Laraine Lasdon
Laraine Lasdon was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa where she attended the University of the Witwatersrand. After working as Youth Director for an anti-apartheid political party, Laraine has been extremely active politically in the past and in the United States, with particular interest in city and county government.
She has served as County Commissioner’s aide performing legislative duties on various issues as well as serving on local Boards and Commissions and running for City Council herself several years ago.
Laraine has lived in Austin, Texas since 1976. She is involved in city, county, and state politics taking on leadership roles and appointments on municipal boards and commissions and civic boards, including Envision Central Texas, LCRA Leadership Advisory Board, Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, RECA Regional Issues Committee and the Rotary Club of Austin and Rotary District committees. She serves on the American Youthworks Board of Directors with special emphasis on Fund Development and Community Relations and innovative Education. She was recently nominated and elected as a member of the National Board of the National Women’s Political Caucus.
In 1985, after working as a political consultant with special emphasis on the politics of the real estate industry, and after honing her real estate skills by providing marketing and leadership strategies to a title company and real estate development firm, she established her own marketing firm.
With an extensive network of contacts and an outstanding reputation for her creative leadership skills and reliable work ethic, colleagues from the public and private sector became her clients with projects that include: business development with emphasis on the construction industry, public involvement strategies, public policy issues relating to education and growth issues and their impact on the private sector, fund development techniques, fundraising and other projects.
Laraine Lasdon is married to Professor Leon Lasdon, a worldwide leader in optimization software and holder of the Bruton Chair for Management Science and Information Systems. Her daughter, Claire, is a graduate from The University of Texas and works in web development and business process analysis.
