Laura Van Riper has over 30 years of academic and on-the-ground experience in collaborative and community-based natural resource management and conflict resolution both within the United States and abroad.

Laura served as the social scientist and conflict resolution specialist on the National Riparian Service Team – a, field-based, interagency, and interdisciplinary team – for 23 years. The team was focused on increasing the capacity of local, diverse groups to effectively confront and manage technically complex and socially contentious riparian issues throughout the western U.S.

In 2023, Laura moved to the BLM’s National Collaborative Action and Dispute Resolution (CADR) program as the Field Lead and serves as a senior level facilitator on the BLM and DOI CADR in-house facilitation rosters. In addition to managing several ongoing collaborative efforts across the west, Laura also served as a link between agency headquarters and the field regarding the development and implementation of collaboration and partnership policies, strategies, and workforce development initiatives. Her expertise ranges from program evaluation and strategic planning to organizational development, team building, and managing peer-to-peer learning networks (also known as communities of practice).

Laura retired from the federal workforce in 2025 and now works a consultant.

Find Laura on Linked In.