Laura Horst, Shrm Cp
About Laura Horst, Shrm Cp
Laura Horst is a Manager of People Operations with a background in History and Humanistic Studies, holding a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. She specializes in change management and enhancing candidate experiences, currently working at Ownwell after a diverse career in various HR roles.
Work at Ownwell
Laura Horst serves as the Manager of People Operations at Ownwell, a position she has held since 2023. In this role, she focuses on enhancing communication, teamwork, and transparency within the organization. She collaborates closely with the Head of People to establish and develop the People function at the Series A startup. Her responsibilities encompass performance management, reporting and metrics, training and development, policy design, benefits and payroll administration, and compensation planning.
Education and Expertise
Laura Horst holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in History and Humanistic Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. She also earned an Associate of Science (AS) in Biotechnology from Madison Area Technical College. Additionally, she obtained a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Organization Development from St. Edward's University. Her expertise includes change management and enhancing candidate experience and brand.
Professional Background
Laura has a diverse professional background with experience in various roles related to human resources and operations. Prior to her current position at Ownwell, she worked at Realized as a People Operations Manager from 2021 to 2023, and previously as an HR Generalist and Office Manager from 2019 to 2021. Her earlier roles include positions at Legacy Mutual Mortgage, PowerSchool Group LLC, Asuragen, and ioGenetics, LLC, where she developed a strong foundation in HR practices and operational support.
Previous Roles and Responsibilities
Throughout her career, Laura has held multiple positions that contributed to her expertise in human resources. At Legacy Mutual Mortgage, she served as a Recruiting & Onboarding Specialist and as an Executive Assistant to the Chief Talent Officer. At PowerSchool Group LLC, she worked as a Senior Implementation Specialist. Her experience at Asuragen included roles as a Quality Assurance Specialist and Assistant Scientist II. These positions have equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of HR functions and operational processes.
Specializations and Focus Areas
Laura specializes in change management and improving candidate experience and brand. In her current role at Ownwell, she emphasizes performance management, training and development, and policy design. Her focus on maximizing communication, teamwork, and transparency is integral to her approach in enhancing organizational effectiveness and employee engagement.