Laura Cotterman has worked as both a professional botanist and an editor. She received an M.S. in plant ecology from NC State University and a B.S. in biology from Vassar College. She began her career as a seasonal botanist/ecologist for the N.C. Plant Conservation Program and then a botanist/data manager for the N.C. Natural Heritage Program. She was publications and publicity coordinator for the North Carolina Botanical Garden from 2003 to 2014.
