Prior to assuming her current role of Executive Officer in October 2007, Ensign Laura Burns held the billets of Assistant Training Officer, Indoctrination Officer, and Training Officer. She has more than a decade of Martial Arts experience which provides skills very complimentary to the Naval Sea Cadet Corps environment.

Mrs. Burns graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, in 1996 with Bachelor's of Arts in Chemistry and accepted a position as Safety Inspector with a carpentry business in a northwest suburb of Chicago. Her primary hobby at this time was Martial Arts, particularly tae kwon do. She began training under Master Mary Brunner of the McHenry Tae Kwon Do Academy and received her black belt within two years.

She moved to Woodbury in 1998 and accepted a managerial position with the Hertz Corporation. This allowed her to be closer to her best friend and future husband, Ron, while also providing the opportunity to pursue a Master's program in Secondary Education at the University of St. Thomas. Mrs. Burns graduated with a Master's Degree in 2001 and began her teaching career at South Saint Paul H.S. where she taught both math and chemistry for several years prior to the birth of their last two sons.

ENS Burns is married to Ron Burns, who is Twin Cities Squadron's Webmaster. Together they have five sons: Tom, Andy, Tony, Sean, and Mitchell. The middle son is a Sea Cadet in Twin Cities Squadron, and this is how both parents became involved as adult volunteers. Cadet Burns first began as a Leaguer Cadet in the winter of 2006, attended NLCC Orientation later that year, and then graduated to Sea Cadet status the following year.

Mrs. Burns currently owns her own photography business where she specializes in family portraits and wedding photography. Between running her business, her role as a mom, and her numerous commitments in Twin Cities Squadron, her days are certainly active. She is thrilled to be an adult leader in NSCC, which she considers one of the finest youth development organizations available, and she considers it an honor to be the Executive Officer in the top-performing NSCC Unit in the Nation. She was selected as Twin Cities Squadron Instructor of the Year for 2007.

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