Laura (Leventis) McKinney is a Columbia native with over 25 years of public relations, economic development and communications experience across the country and around the world. Laura began her Chamber life almost 30 years ago as the Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Estonia, then served as a diplomat with the US Department of State. She has held senior leadership and executive roles in non-profit, manufacturing and banking. Laura is a board member of the Columbia Rotary Club and serves on the Board of the Columbia Music Festival Association.

Laura is a graduate of AC Flora High School in Richland District One and holds a BA from the University of Virginia. She and her husband Jim, a retired Army Officer, live in Chapin with the youngest of their 5 children. They are members of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Columbia.