Laura Mann
Hill

Stewardship & Education Director

Bio

Born and raised in the Twin Cities, Laura (she/her) grew up and attended school near the Mississippi River. From environmental-based plays to river walks and cleanups, her love for the natural world blossomed at Dowling Urban Environmental Learning Center where she learned the meaning of stewardship. 

Upon graduating from Hamline University, she moved to New York to pursue a Master's in Secondary Education and teach middle school. Her time as a classroom educator and arts admintrator at MS 57 in Brooklyn helped her cultivate a deeper understanding of how to create equitable, sustainable and acessible youth programming.   

After nearly a decade in New York City Public Schools, she moved back to Minnesota and transitioned to roles in higher education, nonprofit administration, community outreach and curriculum design. Most recently, Laura developed and led educational programs at the Children's Theatre Company. She's also served on the administrative team with the Million Artist Movement using art to dismantle racist systems against Black, Brown, Indigenous and disenfranchised people. 

She is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with youth and community to explore the many layers and relationships we have with land, place and water at FMR.

FMR Role

At FMR, Laura is focused on how to expand and deepen the organization's youth and leadership development programs to inspire the next generation of environmental leaders. She also leads FMR's stewardship programs, providing more than 2,000 volunteers each year with the opportunity to get their hands dirty improving the health of the Mississippi. In addition to her program leadership, Laura is part of FMR's senior management team, guiding organization-wide strategic and operational decisions. 

Personal Details

Laura is an arts organizer, storyteller and theatre artist. She and her family enjoy reading books, attending theater and music performances, museums and spending time in the great outdoors in equal measure.  Hidden Falls Regional Park along the Mississippi River in St. Paul is one of their favorite places to go as a family. 

lhill@fmr.org, 651-222-2193 x16