Laura has a 1st Class Honours degree in English Literature from Victoria, University of Wellington, where she also majored in Theatre and Film. 

She gained television acting experience in Duggan, and Questions, a TV drama developed from a stage play dealing with youth suicide. She also worked in radio and at Playmarket, the scriptwriters’ playwrights’ agency, before joining Shortland Street in early 2001 to play Nurse Toni Thompson, one of the show's most popular characters. 

After leaving Shortland Street as an actor in 2008, she began training as a storyliner for the show. She then moved on to become a script editor and is now one of two full time Head Writers for the series.