If you ask Laura Chase what she does for a living, she might smile and tell you:
“I’m sort of like a cruise director on land.”
It’s a simple description, but the heart of Laura’s role as Austin Point’s Lifestyle Director goes far beyond that.
It’s true that Laura plans events, coordinates activities, collaborates with residents, and fills Austin Point’s calendar with opportunities for neighbors to get to know each other. But her success has little to do with attendance numbers or being able to plan every detail of a party. Instead, Laura measures her success by something more important.
“My job as the Lifestyle Director at Austin Point isn’t about forcing friendships,” she said. “It’s about giving people fun, meaningful ways to meet and discover common interests. I want to create opportunities for people to genuinely connect and feel known by one another.”
Laura is helping shape the community culture from the very beginning. While homes, parks, trails, and gathering spaces create the physical framework for neighborhood life, Laura’s role is to activate those spaces with experiences that encourage connection, conversation, and lasting relationships.
Laura’s Lesson in the Power of Community
Passion for community isn’t something Laura learned from a textbook. It comes from her personal experience.
When Hurricane Ike struck the Houston area, Laura watched her own neighborhood come together in ways she has never forgotten. With power outages for days, neighbors gathered every morning over coffee and breakfast. They shared backup generators, checked in on one another, and found comfort simply by spending time together.
Those moments reinforced something Laura has carried with her ever since.
“Community takes care of community first,” she said. “When people already know their neighbors, they’ll show up for each other when it matters most.”
More Than an Events Calendar
Many people assume a Lifestyle Director’s job is simply planning parties. Laura sees it differently. Every movie night, coffee social, seasonal celebration, resident gathering, or wellness program is really an opportunity to strengthen the fabric of the community.
“When I was growing up, everyone knew everyone on the street,” she said. “We had block parties and we babysat each other’s kids. Today, people move around from different cities, states, and even countries. Those connections aren’t built in anymore. We have to work harder to create them.”
She believes modern life has made intentional community-building more important than ever. Remote work, busy schedules, and even the isolation many people experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic have changed the way neighbors interact. Many people simply don’t know the families living a few doors away.
Laura hopes to change that.
One of the reasons Austin Point appealed to Laura was the opportunity to help build a community from the ground up. Rather than joining an established neighborhood with longstanding traditions, she’s helping create those traditions alongside the residents who are moving in today.
“I’m excited to be here from the beginning,” she said. “I get to grow with Austin Point as the community grows. I get to know the people who are moving here and help build something together.”
That also means being thoughtful about what comes next. Laura has plenty of ideas for future programming – from health and wellness fairs to travel expos and multicultural celebrations that showcase the traditions, food, music, and stories of different cultures.
She also knows the best communities aren’t built by one person. They’re shaped by everyone who calls it home.
“Residents are our biggest resource,” she said. “If Austin Point’s residents have ideas for events or activities, I want to hear them. If it’s important to our neighbors, it’s important to me.”
Creating a Community That Lasts
As Austin Point grows, Laura hopes to create a lifestyle full of events that residents are excited to attend. But more than that, she hopes to create moments for friendships to form and lifelong memories to be made. If you see her around, introduce yourself – she’s always interested in hearing your ideas about how to make Austin Point a stronger community.
Whether you’re sharing coffee with friends at Honor Society at The 1824, watching a movie with family under the stars, or meeting someone new at a neighborhood social, Laura knows that every interaction is an opportunity to remind residents that they belong.
“My job is to create a community where people feel supported by one another,” she said. “An event might last one day, but that’s all it takes to create bonds that can last for generations.”