Laura Costello
Graduate Student, Field Naturalist Program
Cohort AO, Class of 2026
BIO
Laura grew up in the woods and corn fields of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She studied computer engineering in Boston and loved her career in software product management, but a chance encounter with a pink lady’s-slipper orchid threw her life for a loop. Before she knew it, she was a land steward and an avid orchid seeker, and she couldn’t stop talking about plants. Laura is a passionate believer in the potential of community science and the power of shared joy. She’s in the FN program to broaden her engagement with the natural world and her ability to convey its wonders. When not in the woods, you’ll find her social dancing, baking fancy treats, and hosting themed parties.
Bio
Laura grew up in the woods and corn fields of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She studied computer engineering in Boston and loved her career in software product management, but a chance encounter with a pink lady’s-slipper orchid threw her life for a loop. Before she knew it, she was a land steward and an avid orchid seeker, and she couldn’t stop talking about plants. Laura is a passionate believer in the potential of community science and the power of shared joy. She’s in the FN program to broaden her engagement with the natural world and her ability to convey its wonders. When not in the woods, you’ll find her social dancing, baking fancy treats, and hosting themed parties.