Laura Brennan is a Peace Corps volunteer who will be working with the foundation Maria Amor in Cuenca for two years. She is from New Jersey and graduated from The College of New Jersey this past May receiving a double bachelor's degree in Political Science and International Studies with a focus on Latin America. After her time spent studying Latin America at the university, Laura left with the desire to gain a deeper understanding of both the culture and language of the region driving her to join Peace Corps Ecuador.

She believes that serving as a Peace Corps volunteer will enhance her knowledge and understanding of other cultures while allowing her to become a better global citizen. She is looking forward to working with the women at the foundation to create sustainable projects that will help prepare the women for the world of work outside of the foundation. Additionally, she hopes to create a youth club with the children and discuss with them alternatives to risky behavior, self-confidence, and life skills.

Volunteer work is something that Laura has always been passionate about and strived to include in her life at all times. During her time in the university she interned and worked for organizations similar to Maria Amor that supported victims of domestic violence and worked to prevent future violence. She interned for Women Against Abuse in Philadelphia, a domestic violence non-profit organization, where she worked with survivors in safe houses as well as a grant writer to help find and secure funds for the organization. On her campus she was an Anti-Violence Peer Educator and ran programs for students to raise awareness and prevent domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking among her peers. These experiences working with domestic violence organizations and prevention ties in closely with the work she hopes to do at the foundation over the next two years.