Laura Bradley Davis partners with leaders and teams in the arts, philanthropy, education, and social change sectors to catalyze internal effectiveness and external impact.
A skilled strategist, coach, and facilitator, Laura works with clients to understand the landscape, build capacity, articulate a vision, align leaders and teams, and communicate with impact. Laura believes that a good strategy is key, but a healthy culture is essential—and a great culture begins with mindful leaders who know how to be the change they wish to see in their organizations and in the world.
Laura provides the flexible, hands-on services of a sole practitioner and taps her broad network to assemble expert teams of planners, facilitators, designers and others, based on the needs of each project.
Prior to founding LBD Consulting, Laura was Vice President for Resnicow and Associates in New York, providing strategic and communications counsel to renowned museums, arts and civic organizations, foundations and educational institutions. She has held internal and consultative roles with San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, and Pacific Foundation Services, among others.
A Los Angeles native and graduate of UCLA, Laura spent half a decade in New York City before relocating to the San Francisco Bay Area. Laura has served as a strategic advisor to Headlands Center for the Arts and founded a Marin County-based Giving Circle for Women’s Empowerment International.
“Exceptionally talented strategist”
Laura is an exceptionally talented strategist who’s able to distill complex organizational challenges into tailored, smart, and relevant plans. Her ability to capture, comprehend and communicate with her clients is central to her success.
— Jean-Marc Durviaux, Founder, DISTINC_
“The best decision we could have made”
We hired Laura to guide us through the process of writing a strategic plan, and it was the best decision we could have made. Her ability to manage multiple stakeholder priorities as well as a group of planners with little experience with (and some resistance to) strategic planning was exceptional.
— Corey Keller, Curator of Photography, SFMOMA
“Applicable, relevant and useful”
Laura coached me on public speaking and presentation skills. She tailored each session to my needs and we used real work examples, so everything we practiced was immediately applicable, relevant and useful. I saw a dramatic improvement in my ability to prepare for speaking in any situation, and my confidence greatly increased thanks to Laura.
— Lisa Endo, Development Manager, Reading Partners
"Amazing work ethic and smart thinking"
Laura and I worked together during the merger of Silicon Valley Community Foundation and I can attest to her amazing work ethic and smart thinking as she led a complicated communications process.
— Ash McNeely, Executive Director, Sand Hill Foundation
“Well-written, useful strategic plan”
We recently completed a departmental strategic plan, which was an unexpected pleasure thanks to Laura's guidance and collaborative nature.
She understands the benefit of a well-written, useful strategic plan as well as all the nuances of the non-profit, particularly museum, sector.
— Jennifer Dunlop Fletcher. Helen Hilton Raiser Curator of Architecture & Design, SFMOMA