Laura McVay

Laura Hendley McVay attended Murray State University where she received a Bachelor of Science in Speech in May 1983. In 1985 she began working in Career and Technical Education as an Outreach Specialist at Three Rivers Community College. She worked with a program assisting single parents, displaced homemakers and nontraditional students. Laura left TRCC and worked at Linn State Technical college for three years as the Assistant Director and Director of Careers Unlimited and then as the Vocational Resource Educator. In 1989, Laura went to work for the Rolla School District as the Director of New Perspectives at Rolla Technical Institute where she stayed until she came to Waynesville as the Assistant Director/Adult Community Coordinator for Waynesville Technical Academy. After three years, Laura had the opportunity to relocate to Sikeston and became the director of the Sikeston Career and Technology Center, a position she held for nine years. In 2007, the director of Waynesville Career Center position became available and Laura returned to the Waynesville R-VI School District and continues as the director of the school.

Laura has written grants for equipment for the various schools she has worked in valued at over $3 million. As the director of WCC, she was a member of the committee responsible for the construction of the new Waynesville Career Center and assisted in obtaining over $5.75 million in state dollars for construction of the facility.

Laura belongs to many professional organizations including: Missouri State Teachers Association, Missouri Association of Career and Technical Educators where she has served as the Missouri state president for the last two years, and the Missouri Council of Career and Technical Administrators. In addition, she has served on the Waynesville/St. Robert Chamber of Commerce for the past three years.

Laura has a Masters of Education in Practical Arts Vocational Technical Education from the University of Missouri-Columbia and an Education Specialist degree from William Woods University.

Laura recently married Byron McVay and they currently reside in Waynesville.