Laura Bleill joined PRI in April 2026 as Associate Director for Strategic Communications and External Engagement Director. She leads institute-wide messaging, brand, media, executive communications strategies, and external engagement efforts. She works to strengthen PRI's role as a bridge between world-class research and the communities, organizations and policymakers who depend on it. Her team and elevates PRI’s research profile locally, nationally, and globally -- on campus, throughout the state, and around the globe.
Laura has more than 15 years experience in community building, corporate relations, workforce strategy, and partnership development with public and private sectors. An entrepreneur at heart, she is the CEO of chambanamoms.com, a community-centered digital media company. Originally a sportswriter before pivoting to higher education communications, Laura has a saying that you can take the journalist out of the newsroom, but you can't take the newsroom out of the journalist.
A Chicagoland native, she holds a B.S. and M.S. in journalism from Northwestern University.