The FREOPP Brain Trust: Tamra Laukien

Why did Tamra Laukien drop out of a lucrative career in tech to join FREOPP? It started with a national crisis.

Tamra was born and raised in Middlebury, Vermont, where her parents raised livestock on rented farm space. “My mom was a yoga-loving naturopathic type,” she says. “Everything I ate was farm-to-table — no processed food.” Tamra learned how to fly a plane, ride a Harley, drive a truck, and work hard.

After studying sociology at Castleton University, Tamra and a friend bought a restaurant near Lake Champlain in northern Vermont. “Launching a small restaurant at the age of 24 taught me to appreciate the personal investment that business owners make, the risks they assume, the importance of hiring trustworthy staff, and of connecting with the local community.”

A few years in, Tamra received a compelling offer to join a sales team in Boston. She handed the restaurant over to her partner, and joined Oracle and then Salesforce, where she worked her way into senior executive roles. “What I loved most about my career in sales was the lifelong friendships with my colleagues and customers. Relationships are at the center of everything in life.”

In 2020, Tamra was inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic to refocus her work on making a broader social impact, and joined FREOPP as its Director of Strategic Partnerships. In 2023, Tamra moved over to FREOPP’s Board of Advisors. “I’ve known Avik Roy since 2002, and I love the values that FREOPP stands for,” she says. “We have so many intelligent and credible people trying to solve real problems and make a difference for tens of millions of Americans.”

Tamra lives in New Hampshire with her husband, Frank, who is a FREOPP board member; their children, and her dog Oakley.

Follow Tamra on Twitter: @TamraLaukien