Laura Aldrete

Executive Director, Community Planning and Development | City and County of Denver

Laura serves as the Director of Economic Competitiveness and Corporate Attraction at the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation. In this role, Laura manages economic development efforts and develops strategic initiatives to expand the Metro Denver region’s economic competitiveness and ability to attract leading companies and talented workers.

Previously, Laura served as the Managing Director of Business Investment at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP). In this role, she was responsible for attracting corporate investment to Virginia and managing a portfolio of industries that includes software, cybersecurity, data centers, headquarters, life sciences, and business services. She led the Technology and Services team in assisting companies with state financial incentives and site selection, and provided customized research to clients, informing their investment decisions.

In past roles, Laura worked for the State of Colorado at the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) and the Governor’s Office of State Planning and Budgeting. Her previous professional experience includes work at the Colorado General Assembly, the National Italian American Foundation, the Department of State U.N. Political Affairs, and the Region of Umbra in Perugia, Italy.

Laura earned a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Colorado, Boulder and a M.A. in International Economics from Johns Hopkins University at the School of Advanced International Studies. Laura was born and raised in Denver. She enjoys playing with her son, hiking, skiing, and speaking Italian in her free time.