Laurie’s love for hospitality, travel, creativity, and real estate qualifies her perfectly for the Guest Relations / Marketing Coordinator position at Paradise Retreats.
Since the mid 1990’s, Laurie has worked in various roles in the Real Estate industry including licensed Realtor, executive assistant for top-producing Agents, Transaction Coordinator, and Escrow assistant. Her creative side was expressed while working in the wedding industry, where she created floral artistry and designed large-scale events.
With deep roots in the Santa Barbara community, Laurie grew up in the travel business. Her grandparents owned the American Travel Agency in downtown Santa Barbara. Laurie spent many happy summer days with them selling “Love Boat” cruises and PanAm flights!
Laurie is a 3rd generation Santa Barbara local, with some local claims to fame. Her niece was the honored with the title “Spirit of Fiesta” in 2022, her uncle JR Richards was the principal of Santa Barbara High School, and her cousin with the same name was the original singer from the local band Dishwalla, which grew to national fame with their 1995 hit “Counting Blue Cars”.
When not working, Laurie enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, live music, the beach, and Santa Barbara’s annual Fiesta celebration.
"Joining the Paradise Retreats team is such a blessing because my love for Santa Barbara is so strong. What better way can I share the beauty and history of our town with others? I'm a big fan of high quality, great service, and lasting memories, and Paradise Retreats really does ‘check all these boxes’!"
