Laurie Vennes

Laurie Vennes graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Arts in Education, specializing in Elementary Education. In one of her first roles, Laurie returned to her alma mater, Tates Creek Elementary, to teach ungraded primary classes. While pursuing her career in elementary education, she also completed a Master of Education degree with a major in Education Leadership at the University of Kentucky.

Laurie's involvement in the CREST Project led to participation in similar initiatives across the United States, including states like Iowa, Florida, and Kentucky, where she played an active role in statewide Positive Behavior Support (PBS) projects. Concurrently, she worked at both the district and school levels, providing professional development in positive behavior support through a training/coaching model, all while continuing to contribute to written materials.

During her tenure at Tates Creek Elementary (1997-2001), she was selected to serve on the Foundations team for one of Randy Sprick's PBIS projects, working alongside Susan Isaacs. The team used a galley copy of CHAMPS and presented their findings at the statewide Center for School Safety (CSS) in Louisville, KY, culminating a three-year project. Her passion for the transformative impact of CHAMPS implementation, both schoolwide and within her own classroom, motivated her to share their insights with fellow educators.

She has held roles as an elementary principal in Pittsburgh, PA, and Baltimore, MD. She was also certified as an Active Shooter trainer for A.L.I.C.E. from 2014 to 2022 and became known as an Outdoor Educator with a passion for outdoor classrooms. Additionally, she were recognized as a Carnegie Writing Fellow.