Welcome to the Board of Directors: Lace Lawrence. We’re excited to have you and learn more about you.
Raised on Yakama Indian Reservation surrounded by elders who loved to regale her with legends, Lace fell in love with storytelling at a young age. She turned that love of listening to stories into writing stories through a Communication, Public Relations degree at Washington State University. This in turn led to over 12 years of grant writing, event planning, and donor development in-house for organizations big and small. In 2016, Lace took a deep-dive into her true passion for using stories to bring communities together, and created Laced Together, her own Grant Writing contract business. Through Grant Writing, Lace has been able to amplify the stories of those most often ignored, forgotten, or silenced by systemic oppression and support the growth of organizations working towards a more equitable society.
When she is not writing grants, Lace loves to challenge herself in the outdoors especially, backpacking, solo camping, mountaineering, and skiing, and is an avid traveler. She has traveled and hiked all over the world, including in Vietnam and Guatemala. Her favorite and most challenging trip included her leading a six day, all female hike from France to Spain and back again in the Pyrenees; sleeping in abandoned huts, avoiding wild boar, and spotting the rare Pyrenees Chamois. Lace has a habit of constantly seeking new challenges and is learning to mountain bike, trail run, and continuing to hone her backcountry ski skills. She has also has a ridiculous love for her two dogs, Trooper Thorne a 75lb Walker Hound/Aussie and Tokul Took the 15lb, mustached, Schnoodle pup.
Q: Place of work, title, location.
A: Laced Together, Owner/Fundraising and Grant Writing Consultant Fall City, WA
Q: Why did you join SheJumps as a board member?
A: I have partnered and participated with SheJumps for years and love their mission. However, it was receiving the Snowpack Scholarship for my AAIRE 1 course that really pushed me over into wanting to do more. Taking that course with such a diversity of women was one of the most influential experiences, I have had as an adult learner. By joining the SheJumps Board I am hoping I can support experiences like I had, for all women and girls getting outside.
Q: What goal of the SheJumps 5 year Strategic Plan is the most important to you?
A: For me, creating a sustainable organization both financially and structurally is key to all of the other goals in the Strategic Plan. So, my first priority is working with staff and the Board to identify and build the systems needed for sustainability, while always maintaining a passion for and a plan to increase access and diversity in all SheJumps does.
Q: What do you hope to contribute to the SheJumps Board of Directors?
A: As a professional Fundraising and Grant Writing Consultant with 12 years of experience in various non-profits I am excited to work with the staff and Board at SheJumps to increase sustainable fundraising, diversify funding mechanisms, and increase Grant Funding and proposal narratives. I also have years of JEDI training which informs all of my work. I am excited to bring that lens to SheJumps fundraising and systems building.
Q: What is your vision for SheJumps?
A: I would love to see SheJumps increase the diversity in their programs and really be an authentic supporter of and partner with BIPOC, LGTBQ+, Body positive, and differently abled outdoor organizations. I want SheJumps to be financially sustainable with a full staff capable of sustaining and growing the organization into new communities while maintaining our long-term relationships. I also want SheJumps to maintain the fun and excitement that makes things like the girafficorn and tutus make total sense.
Now, it’s time for the lightning round:
Q: Outdoor activity of choice (pick one, two if you must)?
A: Backpacking, especially solo or with my ladies. Some of my favorite “me-time” involves filtering water from an ice-cold stream while the sun is sinking low behind craggy peaks. There is also something astoundingly beautiful about being out in the woods with your girlfriends when the weight of society’s expectations falls away and you can just be women, stinky and imperfect together.
Q: Who inspires you to go outside and why?
A: There are a lot of women that inspire me because women are so impressive. Shannon Skouras Mahre of Girls with Grit and Mahre Made has been a recent inspiration in skiing for me. Working with her through her clinics has really helped me to conquer some big fears lately. When I hit the scary steep slopes, I can hear Shannon in my head giving me tips—that little voice helped me get across huge runnels for a late season ski of Mount Lassen last year with a big smile on my face!
I also am constantly inspired by a legacy of women in my family who were at their most beautiful laughing around campfires and who instilled in me survival skills, camp cooking recipes, and a love for wildflowers.
Q: Where is your favorite place to go outside or on an adventure?
A: I love to adventure in new places. I am a big fan of looking at map and saying, “I want to go there” and then figuring out how to do that. But I would say for hiking in Washington–I grew up spending every day gazing up at Pahto (Mt. Adams), so whenever I can see that mountain, I feel like I am home. If it is skiing, than any place that has a hut or a yurt is my favorite!
Q: How has the outdoors benefited your health and overall physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing?
A: Being raised by both ranchers and in an indigenous culture, I don’t know how to separate myself from nature. Everything growing up was tied to the land but when I first moved to the Seattle area I lived in the city. I really struggled. I remember calling my Grandma in tears because I couldn’t see the stars from my backyard. I had never felt so untethered before. Finding ways to get into nature centers me and reconnects me to those anchors that I was raised with. This is not just big hikes or big mountains, it is exploring parks, swimming in my local river, discovering new life in my garden, and tracking the changes of time on my local trails.