Laura Salveson joined the McKnight Foundation in 2017. In her role, she has worked to ensure the facility is safe, inspiring, and welcoming for guests and staff. She re-envisioned some of the highly public areas of the office, making the Foundation’s mission and values tangible for people entering the space. She has also had the great pleasure of hosting and supervising Step Up interns for the Foundation.
Throughout her career, Laura has kept people, their stories, and the power and meaning of place at the core of her work. Prior to coming to McKnight, she worked for the Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) at Mill City Museum. She was on the team that opened Mill City Museum, working first as museum program supervisor, then site manager and finally director. Laura previously worked for the Minnesota AIDS Project in volunteer recruitment and management, and as a site guide and performer at four MNHS historic sites. After receiving a BA in theater arts, Laura worked for many years as a freelance actor, producer, and director. An avid gardener and cook, she lives with her husband and pets in the Powderhorn Park neighborhood of Minneapolis.