Consultants
Full-Spectrum Leadership
Laura Orr
Senior Partner and Global Board Advisory Leader
Milwaukee WI USA
Get in TouchLaura Orr is an accomplished executive and board advisor with two decades of healthcare operations, strategic planning, and board governance experience, combined with deep expertise in facilitation and executive coaching. As a Senior Partner in Leadership Advisory and WittKieffer’s Global Board Advisory Leader, Laura partners with clients to optimize board performance and leverage governance to drive strategy execution. Her areas of expertise include governance assessment, succession planning, board development plans, multi-year strategic plans, and one-on-one executive coaching. Laura also collaborates with colleagues in identifying and recruiting board members to align with organizational strategic priorities.
Laura’s approach is grounded in outstanding governance and leadership practices, balanced with an understanding of each client’s needs and context. She partners closely with organizations to tailor strategies that reflect their specific culture, goals, and challenges. By combining proven frameworks with practical customization, Laura helps boards, CEOs, and executive teams achieve meaningful, sustainable improvements in governance effectiveness and organizational leadership.
Prior to WittKieffer, Laura founded and grew her own firm, Forward Governance Consulting, providing support and guidance for boards of directors in healthcare, academic medicine, and related industries. Laura’s board consulting supported boards to evolve their structure, navigate leadership transitions, and align on strategy. Clients describe her approach as practical, candid, and grounded in real-world experience. Before that, she spent ten years with Children’s Wisconsin health system, most recently as Chief Strategy and Governance Officer, and held leadership roles with Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center as well as Methodist Healthcare. Laura serves as an advisor for The Governance Institute and is a certified coach through the College of Executive Coaching, International Coaching Federation, and BoardSource. She has served and continues to serve on nonprofit boards in her local community. An advocate for women in leadership, she serves on the steering committee for Milwaukee Women Inc., an organization dedicated to advancing inclusive leadership.
In her personal life, Laura enjoys spending time with her family, cycling, and being outdoors as much as possible.
Distinctions
Advanced Certified Personal & Executive Coach (ACPEC), College of Executive Coaching
Associate Certified Coach, International Coaching Federation
Certificate of Nonprofit Board Consulting, BoardSource
Education
MHA, Healthcare Administration, University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee
BS, Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida