With a background in grassroots political organizing and public lands protection, Laura Yale switched gears in 2015 to work on a Patagonia-funded documentary called “Jumbo Wild,” about a controversial ski resort development in sacred Canadian wilderness. Since then, she’s worked as an associate producer and producer on some of the most stunning and important documentary films in the outdoor world, including “Treeline,” “Torn,” “Rural Runners,” and “A Skier’s Journey,” a series she worked on with filmmaker Jordan Manley. “Producing isn’t that different from organizing,” Laura says. “Both require persistence and patience and meeting people where they’re at.”

Laura is a skilled producer, so you won’t often find her behind a camera or creating timelines in Premiere Pro. She’s particularly good at doing the deep-dive research that’s often required in documentary storytelling and having a bird’s eye view of every aspect of a film’s production. “I’m good at going down rabbit holes, looking for a story and characters, building relationships,” she says. “If I believe in a project, I’ll give it everything I have.” She’s also a talented freelance writer. 

Laura and Manley are currently at work on a Patagonia-supported film about Polynesian wayfinding culture that’s due out in 2024.