaping both its activities and evaluation methods. Learn the five essential steps for managing and stewarding an impactful mentoring program that delivers measurable results.

The Psychology of Optimal Mentorship

This interactive session delves into the importance of evocative environments in fostering mentorship success. Discover how to create and nurture optimal mentoring relationships through rapport-building, collaboration, and high-quality interactions. Walk away with actionable strategies to enhance your understanding, approach, and connections in mentorship.

Enhance Your Mentoring Toolkit

Elevate your mentorship approach in this engaging, research-driven presentation. Explore the key behaviors that define effective mentorship at each stage of a relationship. Through peer-to-peer learning in a supportive and inclusive environment, you'll gain insights on how to minimize dysfunctional dynamics and maximize motivating, growth-oriented interactions. Leave with practical tools to enrich your mentorship conversations.

Making the Most of Mentoring

Unlock free, evidence-based tools to enhance your mentoring practice. This session introduces participants to proven frameworks such as the GROW model, Virtues in Action, Appreciative Inquiry, Learning Styles, and Growth Mindset. By the end of the session, you'll be equipped to lead intentional and meaningful mentoring conversations with clear strategies and tools.

The Art and Science of Effective Mentoring

Mentorship plays a critical role in shaping successful careers—for both mentors and mentees. While mentoring develops the next generation of professionals, it also strengthens the social and professional networks that support mentors and their institutions. However, becoming a great mentor isn't something most people are formally trained for. In this session, you'll learn how to build impactful mentoring relationships, understanding the core practices that make mentorship meaningful in academic and professional contexts.

Mentoring Conversations

This session focuses on practical frameworks to elevate the quality of mentoring conversations. Choose from interactive approaches such as Powerful Questions, Providing Feedback, and Handling Conflict. You'll learn how to ask the right questions, provide constructive feedback, and manage challenging discussions, all of which enhance the mentoring experience for both mentor and mentee.

Mentoring that Matters for Undergraduates

Discover mentorship strategies that benefit undergraduates, from peer mentoring to one-on-one and group mentorship. This session introduces easy-to-use tools such as "Build Your Board of Advisors" and the "Career Scavenger Hunt," designed to increase student engagement and retention. The content can be tailored to specific student groups, including first-generation students, honors students, STEM majors, and more.

Mentoring that Matters: Early Career Faculty

Support early career faculty as they navigate the complexities of academic life. This session provides tools and strategies to help junior faculty manage the challenges of balancing research, teaching, and service in a changing local and global context. Learn how to embrace diversity and foster effective, rewarding mentoring relationships that support long-term career growth.

Mentoring that Matters: Early Career Employees

Imagine if every mentoring interaction was energizing, uplifting, and motivating. This session explores how effective mentorship can transform the workplace experience for early career employees. Through interactive discussions, you'll learn how to be a better mentor and receive better mentorship, developing a skill set that is crucial for professional growth and satisfaction.