Laura Horst, SHRM-CP

Laura Horst has a diverse work experience spanning different industries and roles. Laura is currently working as the Manager of People Operations at Ownwell, a position they have held since May 2023.

Prior to their current role, Laura worked at Realized from January 2019 to May 2023. Laura served as the People Operations Manager, where they handled all HR functions, including strategic leadership, recruiting, employee relations, performance development, and payroll and benefits administration. During their tenure, Laura successfully built the HR department from scratch, creating policies, procedures, and an employee handbook. Laura also led three HRIS implementations to align HR technology with business growth.

Before Realized, Laura worked as an HR Generalist at Realized from March 2020 to August 2021. Additionally, they held the position of HR Generalist & Office Manager from January 2019 to March 2020. In these roles, they managed HR functions while also handling office management responsibilities. Notably, Laura coordinated and executed an office move for 30 staff members, ensuring minimal downtime and creating a new environment aligned with company culture.

From July 2017 to September 2018, Laura worked at Legacy Mutual Mortgage as a Recruiting & Onboarding Specialist. Laura redesigned the onboarding process, collaborating with each department to address their needs and improve efficiency. Laura also served as a liaison between corporate HR and executive leadership to implement strategic initiatives. Prior to this, they briefly worked as an Executive Assistant to the Chief Talent Officer at Legacy Mutual Mortgage, providing administrative support and managing recruiting marketing campaigns.

Laura's earlier career includes positions at PowerSchool Group LLC and Asuragen. At PowerSchool Group LLC (February 2015 to March 2017), they were part of the Implementation & Training Team, where they provided project management support and consulted with clients to ensure successful implementation of customized online registration systems. At Asuragen (August 2014 to February 2015), Laura held the role of Quality Assurance Specialist, ensuring compliance and regulatory standards in a biotechnology company. Laura also worked as an Assistant Scientist II at Asuragen from April 2013 to August 2014, performing custom molecular biology work and quality control on client samples.

Laura's early career began at ioGenetics, LLC, where they worked as a Research Associate from September 2009 to April 2013. In this role, they conducted research using molecular and bacteriology principles, including cell line creation, ELISA assays, cloning, and sequence analysis. Laura also gained supervisory experience, mentoring and training undergraduate laboratory assistants.

Overall, Laura Horst has a strong background in people operations, HR management, and project management. Laura has successfully developed HR departments, implemented HR technology, and conducted research in various scientific fields.

Laura Horst, SHRM-CP, holds a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Organization Development from St. Edward's University. Laura also has a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in History & Humanistic Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and an Associate of Science (AS) degree in Biotechnology from Madison Area Technical College. In addition to their educational background, Laura has obtained several certifications from SHRM, including the People Manager Qualification (PMQ), the SHRM HR Department of One Specialty, and the SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) certification, which they acquired in February 2018.