Meet Laurel Barrett | Coordinator of Diagnostic testing & International Ms. Colorado 2022

We had the good fortune of connecting with Laurel Barrett and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Laurel, what do you want your legacy to be?
“You are remembered for what you give, not for what you take. Give as much as you want to be remembered.” – Matshona Dhliwayo

I have always considered myself to be a very giving and loving person. I am there for everyone no matter what they need. If they need a ride to the airport in the middle of the night. No problem! If they need me to help them with a project last minute and I already had plans that had been on my calendar for months. No problem! Over the years I have also volunteered with hundreds of organizations working on all types of projects. I am the type of person that will say yes to an opportunity just because I have never done it before so that I can gain a new experience.

I hope that these acts are acknowledged and that they will remind people that we all need someone sometimes.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My current position is I am a Coordinator of Diagnostic Testing but before I was a traveling senior pharmacy technician. I have worked in the healthcare industry for almost 18 years. I have always enjoyed taking on special assignments and that is part of the reason why I am where I am at today. I had great mentors in the field that encouraged me to learn new things and help share my knowledge with others. From my experience, it is better to share the knowledge with everyone instead of keeping it from someone because if everyone is performing at their best the whole place runs smoother.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am a 4th generation Colorado native so my friend and I would get to have a behind-the-scenes tour of Colorado with some off-the-beaten-path things that most people don’t think about. I hope they are well-rested and ready to see some amazing sites.

Day 1
• Brunch at the Broadmoor hotel
• Trip to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and the Shrine of Remembrance
• Lunch at the Golden Bee
• Visit 7 falls and hike around Helen Hunt falls
• Dinner at Brakeman Burgers. Hopefully, we will get to see some trains drive by.

Day 2
• Grab drinks and snacks at a gas station on the way out of town to Canon City
• Tour the old prison
• Head to the Royal Gorge for lunch and to see the sites
• Eat dinner in Downtown Canon City

Day 3
• After an active couple of days, we are going to head to Mount Princeton and stay the day at the hot springs. We will be in the creek most of the time because that is my favorite part.
• Dinner in Salida at the Boat Yard on the river

Day 4
• We will hop back on the highway and make our way to Montrose to see the Black Canyon of the Gunnison
• Along the way we will stop at Monarch Pass to see the sites and we will have a picnic lunch at Blue Mesa Reservoir.

Day 5
• We are exhausted after hiking all over the Black Canyon of the Gunnison so now we are headed to Glenwood Springs to relax in the hot springs there.
• Tonight, we will feel lazy and order a pizza for dinner so that we don’t have to go out

Day 6
• We only have a few more days to pack in as much as possible so we are going to head down I70 to tour Idaho Springs
• There is a ton of cute shops and plenty of history to learn
• Dinner will be at Beau Jo’s Pizza

Day 7
• We will end our week-long adventure in Denver by going to the aquarium and eating lunch at the restaurant in the aquarium
• Our last destination will be to walk 16th street mall before heading to the airport

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to give a shoutout to my mom for always encouraging me to do the next big thing in life. When I was little there was an opportunity for me to attend a school program that would have given me an advantage later in life. I didn’t know if I should apply or not because it would have meant that I would have had to go to a different middle school and I would have to leave all my friends that I went to elementary school with. I can remember her saying that I needed to apply because one day I might say why didn’t I try for that, or I should have applied for that. I have used this advice for many events in my life.

I realize now that she was right with her advice. You must leave your comfort zone and do scary things if you want to expand your horizon. I am so glad she pushed me. But she wasn’t pushing me as much as supporting me while teaching me that I had the potential to do amazing things in my life.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/InternationalMsColorado2022

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurel-barrett-48796255

Facebook: www.facebook.com/InternationalMsColorado2022

Image Credits
Erica Lindsey Photography & Graphique Fine Art Photography