ABOUT LAURA

LAURA KOERNER

Active in Our Community

Laura Koerner is a Navy veteran, engineer, project management professional and longtime Fair Oaks Ranch resident. She is a former Fair Oaks Ranch councilwoman, currently serves as Chairwoman of the Texas Veterans Commission, and is President of the Fair Oaks Ranch Municipal Development District.

A Foundation in Military Service

A 1997 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Laura earned a Bachelor of Science in Systems Engineering before completing a Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She also qualified as a Nuclear Propulsion Plant Operator at the Naval Nuclear Power School.

Laura served in the United States Navy as a Surface Warfare (Nuclear) Officer. During her naval career, Laura served onboard USS MAHAN (DDG 72) as the Tomahawk Strike Officer and USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65) as the Assistant Damage Control Assistant and Propulsion Plant Watch Officer (Nuclear), where she stood watch over the ship’s nuclear reactors.

She is a member of American Legion Post 313, is on the Board of the San Antonio Area Naval Academy Alumni Association, and volunteers as a Blue & Gold Officer with the United States Naval Academy Admissions Department, assisting local high school students apply for the Naval Academy.

Professional Experience

Following her military service, Laura built a career in engineering, defense consulting, and project management. She has more than 20 years of experience in software program/project management and systems engineering, working at Stryker, Booz Allen Hamilton, and L-3 Communications, where she supported multiple government, military and law enforcement agencies, as well as technology and financial institutions. Currently, she is Director of Project Portfolio Management at USAA, and has been a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) for over 15 years.

Laura is a member of the Project Management Institute, the Boerne and San Antonio Chambers of Commerce, and has served on the board of directors for numerous local and state political groups and their committees, which included positions on budget, communications, military liaison, membership, and finance committees.

Serving Fair Oaks Ranch

Laura served on the Fair Oaks Ranch City Council for 8 years, from 2017 to 2025, including four years as Mayor Pro Tem. During her tenure, she also served as the City's fire department liaison and on the numerous committees, including the city's Stakeholder, Communications, Boards and Commissions Appointment, Branding, and Emergency Operations Committees.

She was appointed to serve on the Fair Oaks Ranch Municipal Development District (MDD) in 2017, where she has served for over 9 years, and has been the President for the last 5 years. The MDD oversees funding intended to support economic development, community improvements and long-term property values.

She is known for asking the hard questions, speaking up and taking action when something is wrong, and being the person to go to when you want to get something done. Some of the initiatives she led were moving all regular City Council meetings to the evening to support more engagement and council candidates from working residents, standardizing the process and creating terms for all Boards and Commissions appointments, creating the Transportation Safety Advisory Committee with resident volunteers, the Gateway entrance feature, emergency water supply distribution during the ice storm, and recognizing the city as a Purple Heart City with signs placed at our entrances.

Laura is a graduate of the Kendall County Citizen's Law Enforcement Academy and is currently participating in the Boerne ISD Community Leadership Academy, reflecting her involvement in the broader community and local education.

Advocating for Veterans

In 2018, Governor Greg Abbott appointed Laura to the Board of the Texas Veterans Commission, and in 2020 she was appointed Chairwoman. In that role, she helps oversee the agency responsible for advocating for and serving Texas veterans and their families.

Her commitment to veterans extends beyond her official responsibilities. She has spoken to community organizations, including the Fair Oaks Ranch Elementary School, Fair Oaks Ranch Rotary Club, Women of Fair Oaks Ranch, and the Fair Oaks Ranch Homeowner's Association Veterans Day celebration about veteran services and the importance of supporting those who have served.

Laura and her husband, Mike, moved to Fair Oaks Ranch in 2010 and have made it their home while raising their twin daughters, Alex and Eva, now 15. Both Navy veterans, Laura and Mike share a commitment to military service, public service, and their community.

Laura is actively involved in the community as a member of Fair Oaks Ranch Rotary, Women of Fair Oaks Ranch, Fairways Bunco. She volunteers with the Fair Oaks Ranch Homeowners Association and Fairways Homeowners Association, and previously served on the Fair Oaks Ranch Golf and Country Club's membership committee.