Where Are You Located?
Sturm Program Consulting operates out of beautiful Seattle, WA.
We are available for remote, hybrid, or in-person opportunities to connect with you anywhere in the United States.
Meet Laura Lee
Hi there! My name is Laura Lee (she/her), and I’m the founder and principal consultant at Sturm Program Consulting. I’ve had a winding career journey, starting in electoral politics and taking me through case management with chronically unhoused adults, labor organizing with healthcare workers, and managing the Transportation Access Program at Seattle's Department of Transportation. All of these experiences have perfectly prepared me to launch this consulting firm focusing on equity-centered program creation and management. As a Social Worker, I bring a unique perspective to program management spaces by finding creative solutions in partnership with community. With more than 10 years of community organizing experience, I am well-equipped to dig in and have hard conversations that identify the root of the problem and identify paths forward.
I want to make program management simple and exciting for you and your team. Let’s work together!
ROOTS Board Retreat & Strategic Planning
In partnership with ROOTS Young Adult Shelter, a nonprofit dedicated to serving unhoused young adults, I planned the organization’s 2025 Board Retreat. The all-day retreat included team building, collaborative ideation, and voting to create the organization's annual strategic plan. The plan, which is currently being implemented by the Board, advances key priorities across mission delivery, governance, and fundraising.
Youth Transportation Summit
In response to a 2022 Mayoral Executive Order, I planned and executed the City of Seattle's first-ever Youth Transportation Summit, a landmark event that culminated in the creation of the Seattle Youth Climate and Transportation Action Plan. This all-day event had 60 attendees and included keynote speakers, interactive workshops, and an inclusive planning element for young people to identify their priorities for the City through the Action Plan. After the event, I led a smaller group of nine participants through the process of developing and presenting the Action Plan directly to Mayor Harrell, equipping them with the public speaking and advocacy skills needed to effectively champion youth-led public policy at the highest level of city government.
ORCA Recovery Card Program
In response to a 2021 Seattle City Council request, I created and implemented the ORCA Recovery Card Program, the Seattle Department of Transportation's (SDOT) most successful fare subsidy program to date. This program provided cost-free transit access to more than 2,000 low-income essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program was intentionally designed to prioritize Seattle's highest equity priority neighborhoods, ensuring that those most in need had reliable access to public transportation during one of the city's most critical moments. The program has SDOT’s highest ridership rate, with more than 70% of enrolled participants using their card monthly. The program was initially intended to last 6 months and extended for two additional years due to its success and positive impact.
National Voter Protection Hotline - Language Access Management
During the 2020 election cycle, I managed language access for the National Voter Protection Hotline, expanding voting protection resources to speakers of 14 languages beyond English and Spanish. I started at ground zero and recruited and trained volunteer language captains who collectively managed a team of over 200 volunteers, ensuring that voters facing challenges at the polls had access to real-time support in their language. To support my volunteer team, I developed a comprehensive suite of training materials — including documents, videos, and reference sheets — that established clear volunteer expectations and laid the groundwork for successful voter support.
Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) Transit Pass Expansion
In my work at the City of Seattle, I led and implemented the expansion of the City’s Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) Transit Pass, growing the program from 1,500 eligible residents to over 10,000. Currently, more than 70% of eligible residents are enrolled in the program, with 50% of participants using their free transit cards monthly. This pairing between an affordable housing program and an accessible public transit initiative is the first of its kind at this comprehensive scale in the United States. In 2025, the Seattle Housing Authority won an award for this program from The American Council of Engineering Companies of Washington.
Past Accomplishments