lAURA MCCarty

Laura McCarty is a poet, communications strategist, and international development leader who believes that stories—whether told on the page, on the stage, or through public dialogue—have the power to change how we see one another and the world.

Ms. McCarty serves as External Relations Manager at the World Bank Group, where she leads communications for the institution’s economics research and global thought leadership as well as for its infrastructure portfolio. Previously, she held senior communications leadership roles at the International Finance Corporation, where she advanced efforts to connect global audiences with ideas and initiatives around sustainable development, private investment, and economic opportunity. Over more than two decades in international development, she has advised senior leaders, built global communications teams, and shaped narratives around some of the world’s most complex challenges, including infrastructure, public health, food security, climate, and inclusive growth.

A lifelong writer, Ms. McCarty is the author of the poetry collection Just One Swallow. Her poems have appeared in The Rumpus, The St. Petersburg Review, Lunch Ticket, and other literary journals. She earned an MFA in Poetry from American University and a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from The University of Texas at Austin. She was a semifinalist for the Disquiet International Literary Prize and a nonfiction finalist for the Diane Woods Moore Award.

Ms. McCarty believes theater holds a unique power to foster empathy, challenge assumptions, and bring communities together through shared experience. She is honored to serve on the Board of Directors of Mosaic Theater Company and to support its commitment to creating meaningful conversations through bold and thought-provoking work.