Guerline L. Laurore

Director of Equity and Access

EMPA Fels Institute of Government

After Ms. L. Laurore graduated High School in French Guiana, she received a coveted scholarship to pursue her studies in France. She earned a Bachelors’ degree in Psychology, in 1995 and a Masters’ Degree in Clinical Psychology and Psychopathology in 1996 both from the University of Provence Center of Aix. In 2004, she received a Juris Doctor Degree from Widener University School of Law, in Wilmington Delaware. Ms. Laurore is licensed to practice law before the United States Supreme Court, in Pennsylvania state courts, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. She is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Leadership Institute (BLI) class of 2010-2011. She received a Certificate in Leadership Development, from Harrisburg and Alvernia Universities, (2020) a Certificate in US Public Policy: Social, Economic, & Foreign Policies from HarvardEx via Edx, (2020) and a Certificate in Basic Mediation Training (2020) from Center for Resolution, (2020). Ms. L. Laurore is fluent in English, French, and Haitian Creole, with a working knowledge of Portuguese and Spanish. Afer seven years working as a Behavior Specialist Consultant and Mobile Therapist, she maintained a prominent immigration law practice for over ten years. She then joined the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission’s Director of Policy and Intergovernmental Affairs and the Director of the Mediation Program. In addition, she taught as an adjunct faculty at several colleges and universities in the areas of Psychology and Law.

She sits on the Board of Governors of the World Affairs Council of Harrisburg. She is appointed to the PA Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights where she was elected Secretary by her peers. She belongs to several Pennsylvania Bar Association Committees including the Women in the Profession, the Minority Bar, and the Civil and Equal Rights Committees. In addition, she serves on the PA Department of Education Task Force for Equity and Inclusion and chairs the PHRC School to Prison Pipeline Committee all while serving as the PHRC Legislative liaison to the PA State Assembly and for constituents Affairs. Ms. Laurore is the past Secretary to the Governor’s Advisory Commission on African American Affairs, where she served as the Education chair. She served on the Board of CASA of Wyoming Valley, the Big Brothers Big Sisters Advisory Board, is the past co-chair of Pennsylvania Bar Association Immigration Law Committee and the Pennsylvania Bar Association Law Related Education Committee.

Ms. L. Laurore is a recipient of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Harrisburg Chapter Trailblazers Award in Public Policy, the PHRC Executive Director Excellence Award, the Pennsylvania Young Lawyers Division Michael K. Smith Excellence in Service Award, a Pennsylvania Bar Association Minority Bar Committee, Rising Star, and was named one of Lulac Political Letter ‘s 2018 Women We Love.

If you have ideas or suggestions you would like to share about GAPSA, please do not hesitate to contact Guerline at gapsa.equity.access@gapsa.upenn.edu.