Laura Ness
Ness currently serves as Chair of the City of Traverse City and Garfield Township Recreational Authority, where she helped lead the acquisition of 75 acres of new parkland and oversaw a $5 million renovation project at Historic Barns Park. She is also Chair of the Hickory Hills Advisory Committee and President and Co-Founder of Preserve Hickory, a nonprofit that helped launch a $5 million revitalization of Hickory Hills through a successful public-private campaign. This project required a bold vision, public engagement, flexible thinking, partnership with City staff, and the leveraging of public funding to achieve more with less. Her contributions were recognized by the City with a Mayoral Proclamation and Key to the City as well as by the Michigan Recreation and Park Association with their annual Community Service Award.
Ness has provided leadership to many community organizations, including the Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park, Traverse City Area Public Schools, the Great Lakes Sports Commission, Citizens for Students Millage Campaign, and 100 Women Who Care. She is a past President of the Grand Traverse Ski Club and a 2022 inductee into its Hall of Fame. A recent graduate of the City Academy, she brings a deep understanding of local government operations and a strong track record of civic engagement.
Laura earned her undergraduate degree in English from Ripon College and her master’s degree in hospital administration from the University of Minnesota. Professionally, she served in multiple senior executive roles in the healthcare industry.
