Laura Schnell joined Brakeley GmbH in October 2025, where she works across research, communications and administration. Prospect research is central to her work, which she has carried out for a wide range of organisations, from universities and NGOs to cultural and educational institutions.

Her background bridges business and the social sciences. She began with a dual bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, focusing on Public Management, at the Hochschule für angewandtes Management in Ismaning, in partnership with the City of Munich. Her path then took her to Austria, where she completed a Master of Science in Social Management at Johannes Kepler University Linz, with a focus on Political Education and Gender Studies.

After earning her bachelor’s degree, she first worked as an integration specialist for the City of Munich, supporting and advising people in a range of life circumstances on their path towards employment and social participation. During her master’s studies, she worked in Vienna for Shades Tours Vienna, a social enterprise whose city tours raise awareness of poverty, homelessness, addiction and drug use, guided by people personally affected by these challenges. Covering the founder and owner’s parental leave, she led day-to-day operations and took charge of customer and quality management, public relations and the training and hiring of new guides.

Her first experience in fundraising came through several years of volunteering with the Kurt Landauer Stiftung e. V. She helped run its annual campaigns in support of social projects across Munich, managed its social media communications and played a part in choosing the beneficiary organisations and presenting the donations.