Laura Fairman
University of Maryland, School of Public Policy
CLASS YEAR: 2025
Laura Fairman is pursuing a Master’s of Public Policy at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy. This degree builds on her undergraduate studies, where she majored in International Politics at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. In her time at Georgetown University, Laura had the opportunity to work for the Institute of Women, Peace, and Security, as well as study and conduct research abroad in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Since graduating in 2018, Laura has worked in economic consulting and nonprofit finance. Most recently, she served as the Assistant Director of Financial Planning and Analysis at NEO Philanthropy, an intermediary housing over 100 projects in issue areas such as immigrant justice, democracy, and reproductive rights. In this role, she supported financial health across the organization by leading financial and grant reporting and monitoring project performance. Laura is passionate about combining quantitative and qualitative analysis to assess program or policy impact and inform decision-making.