Laura Sheahan is Lead, Special Projects at the J. Craig Venter Institute, a not-for-profit research organization in Rockville, MD dedicated to the advancement of genomics research.
 
Prior to joining JCVI in 2006, Sheahan was a program officer at the National Academy of Sciences in the Policy and Global Affairs Division where she managed several U.S. National Committees involved with international research collaboration. She was a AAAS Congressional Fellow from 2000-01, sponsored by the American Society for Microbiology, and worked on issues affecting science policy as a Health Legislative Assistant in Congresswoman Louise Slaughter’s office.
 
Sheahan received her bachelor’s degree from Ohio Wesleyan University and Ph.D. in molecular biology and biochemistry from the University of Pittsburgh.
 
She grew up and now lives in Arlington, Virginia with her husband Rich, their two daughters, Alexandra and Norah, and dog Marino.