Meet AJ Lauer, EdD

We had the good fortune of connecting with AJ Lauer, EdD and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi AJ, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I grew up in a small city in Wisconsin. In 7th grade, I found myself one of the new kids at the Catholic middle school. We were poor, so not even my uniform clothes were “right”, and most of my classmates had been in school together since Kindergarten. I was different in all the wrong ways.

Then one day we had an assembly to watch a presentation called “Differences: Gotta Have ‘em!” The actors were a middle and high schoolers who were part of a Youth Team run by a local disability rights organization. It was a series of mini-scenes, music, and poetry about how we all benefit from being around people who aren’t like us.

It was my first introduction to what we now know as diversity and inclusion work.

I had found my people.

I joined the Youth Team and:

🎭 Over the course of 6 years I did Differences: Gotta Have ‘em presentations for over 5,000 people, Kindergarten – corporate.
I learned to love being on stage, and at least one of the sketches I wrote was still in use a couple years ago.

🎈 We held monthly gatherings for teens with and without disabilities.
I learned how to hold inclusive (and fun!) events.

💔 We presented at my high school the week of the Columbine shooting.
I learned the power of taking a collective moment to feel, to grieve.

🍭 I also got my one-and-only detention from ‘illegally’ selling candy for a fundraiser in the 8th grade.
I learned that as kids we actually had a lot of power to impact the world around us.

These are all lessons I apply all the time through my work with Thriving Ibis Leadership Solutions.

And while the language of diversity has changed, the central messages have not. We are all different, and the world is better for it.

What should our readers know about your business?
My business is called Thriving Ibis Leadership Solutions. I provide leadership development to STEM professionals through workshops, 1:1 work, and facilitation. What sets me apart is that I use research-based best practices to help clients build their skills. I’m really very nerdy! So if you have a question about why you should do something, I’ll likely be able to tell you about a book or article that presents the data-driven reason I am recommending it. That helps me connect with my clients, who appreciate knowing the why of everything. Was it easy? Well.. no, it hasn’t exactly been easy! I just held a party for my business’s 1st birthday. Everyone tells you that the first few years of owning a business are like riding a roller coaster. I keep saying that I’m trying to learn how to throw my hands up and enjoy the ride. Some months are so easy – clients are coming in, the work is fun, I know my work is having an impact. And some months are hard – no new clients, marketing and finances feel like a slog, I wonder if I’m doing the right things. But what has gotten me through is a true belief in what I am doing.
The more inclusive we can make STEM, the more people’s voices are really heard and respected, the better STEM fields can serve all of us. I’ve learned that when I keep my mission in mind, I can do just about anything.
In this next year I’m excited for the publication of my book about Imposter Monsters. It’s a story book for adults that talks about how we can reframe imposter syndrome from an illness that we carry with us all the time to a part of us that shows up sometimes. By naming that part of us as an Imposter Monster we can interact with it and hopefully make those imposter moments a little less scary.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Food: I haven’t eaten out much in Denver proper, but I’d take them to Little Man Ice Cream, for sure. Their salted ice creams make my WI heart smile! Up in the Boulder area we’d definitely visit Ras Kassas for Ethiopian food and the Dushanbe Tea House for afternoon tea. Visit: Red Rocks Amphitheatre – I heard about Red Rocks when I was in high school. A friend said it was the most magical place to see a concert, and I totally agree. It’s a lovely place even when there isn’t a show. I also really love the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, so we’d make sure to visit there.
And of course we’d have to go for a hike! I’d likely take them to the Boulder Chautauqua for a bit of a challenge and some local history.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I was lucky to spend my early career in academia, which meant I worked at places that really valued continuing education. Most notably, I completed my doctoral studies while working at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). They have an education assistance program that will cover courses and fees for a degree that supports your work at the institution, so they paid for my doctoral coursework. That was hugely influential in me getting where I am today.

Website: www.thrivingibis.com

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ajlauer

Image Credits
The picture of me with the Monster can be credited to Andrea Enger Photography