Laura Lapins Willis has been observing people and writing about them since she was 8 years old. She began her career as a journalist, but then moved into the nonprofit world to make a difference in people s lives. Willis has served in a variety of influential roles, including helping found an environmental group in Washington, DC, and work as grant writer and fund-raiser for the University of the South. She and her husband have two sons, and live in Sewanee, Tennessee, where she is known for her work at the Community Action Committee as a community organizer and advocate.