Laura Celeste Updegraff, MBA, MS, has built a distinguished career as a contract specialist with the U.S. Forest Service, where she has served since 2023. With more than three decades of professional experience, she specializes in U.S. Army operations, account management, data analysis, and business analysis. Her career reflects a commitment to excellence and innovation, underscored by her active engagement in professional networking. Before her current role, she was self-employed as a research assistant from 2021 to 2023.
Ms. Updegraff’s extensive military career includes serving as chief of manpower, plans, and operations from 2017 to 2019, professor of military science in Memphis from 2015 to 2017, and assistant G1 in the U.S. Army’s 1st Infantry Division in South Korea from 2011 to 2013. She also held roles as brigade S1, regimental executive officer, company commander, and officer strength manager, among other roles. Ms. Updegraff began her military tenure with the U.S. Navy from 1993 to 1996 as a logistics specialist, laying the foundation for her leadership and operational expertise.
Ms. Updegraff’s teaching experience includes four years at West Point, where she found great fulfillment in guiding cadets through academic and personal challenges. She also served as a department chairman at the University of Memphis for two years, further demonstrating her leadership capabilities in academia. Ms. Updegraff’s military career is marked by numerous achievements, including being the first woman to win the Palmetto Saber at the University of South Carolina and receiving the Horatio Gates Award and Bronze Medal.
Before embarking on her professional path, Ms. Updegraff earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of South Carolina in 1998, a Master of Business Administration from Saint Martin’s University in 2002, and a Master of Science in counselor education and guidance services from LIU Post in 2005. Beyond her primary roles, she is deeply committed to civic engagement and volunteers within her local community. Ms. Updegraff participates in marathons for charity and donates to food banks to support hunger relief efforts.
One of the most rewarding aspects of Ms. Updegraff’s career has been teaching West Point cadets, an elite group selected from 10,000 applicants for just 1,000 spots. A key part of her role involved helping these cadets navigate failure, a challenge for many high-achieving students. This responsibility extended beyond grading and coaching to providing support and occasionally engaging with their families.
Reflecting on her experience, Ms. Updegraff recalls a pivotal interview with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff just before undergoing brain surgery in 2013, an experience that deepened her understanding of work-life balance. Once a self-proclaimed workaholic, she now emphasizes the necessity of maintaining personal well-being alongside professional ambitions.
Ms. Updegraff attributes her success to her entrepreneurial upbringing. Growing up with a small business owner as a mother, she gained a deep appreciation for the role of small businesses, particularly veteran-owned ones, in the economy. Ms. Updegraff’s grandfather, an Irish immigrant, instilled in her a strong commitment to supporting local enterprises. She values building strong relationships with both customers and vendors, which has enriched her career. Her Hawaiian heritage also influences her values, fostering a deep respect for the environment, embodied in the concept of “aina,” which is the shared responsibility to protect and care for the land.
As a passionate runner, Ms. Updegraff aspires to complete marathons in all 50 states and on every continent, with dreams of participating in the Berlin Marathon. Her resilience is evident in her ability to turn challenges into celebrations, having completed three full marathons after overcoming significant health obstacles. She is also writing a book about her life, aiming to inspire others through her journey of perseverance and achievement.