Designing the future, transforming organizations, and building the future learning
Laura McBain (she/her) (@laura_mcbain) is a designer, adjunct professor, and Managing Director at the Stanford d.school, where she also serves as Co-Director of the K12 Lab.She leads the professional education portfolio, developing and sustaining strategic partnerships with companies, nonprofits, and philanthropic institutions to harness design as a tool for innovation and transformation in an uncertain world. Within the d.school, she also drives organizational design strategy, shaping both the institution’s evolution and its impact on the broader field of design.
Laura is the author of My Favorite Failure: How Setbacks Can Lead to Learning and Growth, a book that explores the role of risk-taking, failure, and resilience in fostering innovation and growth. She teaches courses at the intersection of equity, K–12 education, and design, and contributes to global conversations on the future of learning, futures thinking, and emerging technologies through her writing, podcasts, and keynotes.
Before joining the Stanford d.school, Laura McBain spent 15 years at High Tech High (HTH), where she led a global network to advance progressive education and innovation. She served as the Director of External Relations for the HTH Graduate School of Education, where she designed and led the professional education program, training and supporting thousands of educators worldwide in progressive pedagogy and education innovation. As part of her tenure at HTH, Laura also served as a founding teacher, principal and Director of Policy and Research, leading to the development of equity-driven school models and spreading education reform initiatives. She has taught middle and high school students in both charter and comprehensive schools and has worked in national policy think tanks, shaping conversations on education policy and systemic change.
Laura holds a Bachelor’s degree from Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) and a Master’s degree in Policy and Management from Harvard University.