Laura Mentler is a Senior Knowledge Management Specialist at ScottMadden and has been with the firm since August 2022. She leads initiatives that strengthen how the firm captures, organizes, and shares knowledge, helping teams leverage past experiences to deliver smarter solutions. Beyond her day-to-day role, she has been active in the Diversity & Inclusion Network Outreach (DINO) group and co-led the Community Engagement team. She holds a B.A. in psychology from Rutgers, an elementary education certification from Kean University, and a master’s in library science from North Carolina Central University.
Opening Pages
Laura’s story begins in Manahawkin, New Jersey, a small town not far from Long Beach Island. One of four siblings, she grew up in a family that loved to travel. A weekend trip could mean piling into the family’s travel trailer and heading up or down the East Coast to Virginia, the Poconos, ski trips to her grandparents’ Pennsylvania home, and other stops in New Jersey. Longer trips took the family to Disney World, Niagara Falls, or Maine.
At home, the tone was set by her mother, a nurse who Laura describes as gentle, loving, and always focused on others. “She taught us that everyone deserved the same level of respect, no matter who they were or where they came from,” Laura recalls. That quiet example of compassion and grace became a part of Laura’s foundation and lessons she still carries into every part of her life. 
In school, Laura learned to play the flute, piccolo, and trumpet and joined nearly every music-related group available: concert band, marching band, jazz band, and musical pit orchestra. By the end of high school, she was leading the way as drum major.
College first took her north to Boston University and then back home to Rutgers University to earn a B.A. in psychology. It was at Rutgers that she met her husband, a clinical pharmacy student, through a community service club. The two married in 2002 and have been adventuring together ever since.
Checking Out New Chapters
Teaching became Laura’s first professional calling. She spent several years in classrooms across Illinois, New Jersey, and California, teaching second and third grades. “Patience is essential,” she says. “If you want to teach anyone anything, whether they’re children or adults, you have to meet them where they are.”
After a few years, Laura took time away from teaching to focus on raising her children. Hoping to hold onto the small, fleeting moments of their busy days, she began documenting them with her camera. What started as a personal interest soon grew into a small business where her work focused on candid, documentary-style portraits that captured the beauty of everyday moments. “I’ve always had a terrible memory,” she laughs, “so I love photography because it helps me look back and remember.” 
When the world slowed down in 2020, Laura began thinking about what might come next. She remembered advice from her aunt, also a teacher, who had once encouraged her to consider a career in libraries. That memory led her to North Carolina Central University’s Master of Library Science program. The curriculum, with courses in archives, records management, and public libraries, reignited her passion for learning and connecting people to information. One course in particular stood out: knowledge management. The professor was engaging, and “it was good for me because the small class size meant I had to talk more than I usually would in class.”
After earning her degree in 2022, Laura began looking for jobs in libraries and archives—but hiring freezes made the market tight. Then, almost by chance, she came across a posting at ScottMadden. The role felt like a perfect fit.
Circulating Knowledge and Patience
Today, Laura’s work weaves together her background in education, photography, and library science around a single purpose: helping others access and share knowledge. At ScottMadden, she manages digital systems, organizes knowledge, and ensures the firm’s intellectual capital is easy to find and use. Her librarian experience taught her that questions are often just the starting point: “People don’t always know exactly what they’re looking for,” she explains. “You have to listen and dig deeper to help them find it.” It’s a perspective shaped by patience, empathy, and the same desire to help that’s guided her since childhood. 
When she’s not working, Laura’s happiest doing the things she loves most: running, reading, baking, and traveling with her family of five. A dedicated runner and lifelong book lover, she finds balance in early morning miles, quiet moments with a good story, and time spent with her kids and their dog, Rosie. Travel is a family tradition, especially trips to France to visit her husband’s relatives. One of their favorite adventures was a six-week, cross-country road trip in a travel trailer that included 11 national parks. Each day, she lives a story that keeps unfolding—woven with moments and memories she knows all too well, and chapters yet to be lived.
Through every phase of her journey, Laura has built a life centered on learning, connection, and care. Whether it’s capturing a memory in a photograph or organizing a repository, Laura has the unique talent of archiving knowledge while at the same time bringing it to life.