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As co-founder of Vector Communications, Laurna Godwin is a three-time Emmy award winning broadcast journalist who spent nearly twenty years in television as a news anchor, reporter, talk show host and producer. She worked at a variety of cities and television stations throughout the country including WNET-TV in New York City and serving as a mid-west stringer for CNN in St. Louis, Missouri. Prior to co-creating Vector, Laurna was the sole owner of Godwin Communications, a media relations and video production company.

As the partner responsible for Vector’s communications department, Laurna has won several international and national journalism awards, including top honors from the “Communicator” Awards for a video she produced on the City of St. Louis’ economic development program. The award is given to those whose ability to communicate puts them “among the best in the field and whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry.” In April 2006, Laurna received the Federation of Press Women – Missouri affiliate’s Quest Award, which recognizes professional communicators whose work “reflects an enduring quest for the highest standards of professional ethics and excellence".

In addition to Vector, Laurna is Contributing Publisher of St. Louis Woman Magazine.  The mission of the three-year-old publication is to inspire, educate and motivate women.

Laurna has also won several awards for her professional and civic leadership. Last fall, the St. Louis Business Journal named her one of the most influential minority business leaders in the region. In 2004, Women of Achievement honored Laurna in the category of community leadership. That same year she received the African-American Woman of Distinction award from POW, the Professional Organization of Women. In 2003, Laurna was recognized as one of the 25 most influential businesswomen in St. Louis.

Laurna currently serves on several civic and corporate boards. Laurna is a corporate director for the Journal Register Company, a leading U.S. newspaper publishing company based in Pennsylvania that owns 22 daily newspapers and nearly 320 non-dailies. She is Chair of the Board of the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri, one of the largest Girl Scout Councils in the United States serving more than 63,000 girls with 17,000 volunteers. Laurna also serves on the Board of Directors of the Greater St. Louis Community Foundation, and the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association (RCGA).   Appointed by Mayor Francis Slay, Laurna is a Commissioner in the City of St. Louis serving on the Downtown Economic Stimulus Authority.

Laurna received her undergraduate degree in English Literature and American Studies from Princeton University and her masters in journalism from Columbia University in New York City.