Laurie has a background in journalism and Chinese studies. She has a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor’s degree in Chinese and Political Science from UW-Madison. Prior to returning to her alma mater to work with CEAS and the Wisconsin China Initiative, Laurie worked as an editor for a newspaper in Minnesota and helped start an online community newspaper in Davidson, N.C. She has also lived and worked in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, and in Beijing.