Laura Shepard
Chief of Staff
Laura Shepard currently serves as Chief of Staff 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, helping to create the logo and build the original foundation website. Prior to her time at the Foundation, Laura had a 20-year run with Bank of America in CEO & Executive Communications. Laura also works with Belk Gambrell Enterprises, supporting the family office.
Laura loves to travel and has been to 40 countries and all seven continents, having visited the last continent on her bucket list — Antarctica — in January 2024. 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 riding through Charlotte. Laura is a trained yoga instructor and an International Protocol Officer. She and her husband enjoy running the chains for high school football games in the fall. She has two daughters, a son-in-law, and a brand new grandbaby!
On Laura’s Desk
Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life
In Awe, Dacher Keltner presents a sweeping investigation and deeply personal inquiry into this elusive feeling. Revealing new research alongside an examination of awe across history, culture, and within his own life, Keltner shows us how cultivating awe in our everyday lives leads us to appreciate what is most humane in our human nature. At turns radical and profound, brimming with enlightening and practical insights, Awe is our field guide for how to place this emotion as a vital force within our lives.
by Dacher Keltner
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The Capitol Chase
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.
by Cap Daniels
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Oath of Office
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?
by Tom Clancy
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