Laura Ellsworth Turns Adversity into Action to Eradicate Hate

When families traveled to New York City for care, the Ellsworths opened their home. Laura fondly remembers the hustle and bustle of the house with families moving in and moving out as needed. She also remembers their stories and the hope her parents provided.

But eventually, the need became too great, and her mother raised funds to buy a house in Harlem, offering free lodging and support for families whose children were being treated for cancer. The home, known as the Reese House, became a prototype for what would later inspire the Ronald McDonald House model.

“My parents didn’t wait for someone else to fix a problem,” Ellsworth recalls. “They just asked, ‘What can we do? Who do we know who can help?’ And they did it. That’s what I try to do every day—take one step, then another, and trust that amazing things will happen.”

Her mother was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer in the early 1980s. As an oncology nurse, she knew exactly what was coming and chose to guide her young daughter through it with love and honesty. During a drive after a fit of shared laughter, she stopped at a cemetery, took her daughter’s hand, and said she had chosen that spot to be buried.

Ellsworth remembers her mother saying, “Every time you come see me here, I want you to remember this day — us laughing — not me being sick. We both know I’m going to die, and I can either do that well or I can do it badly. I’ve decided to do it well.”

These lessons, to meet hardships with action, presence, and grace, have shaped Ellsworth’s life and career which has taken many shapes from ballet dancer and soap opera actor, before firmly planting in service as a lawyer, educator, and civil leader.

After graduating from Princeton University, Ellsworth came to Pittsburgh for law school in 1980.

Today, she is a partner at Jones Day, where she made history as the firm’s first Partner-in-Charge of Global Community Service Initiatives. In that role, she spearheads international rule of law and anti-hate initiatives, ensuring that justice and compassion reach across borders. She previously served as head of Jones Day’s Pittsburgh office, leading complex litigation in landmark cases involving public nuisance law, health care bankruptcy, and nationwide product liability.

Her legal work is decorated with honors, including The Best Lawyers in America recognition across multiple categories, The Legal Intelligencer’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and the ATHENA Award for leadership. Yet, Ellsworth’s influence extends far beyond the courtroom.

In Pittsburgh and across Pennsylvania, she has dedicated herself to civic service—chairing the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, serving on the boards of the McCune Foundation, FNB Corporation, Magee-Womens Research Institute, and the University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics, among many others. Ellsworth has taught law classes in inner-city schools and conducted two Lawyers Without Borders programs in Nairobi, Kenya. In 2018, she also ran for Governor of Pennsylvania. She currently serves as the secretary of The Hear Foundation, a nonprofit in Pittsburgh dedicated to collaborating with community leaders, police, and residents to create a safe and thriving community for all.

Her mother’s decision to choose positivity and purpose in the face of her death, continued to echo throughout Ellsworth’s work, from her leadership in eradicating hate to mentoring young professionals.

“We can’t control the world’s tragedies,” she says, “but we can choose what we do with them. That’s where hope begins.”

In the wake of the 2018 Tree of Life synagogue shooting, Ellsworth co-founded the Eradicate Hate Global Summit, a movement that convenes experts, survivors, policymakers, and advocates to combat hate-fueled violence. The Pittsburgh-based summit has become a global model for action and dialogue, bringing together thousands in a collective effort to promote understanding and policy reform which she continues to co-chair.

The first summit was held in 2021 and has since become an annual event that brings together global leaders, experts, survivors, and officials to combat all forms of hate-fueled violence through collaboration and the sharing of best practices.

Despite its growth and impact, Ellsworth insists the work is far from finished.

“Hate is a shapeshifter. It evolves, and so must we,” Ellsworth said. “We need to keep bringing in new people, new ideas, new energy. We must keep meeting each other face-to-face, because you can’t hate what you truly know.”

For Ellsworth, building empathy begins with personal connection, something she believes modern society risks losing in an age of digital isolation.

“Electronic interactions don’t replace real encounters,” she said. “Love triumphs over hate, but only when people truly see one another.”

As a result of this work, this year, Ellsworth was named one of Pennsylvania’s Distinguished Daughters, honored for her lifelong service, leadership, and compassion. For her, the recognition was deeply personal, a homecoming that connected her back to her family’s roots in Kingston, Pennsylvania.

“When I stood in the governor’s residence, I felt like I could tell my grandfather and my Nana, ‘I’m home,’” she said. “It was a full-circle moment coming back to serve the state that gave my family everything.”

Among those who joined her in celebration were long-term friends and collaborators, including Karen Feinstein, Nancy Washington and Deb Caplan. Ellsworth described Feinstein as a fearless “solution builder” and a kindred spirit who is “not intimidated by giant problems but inspired by them.”

Ellsworth’s message to young professionals—especially women—is clear: pursue what you love, embrace multiple roles, and bring your full self to the table.

“If you don’t love what you’re doing, go do something else,” she advises. “And find ways to do three things at once—serve your community, build your skills, and bring others along with you.”

Her career is proof that purpose and passion can coexist, that civic leadership can grow from compassion, and that even small, intentional actions can change the world.

“We don’t need to wait for someone else to fix things,” Ellsworth says. “We can all do something. And that’s how change begins—one person, one act of courage at a time.”