Staff Spotlight, Laura Le
Tell us about yourself!
My name is Laura Le (she/her), and I am the Assistant Office Manager (AOM) and Lodging Coordinator for Seattle Outpatient & Day Treatment for Adults and Adolescents! I’ve been with The Emily Program just shy of two years; I started here in October 2021.
What does a typical day look like for you at The Emily Program?
A typical day for me involves doing administrative backend work, as well as helping clients with their lodging needs! I mainly spend my days working on provider schedules, answering the phones, and assisting clients with appointment logistics and paperwork.
I also work with clients who are lodging, making sure they have all the supplies they need for their stay and that their apartments are fully furnished. Additionally, I help troubleshoot any lodging issues and connect our lodging clients with access to local resources, as needed! As AOM and Lodging Coordinator, I also help coordinate weekend programming across our Washington sites! I work with providers each day to make sure our clients can access care on the weekends.
What aspect of your role do you enjoy the most?
I love working with our clients. I think working with them through lodging provides such a unique view, and I appreciate all the little tidbits that the clients allow me to learn about them. It’s so great to learn from our clients and see them grow and flourish in their recovery journeys. It’s exciting to be able to help them advocate for their needs in lodging and work with them toward their recovery.
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
My partner and I enjoy making short films. We’ve entered the Seattle 48 Hour Film Festival twice and have won awards both times! Once you enter, you get assigned a genre, a prop, and a phrase that you have to incorporate into a five to seven-minute film. It leads to a lot of creativity, and it’s always so much fun to watch all the entries.
A more commonly known fact about me is that I love going to the theatre and watching movies with my friends (or alone!). I pull a lot of inspiration from my favorite genres and films. It was beyond exciting to see one of our short films played at a local theatre on the big screen as part of the 48-hour competition.
What motivates you to show up for work each day?
My coworkers! I love just getting to hang out and learn from them. Being at the front desk and being Lodging Coordinator means I get to work with just about everyone, and it’s always so fun to hear how people’s days are going. It’s inspiring to watch my coworkers do their work – I learn from them, as well. When I first started at The Emily Program, I was taken aback by just how supportive the office environment is, and I continue to be grateful for it to this day. Even if I’m having a hard time, I know that people here are full of kindness and compassion, which makes working on a hard day easier. I’ve definitely made some lifelong friends in my time here.