Staff Spotlight: Laura Escamilla

by Elise Aiello on Dec 13, 2023

Each month, we highlight one of our talented team members. This month, our Staff Spotlight will focus on Laura Escamilla, Koha Developer at ByWater Solutions.

Who is Laura?

Laura recently celebrated one year at ByWater Solutions as a Koha Developer. Laura has an impressive background working in public libraries in Florida, and this experience has given her keen insights into Koha bugs and improvements! Laura’s colleagues love her positive attitude and strong desire to help our partners out and find an answer for them. They go on to say that she "takes a run at any problem before asking for help, and when she does need help, she is great at summarizing the issue and pinpointing where the problem is. Laura is a pleasure to work with and we are excited to see how far she has come over the past year and what she takes on as she learns more.”

Nate Curulla, CRO at ByWater Solutions, commented:

Laura has done a great job of learning the ropes and expanding her knowledge in how Koha works behind the scenes while continuing to develop her Perl and Javascript skills."

Laura received her BA in Psychology from the University of South Florida and she attended the same university for her Masters in Library and Information Sciences. She has worked for several public library systems, but it was in her role as a Teen Services Librarian that she developed her passion for software development. From creating viral virtual escape rooms to interactive websites, her excitement for tinkering with software led her to her career as a developer for ByWater Solutions. In her free time, Laura enjoys spending time with her sons, playing video games, and reading.

Laura's Favorite Library Memory

"One of my favorite library memories was back in middle school when I first came across the second book in the Oz book series. I was captivated by the story and was eager to get my hands on the next book. I come from a very small town that didn't have the biggest budget for books, but somehow our librarian managed to get all fourteen books for me. Week after week she'd usher me towards her desk and show me the latest copy that she had managed to find. At that time it felt magical. The fact that she had the next copy available for me despite it not having been on the shelves the week prior. Having now worked in libraries I know that she most likely got the books through interlibrary loans. Yet, I love knowing that working for ByWater and the Koha community gives me the opportunity to help libraries across the world continue providing those magical moments for others."

Thanks, Laura, for all you do at ByWater Solutions!