A native of Vermont, Laurie earned her BS in Geology from Dartmouth and her PhD/MS in Geophysics at the University of Texas. She is a NORBA licensed Expert mountain bike racer, a former EMT, a NOLS graduate, and has extensive climbing and backpacking experience all across the country including ascents of the Diamond and the Grand Teton. She is married to Sr Guide Emeritus, Drew Duncan. Laurie returned to OWA in 2001 to work with the Bike Trip program and currently works as a freelance writer based in Austin.