Staff Spotlight: Laura Smithwick
From Silicon Valley to Scenic Southern Oregon
If you’ve visited the administrative offices at the Mission lately, you’ve likely been greeted by a warm smile, the smell of coffee, the sound of an acoustic guitar and a spirit of genuine care from our Director of Resident Services, Laura Smithwick. Laura joined our team with a unique background and a heart perfectly tuned to the Mission’s calling to see lives transformed from the inside out.
Laura’s journey to Grants Pass began in the fast-paced world of California’s Silicon Valley, where she spent over 20 years managing and roasting for a busy independent coffee house. While the tech world hummed around her, Laura was busy building community—a skill she now brings to our residents every day.
In the summer of 2023, seeking a better environment for their growing family and to be closer to her husband’s parents, Laura and her family made the move to our beautiful corner of Oregon. They’ve since become deeply rooted in the local community and their church in Sunny Valley, where the whole family serves, in roles ranging from tech and security to worship and children’s ministry. After a few months of decompressing from her move, Laura sought an opportunity to serve others. She began volunteering for the ROC Food Pantry, which is located right next door to the Mission.
“I really missed the community that I had in California,” Laura recalls. “Volunteering at the ROC was just really up my alley… I loved meeting new people and learning about the needs of Grants Pass”.
When an Executive Assistant position opened at the Mission, Laura felt a clear nudge from the Lord to apply. That role eventually evolved into her current position as Director of Resident Services, where she now leads a dedicated team, helping our residents navigate their own pathway to independence.
Laura’s professional background is proving to be a “divine appointment” as the Mission recently launched Homeless Joe Coffee.
“My worlds are colliding,” Laura jokes. Her expertise is invaluable as we look to potentially roast on-site, providing not just a great product for our supporters, but meaningful job skills training for our residents. When she isn’t managing resident services or talking shop about coffee beans, you might find Laura with a guitar in her hand. A lifelong lover of music—having played the flute and piano and performed in choir and musical theater—Laura recently picked up the guitar and now leads worship at her church.
She sees her work at the Mission through a lens of faith, believing that God equips us for the hard tasks He calls us to. Her favorite part of the job? The people.
“I love how different we all are,” Laura says. “I love seeing the different gifts and talents that God’s given us all… and it’s just amazing to see God work in our residents”.
We are so blessed to have Laura’s leadership, wisdom, and caffeinated enthusiasm on our team!
