Laurisa is the founding Executive Director of First State Educate (FSE) and First State Action Fund. Prior to FSE, Laurisa led Teach For America Delaware as Executive Director for six years. She currently serves on the boards of the St. Andrew’s School, Leadership Delaware, the Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence, and the University of Delaware’s College of Education, as well as chairs the board of 4th Dimension Leaders. Before moving to Delaware, Laurisa worked in Hong Kong for a Fortune 500 company, and founded and led an international accessories business. She has a B.A. from Harvard University in East Asian Studies and a Masters of Philosophy in Chinese from The University of Cambridge.