Laura Diaz, Sr. Director of Community & Inclusion at The LPGA

Laura Diaz took her first golf lesson in Puerto Rico on her 10th birthday and instantly fell in love with the game. Now working as the LPGA’s senior director of foundation operations and diversity, equity and inclusion, Diaz dedicates herself to making the game she loves accessible to as many women and girls as possible.

After developing her skills under the instruction of Faulconer, Laura began playing in tournaments and representing her native Puerto Rico as part of the national team at just 13 years old. At 18, she earned an athletic scholarship to play on the golf team at East Tennessee State.

In 2007, after completing her undergraduate degree in public relations and mass communications from East Tennessee—a slight deviation from her initial plan of becoming a doctor like her father and grandfather—Diaz returned to Puerto Rico and began her career at the Puerto Rico Golf Association. She continued her education at the University of Georgia, earning a master's degree in sports management. Having maintained a relationship with her former colleagues and associates at PRGA and from her days on tour, Diaz landed a dream internship at the PGA Tour, where she was placed at First Tee headquarters. During her eight-year tenure at First Tee, Diaz served as manager of events, managing national programs and events focused on youth leadership, mentorship and character building.

In 2019, Laura joined the LPGA as director of foundation operations, overseeing all programs and services supporting the LPGA Foundation. In this role, the knowledge she gained in her nearly 14 years in the events and operations space, learning the nuances of the industry, are invaluable in leading her team to success. “I don’t make my team do anything I haven’t done before,” she says. I've been in a gravel lot with a little wand from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Literally, I've done it all.”

Laura was featured in the Sport Illustrated series "Elle-evate: 100 Influential Black Women in Sports".