Laura Madden, Director of Strategic Initiatives & Enablement

Based out of Los Angeles, Laura works closely with faculty and staff from CEA CAPA’s institutional partners and the Institutional Relations Team to help our partners achieve their internationalization goals.

With 15+ years of diverse experience in international education, from international student support and teaching to study abroad management and business development, she has a holistic understanding of the field and is an enthusiastic champion for innovative programming to meet the unique needs of higher education institutions and their students.

Laura obtained her Master’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in International Business and Marketing from DePaul University and her Bachelor's Degree in International Relations and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Laura studied abroad in Oaxaca, Mexico, and Madrid, Spain during her undergraduate studies, and conducted field research in Havana, Cuba during her graduate studies. Laura taught and worked in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which launched her career in international education and where she discovered how her study abroad opportunities had exponentially enriched her career, and her life.

Laura is a passionate international educator and thoroughly enjoys the opportunities to create programming that builds globally competent graduates, an increasingly important endeavor for higher education. When she isn’t working or planning her next travel adventure, Laura thoroughly enjoys exploring the cultural, environmental, and culinary diversity of Los Angeles.