A Collaborative Conversation with Laura Bethea (Title IX and its impact on Higher Education)

Laura Bethea serves as Wake Tech’s Title IX Coordinator overseeing the compliance of federally mandated Title IX regulations. Previously, she served as a certified Title IX Investigator wherein she facilitated training and conducted investigations of reported incidents of gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. Additionally, Laura has served as Wake Tech’s Career Development Manager over the past eight years leading her team in the development, delivery, and evaluation of career services to prospective and enrolled students and alumni. Most recently, she served as the College’s Equity Team Lead for the SPARK strategic planning process. Laura’s previous work experiences include rehabilitation counseling and testing, outpatient therapy services, and substance abuse treatment services. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from North Carolina Central University and a M.S. in Rehabilitation Psychology and Counseling from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is currently pursuing a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from East Carolina University. She has earned numerous honors at Wake Tech including a four-time Applied Benchmarking Grant Award Winner and Excellence in Service Award recipient. Additionally, she is the two-time recipient of East Carolina University’s Mack and Margaret Coble Doctoral Fellowship (2017-2019), N.C. Career Development Association’s Best Practices Grant Award (2017-2018), and N.C. Counseling Association’s Innovation and Creativity Award (2015-2016). Laura enjoys attending sporting events, volunteering in her community, and enjoying social activities related to music and the arts. She is the owner of two dogs, Pablo Picasso and Leonardo da Vinci.