Laura Deal Lacey is the executive director of the Milken Institute Asia. She was the institute's first employee in Asia and has built its team, programs and networks in the Asia Pacific region. Prior to joining the Institute, Laura was the executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore. Acting as the face of the organization, Laura represented the interest of U.S. companies in Singapore and helped advance policy and business issues that American companies face in Southeast Asia. Before moving to Asia, Laura was based in New York and worked in the CEO's office at Edelman, the global PR firm, to promote its leadership and intellectual capital. She started her career in Europe working for six years at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Geneva, Switzerland. Laura is a trustee of the Asian University for Women in Bangladesh. She is also an independent director of two corporate boards -- the SGX-listed Pacific Century Regional Development (PCRD) and FWD Insurance (Singapore). Laura has certificates in Corporate Governance and Board Directorship from INSEAD and the Singapore Management University. A dual citizen of Brazil and the U.S., Laura holds a B.S. from Arizona State University and an M.S. from Columbia University.