Graduated from Howard University Graduate School of Social Work; The Naropa Institute (now Naropa University) and The Carolina Nursing Assistant Program Academy.

A lifelong shooting sports aficionado, Laurel has grown up surrounded by shooters and has acquired the expertise one would expect from a long time shooter and instructor. Laurel is an NRA and SLED certified instructor in several disciplines and Range Safety Officer and is an advocate for women's defense training issues using both firearms and non-firearms related defense techniques. 

Laurel has been a member of the All-Risk Emergency Planning Committee for Fulton County, PA.

She Laurel Also is the owner of a race car building company in Pennsylvania!