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Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest Recruiter Spotlight: Meet Laura!
Laura is the Director of Talent Acquisition & Benefits at PPPSW and has been a member of the Planned Parenthood team since October of 2003, and started as a volunteer before that in 2001.
What is your role at PPSW?
I have the privilege of leading the amazing Talent Acquisition team! Our team has the awesome responsibility of finding and bringing the best new talent to the organization. PPPSW counts on us to keep our health centers and other positions staffed so everyone can help carry the load. I also lead our benefits program to make sure our staff have a rich benefits package.
What advice would you give a new employee for being successful at PPPSW?
Give it time. Most of the jobs at Planned Parenthood are very detailed and can take a while to learn and master. We have great training and onboarding programs to help new hires understand their new positions, but it will still take time to become an expert in your new role.
What advice would you give job seekers looking to start a career with PPPSW?
One of the best ways to get your foot in the door is to volunteer. Volunteers have the opportunity to learn more about our mission and values and how our organization works. I started as a volunteer and I am still here 18 years later!
What’s the one word you would choose to describe PPPSW, and why?
Passionate! Our employees are super passionate about our mission and values. I have found that people either come to the organization already excited about the mission or they become more enthusiastic as they learn all that we do to help our community.
What is your greatest accomplishment at PPPSW?
I am super proud of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) work the Talent Acquisition team has done. We have added DEI reminders for hiring managers, added more DEI content to our Hiring and Selection Skills workshop and also added a fairness question to first interviews. (A study found that if you ask candidates if there is anything else they would like to share they feel like the interview was fairer, even if they weren’t selected.)
What makes you proud to work at PPPSW?
I am proud to work for an organization that has such a strong and powerful mission. I embrace our mission and all we do to make the world a better place.
What are some of your favorite hobbies outside of work?
Travel is my passion. I also enjoy riding my road bike, taking spin classes and snowboarding in the winter. My husband and I have two rescue dogs we love dearly who we spend much of our time with. I love being outdoors and enjoy hanging out with friends.