Laurel graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. She has previous experience working in medical and cosmetic dermatology while living in Los Angeles. After seeing that many skin conditions still lack effective treatments, Laurel shifted her focus to clinical research and joined Dr. Rich’s team in 2022. In her free time, Laurel contributes remotely to a cancer research project at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. She volunteers in the community every week and loves to explore the many restaurants that Portland has to offer. During the summer, Laurel loves to escape the city and go surfing at the Oregon Coast.