The CWGA is in the midst of celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, but as of this spring, the association had had a grand total of just three full-fledged executive directors.
Until Monday, that is.
That’s when Laura Robinson, who has served as the acting executive director for the last five-plus months, had the “acting” portion of her title officially removed. So she becomes the fourth E.D. in CWGA history, joining Maggie Giesenhagen (1988-1991), Robin Jervey (1992-2014) and Ann Guiberson (2014-15).
“I feel like the luckiest person,” Robinson said Monday, when she was serving as a starter at the U.S. Women’s Open qualifier at Heritage at Westmoor. “This is a dream job. It’s sports. It’s golf, which I love. It’s non-profit. It’s working with women and goals. It’s working with a great group of volunteers and the staff — Kate (Moore) and Matthew (Walker) and Aaron (Guereca); they’re a wonderful group to work with. So it just feels like a dream job.”
The volunteer CWGA board, which leads the organization, was impressed with Robinson’s work over her time as acting executive director.
“We’re proud and pleased and so excited” with Robinson’s appointment, said CWGA president Juliet Miner. “When you’re looking for an executive director for a golf organization, you really need someone with business experience and background, and she has that. She’s challenged the staff, and they’ve blossomed under her.”
Robinson has a Masters degree in Business Administration from the London Business School. In addition to her duties at the CWGA, she’s been teaching at Colorado Women’s College at the University of Denver as the chair of the information technology studies program.
So what are Robinson’s priorities now as the full-fledged executive director of the CWGA?
“My objectives in any job I’ve had have always been to work very very hard to deliver great products and services, and to have fun,” she said. “And that hasn’t changed. I think the goal for right now is to make sure this (centennial) season comes off successfully. All of us in the office want to make sure that we’re serving our members, we’re adding value, and we’re running great tournaments.”
Robinson has been an avid sports participant for her whole life. She’s skied, run (finishing both the New York City and London Marathons), played squash, and been a cyclist.
She gave golf a go about a decade ago, participating in a “Get Golf Ready” session at Hiwan Golf Club, where Robinson and her husband, Paul, have been members since 2004 — and live nearby. Given how she’s picked up sports relatively easily in the past, she thought it would be the same for golf.
But suffice it to say that things didn’t go quite according to plan.
“I was completely humbled and went back to cycling,” recalls Robinson, who at the time served on the board of directors for Team Evergreen Cycling.
But in 2009, while living in Evergreen, she was cycling near Soda Creek during rutting season for elk. A bull started to charge, which she noticed out of the corner of her eye. Going about 35 mph down a hill, she hit the brakes and took a nasty fall, breaking her pelvis and some ribs. Evergreen Fire and Rescue transported her to St. Anthony’s Trauma Center, where she spent the next three days.
Robinson got back in the saddle — literally and figuratively — for the 25th Ride the Rockies the next year, but shortly after that, she went to the driving range at Hiwan. And with that, she was hooked on golf for good.
“It was time to learn something new,” she said. “I’m one of those people who focus and set goals. And to become good, you really have to pick your sport.”
And now, somewhere around 500 rounds of golf later, Robinson finds herself as the executive director of the CWGA.
Robinson first played a role for the CWGA in the summer of 2014, when she volunteered to help Guiberson develop an IT strategy at the association. Then she joined the CWGA’s volunteer board of directors more than a year ago. (CLICK HERE to see all the board members.)
Robinson and her husband moved to Colorado in 1998, after she spent much of her early life in the greater New York City area before she and Paul relocated to London for eight years.
“The culture shock of moving from New York City to London is not nearly as great as it was moving from London to Evergreen,” she notes.
But in 1998, after having been to Colorado just a few times, Robinson and her husband were on a ski trip with friends and decided to stay.
“I saw blue sky, sun and mountains,” she said, recalling her thinking.
Since becoming a resident, Robinson has worked as a principal consultant at CSC Consulting, as a senior program manager at McData, and as director of product management at MX Logic before becoming a co-owner at PWR Consulting and teaching at Colorado Women’s College at DU.
And, as noted, Robinson loves golf. In her first round of nine holes, she shot a 74 in 2010. But she’s been devoted to improving, and those hundreds of rounds over the last six-plus years seem to be doing the trick. At Hiwan, she was named most improved golfer twice — for the nine-hole group in 2011 and for the 18-holers in 2012.
“And I’m really disappointed I haven’t won it again (since),” she said with a chuckle.
Robinson also received a “rising star award” from fellow Hiwan member — and current CWGA vice president — Kathy Malpass in 2014. Robinson regularly competes for the B team at Hiwan in interclub competitions.
Administratively, Robinson has served as the tournament chairperson for the Hiwan Women’s Golf Association.
“I love golf in Colorado,” she said.
And now Robinson will have a role in helping shape it.
