About

An avid reader and wine and food aficionado, Laura can trace her love of books and wine back to her roots on her family's farm in a small town in Upstate New York, a quiet place with no stop lights and just three central buildings: a church, a town hall, and a library. When she wasn't helping out on the farm, she was in the library exploring other worlds through the pages of just about any book she could get her hands on. This history fostered a deep appreciation for the formative role institutions like libraries and small businesses like local farms play in creating a sense of community and belonging.

This led to a career dedicated to community-building. An accomplished leader, Laura has spent nearly 20 years managing marketing, communications and business operations for leading national and international organizations focused on designing and building communities and community spaces. Laura also co-managed The Bookmark Bookstore, an Oakland-based non-profit dedicated to supporting Oakland's Public Libraries.​

 

After the tumultuous years of COVID, Laura saw a need for a new kind of community space. A place as comfortable and nurturing as that small town library of her youth. A place committed to sharing quality home-grown products — and the inspiring stories of their creators — like her family's farm stand. A place to find and connect with other fellow book and wine lovers. A place to rediscover the magic of discovering something new.

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And so Book Society was born.