Staff & Advisors
Director and Chief of Executive Affairs
Laura Shepard
Laura Shepard serves as Director & Chief of Executive Affairs for The Gambrell Foundation. Laura manages special projects and events, including the annual DifferenceMakers CLT program in partnership with grantee Communities In Schools. She has been with The Gambrell Foundation since 2017 and also works with Belk Gambrell Enterprises, supporting the family office.
Laura loves to travel and has been to 49 countries and all seven continents, having visited the last continent on her bucket list — Antarctica — in 2024. Laura is a football referee, yoga instructor, and an International Protocol Officer. She is a certified SCUBA diver and loves to dive with turtles in Bonaire. She enjoys participating in the annual 5 Boro Bike Tour, riding 40 miles through New York City, and build Legos. She has two daughters, a son-in-law, and two grandsons!
On Laura’s Desk 3
Book
Awe, Dacher Keltner (opens in a new tab)
Psychologist and professor, Keltner explains what awe is, what causes it, and how it can make us healthier and kinder. It’s a simple, moving reminder that small moments of wonder can fuel a bigger, more generous life.
Book
The Capitol Chase, Cap Daniels (opens in a new tab)
When the arduous battle tempo catches up with American covert operative Chase Fulton and his team, a little R and R is exactly what the doctor ordered. But for operators like Team 21, there’s no such thing as downtime. Don’t hold your breath… or perhaps you should… as you take to the sea with Chase and his band of fearless warfighters on an adventure that promises edge-of-your-seat excitement, heart-pounding drama, unimaginable feats of heroism, and twists no one could’ve seen coming.
Book
Oath of Office, Tom Clancy (opens in a new tab)
Marine officer. CIA analyst. President. Jack Ryan has devoted his life to protecting the United States. What if this time, he can’t? As sensationalized stories spin out of control and the stolen missiles remain out of reach, President Ryan’s toughest challenge emerges: How do you meet an enemy head on, when he won’t even show you his face?