Laura Lawless Robertson

In 2002, Laura Lawless Robertson won the title of Miss Arizona 2002 and advanced to the top 15 semi-finalists at the 2003 Miss America competition. She has been candid about her own experiences as an individual living with mental illness. Since June 2002, she has traveled extensively across the United States, covering over 200,000 miles to educate audiences about mental health awareness. Robertson has made significant contributions to raising awareness about mental health issues, putting a face on the struggles faced by millions of Americans living with a mental disorder and their supporters.

Robertson is a celebrity spokesperson for the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression. She serves on the Boards of Directors for several state and national behavioral health advocacy organizations, including the Institute for Mental Health Research, notMYkid, Inc., and Meta Services, Inc. She contributed to President George W. Bush's New Freedom Commission for Mental Health. Her speaking engagements have taken her around the country as she continues to address the public about mental illness.

In recognition of her work, Robertson has received numerous awards, including the 2004 Institute for Mental Health Research "Hero in Women's Mental Health" Award; the 2003 National Alliance for the Mentally Ill's Purdy Award to End Discrimination Against the Mentally Ill; the 2003 Arizona Center for Disability Law's Mental Health Advocate of the Year Award; the 2003 Arizona Alliance for the Mentally Ill Advocate of the Year Award; and the 2003 Toastmasters International Communications and Leadership Award. Her advocacy has been featured in several publications and media outlets, including People magazine, Woman's World magazine, The Washington Post, The New York Daily News, and CNN. She has also been featured in nationwide Public Service Announcement campaigns and scholarly articles and book chapters on psychiatric recovery education. Robertson was named to the 2006 Business Journal of Phoenix "Forty under 40" list.

Robertson graduated cum laude from Harvard University in June 2000 with a focus in psychopathology. In May 2005, she graduated magna cum laude from the Arizona State University College of Law, where she joined the national legal honor society, The Order of the Coif, and received distinction as a Pedrick Scholar in mental health law and public policy. Currently, she is a partner attorney at Squire Patton Boggs in Phoenix, AZ, where she handles labor and employment issues as well as general litigation matters.