Fall 2024 Office Hours

Mondays and Wednesdays, 11 a.m.-Noon, HLH 335H | and by appointment

Biography

Laura McLeod earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Emory University and a Master of Business Administration from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. She has over 20 years of marketing and sales experience, having worked for marketing agencies as well as large companies and smaller start-ups. Laura’s past experience includes fundraising for Harvard University, CARE International and The American Red Cross, as well as serving as a Brand Manager with The Coca-Cola Company.

Undergraduate Courses

Sales Communication (MRKT 257) - Provides an introduction to the fundamentals of sales communication including verbal, listening and written skills. Students learn the various components of the selling process, develop a written selling plan, and gain experience in executing each step of the selling process through role-play exercises.

Marketing Channels Management (MRKT 346) - Basic concepts used in analyzing marketing channels, identifies the issues of designing sound channels, the issues of managing them effectively, and evaluating their performance.

Marketing Communication Strategy (MRKT 347) - Role of communication in the marketing process. Integration of advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, packaging, public relations, as well as their social, economic, and legal impact. Emphasis on influence of marketing communication on consumer information processing and decision making processes and determination and evaluation of marketing communication opportunities, objectives, messages, and effort. 

Services Marketing (MRKT 426) - Services marketing and the services marketing process. Key concepts, issues and terminology. Specific tools and frameworks enabling communication with other professional marketers and analysis of services marketing situations to make realistic recommendations for managerial action.

Consumer Behavior: Marketing Aspects (MRKT 443) - Application of behavioral science theories, concepts, methods, and research findings to the understanding and prediction of consumer behavior as the basis of decision making by marketing managers.

Teaching Interests

• Marketing Communication
• Marketing Channels
• Consumer Behavior
• Sales Communication

Department Service

Assisted College of Business liaisons with the University of Nebraska Foundation in donor cultivation efforts by communicating with alumni, hosting them in class, and sending follow-up correspondence to strengthen the prospect’s relationship with UNL, the Department of Marketing, and the Center for Sales Excellence. (September 2018 - December 2020).

Developed a Sales Job/Internship board for students in the Center for Sales Excellence certificate program. (2018 - December 2020).

Created a “Women in Sales” cohort within the Center for Sales Excellence to build community among female students and assist in recruiting women into the program. (2018 - December 2020).

Worked closely with corporate partners and UNL alumni to promote and strengthen the Center for Sales Excellence certificate program. (January 2016 - December 2020).

Faculty Advisor, UNL Sales Club. Assisted students in developing programs and events, which had approximately 60 members. Created and hosted a day trip to Omaha that enabled club members to visit with sales leaders from five different companies. (2019).

Committee Member, Assistant Professor of Practice Search Committee. (August 2019 - September 2019).

Faculty Advisor, UNL Sales Club. Assisted students in launching the new club. Developed a Sales Club constitution to comply with UNL RSO guidelines. Met bi-monthly with club members to develop and execute beneficial programming for 60 members. (2018).

College Service

Committee Member, Strategic Planning, Mission, Vision, Value Task Force. (January 2018 - April 2018).

New Student Enrollment, Take a Parent to Lunch. (June 2017).

Committee Member, CBA Wellness Committee. (January 2016 - May 2016).

University Service

Committee Member, Faculty Senate. (August 2019 - December 2020).

Marshall Corps. (May 2019 - December 2020).

Small Group Leader, Diversity Workshop for Husker Orientation. (September 2016).

Awards

Recipient, 2020 Sue Vagts Faculty/Staff Partner of the Year Award. Presented for "going above and beyond to foster relationships with employers and enhance career opportunities for students."

Recipient of Certificate of Recognition for Contributions to Students from the Parents Association and the Teaching Council of the University of Nebraska. (2018).

Nominated, 2018-2019 Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, College of Business. (December 2018).

Nominated, 2017-2018 Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, College of Business. (December 2017).

UNL Department of Marketing Teaching Award. (2017)

Certificate of Recognition for Contributions to Students, UNL Teaching Council and the UNL Parents Association. (2017).

Awarded “Outstanding Professor”, UNL Delta Sigma Pi, Alpha Delta Chapter. (2017).