Ge’helo’, Kumisión i Fino’ CHamoru

Governor of Guam Appointee

Dr. Laura Marie Torres Souder is President and CEO of Souder, Betances and Associates, Inc. established in Chicago and now operating in Guam. Through her visionary leadership, she has led a competent team of professionals to provide cutting edge training services to public and private clients in all 50 states, throughout Micronesia and in other countries. She and her husband and partner, Dr. Samuel Betances, continue to provide training in leadership development, educational transformation, bridging the student achievement gap, organizational change management, and literacy.

Dr. Souder earned her BA at Emanuel College in Boston and her MA and PhD in American Studies from the University of Hawaii as a Joint Doctoral Intern at the East West Center. She completed a Post-Doctoral Ford Foundation Minority Fellowship at De Paul University in Chicago.

Laura served as the youngest member of the Governor’s Cabinet on Guam at the age of 24 and became the Cultural attache to the Governor representing Guam internationally. Laura has presented at conferences throughout Micronesia, Asia and the South Pacific and has been part of research efforts sponsored by the South Pacific Commission, UNESCO and other entities on the effects of modernization and development on Pacific Island people, language and culture. She served as curator of the Guam Museum and taught at the University of Guam for over a decade. Her book Daughters of the Island: Contemporary Chamoru Organizers of Guam was initially published as MARC’s first historical monograph. The 40th Anniversary Edition was released in 2024 for which she was recognized by the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce as the First CHamoru woman to have published a book. Additionally, she co-edited CHamorro self-determination with Dr. Robert Underwood and has also authored numerous research papers and technical reports. She has published a children’s book entitled, Kiko’s Adventure on the Magic Flying Proa in both English and CHamoru. She also writes a column in the Guam Sunday post called, Cho’cho’ Saina. With her husband, Dr. Souder has published four volumes in a series entitled, Island Insights on various topics related to CHamoru language and culture. She currently serves as the Chairperson of both the Kumision I Fino’ CHamoru and the Guam Indigenous Heritage Alliance. She is a Saina Advisor to the Hurao Academy. She is also a Research Associate at the Micronesian Area Research Center .. As a woman of distinction, she has advocated for greater participation of women alongside men in promoting a more just and inclusive society in many diverse forums. Finally, she is spiritually grounded, is gifted with a sense of humor and a greater sense of purpose.