By Terry Haycock, VPC Treasurer

I met Laura Fortunato at this year’s VPC spring conference. I was setting out the table decorations, and she offered to help. I didn’t know anything about her then except that she was another member stepping up when help was needed.

Since that time, I have been privileged to hear her story and am delighted to share it with you.

Laura grew up outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in a small steel town called Aliquippa. She attended Catholic schools there, eventually studying at Villanova University (the only U.S. Augustinian Catholic university) outside Philadelphia. There she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts (Communications and English).

An avid and experienced swimmer, Laura spent the year after graduation teaching swimming to students of all ages – babies to seniors – including those with disabilities. She returned to Villanova for a Master of Arts (Political Science and Government).

Above: Laura Fortunato, with her son, Mike, daughter, Ashley, and husband, Tom.

A self-professed life-learner, Laura returned to academia, earning a master’s degree in strategic public relations in 2015 from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Early in her career she freelanced, writing articles for local weeklies and dailies, and then reported on local government and politics for the Philadelphia Inquirer. She secured a full-time position at United Press International in the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-New York area and then a daily New Jersey newspaper. Upon moving to Richmond, she produced broadcast news for WRIC Channel 8.

Laura went on to serve the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond initially to assist in launching its new business publication. This led to the roles of executive editor and research publications manager, corporate and public relations manager and then several roles in corporate communications. She was the media relations strategist and bank spokesperson for almost 15 years.

Her goal for her early retirement this year was to make time for writing, try new things and use her knowledge on behalf of smaller mission-oriented organizations and nonprofits. She posts on LinkedIn, and recently launched Fortunato Consulting LLC, a small consulting business.

As mentioned above, Laura is an experienced swimmer.

“Swimming has been a constant in my life,” says Laura.

She started at age 9 at a summer swimming club where she was inexperienced and the object of jokes by boy swimmers Jimmy and Harry, who had been swimming since they were 4. 

Determined to show them she could do it, she joined the local YMCA swim team and trained year-round.

Eventually, she swam faster than both boys, with whom she formed strong friendships in their youth.

Laura went on to swim for Pitt Aquatic Club, which trained daily at the University of Pittsburgh, and she competed in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Virginia. She later competed in the Big East Conference as a member of the Villanova women’s swim team and shared the captain’s role her senior year. She participated in master’s swimming while a tuition scholar in graduate school and continued to teach swimming and freelance journalism. She swims several times a week at a local fitness club and at Lake Gaston, which spans the Virginia and North Carolina border, where she has a lake home.

The lake provides Laura and her husband of 35 years, Tom Falat, many opportunities for swimming, kayaking, boating and other family water activities They have a son, Mike, 28, who works in business and marketing, and a daughter, Ashley, 20, a junior at Virginia Tech. Tom works in financial services compliance for Truist.

Laura and husband Tom.

Like all VPC members, Laura loves to read. Her favorite topics include spiritual subjects, fiction, nonfiction and stories of people evolving into better beings, as well as books on the Federal Reserve written by reporters she worked with at Bloomberg, The New York Times and other organizations. She also enjoys historical fiction.

Laura volunteers with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, an organization which builds beds for children who don’t have them, and the Richmond Forum’s Speech and Debate Initiative, which provides competitions for high school students. She recently completed her training and soon will serve as a judge.

Laura was introduced to VPC by VPC and NFPW past president Cynthia Price when the two of them worked together at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. She attended her first VPC conference in Hanover. She has been involved in VPC for nearly 25 years and served as contest director in 2017-18.

Cynthia also introduced Laura to current VPC president Pam Stallsmith when Pam was a Richmond Times-Dispatch reporter. They eventually worked together at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and remain good friends.

“I have been touched by VPC members both in their accomplishments and professionalism, as well as the staying power of these friendships,” Laura said. “I have observed the current board offers a high level of commitment and energy.”