Francine St Laurent’s strength of spirit is unmatched. This land-use extraordinaire and Air National Guard officer is no stranger to hard work and adventure. After graduating from Western Washington University, St Laurent left Washington to pursue a job in Alaska. “I was born and raised in Interior Alaska and went home hoping to find a job as an urban planner, but I landed at the largest newspaper in Alaska, Anchorage Dispatch News (now called Anchorage Daily News),” she says. “I was working as a copy editor when I got the opportunity to come back to Bellingham to work as a land use consultant for a small business, and I couldn’t pass up the chance to both be in Bellingham and work in the private sector of urban planning.”
While St Laurent was at AVT Consulting, she decided to work on her MBA through an evening program at Western Washington University. “I wanted to put my new learnings into practice and worked for two different local businesses but found that I missed the world of development and land use consulting,” she says. “Every project is different and presents new challenges and opportunities to solve problems and learn.” Missing the complexity of those projects, she moved to open Snow Creek Planning in May 2025.
“I’m delighted to be helping property owners and businesses on a wide variety of projects: single-family homes, industrial, shoreline and lakefront development, ADUs, etc.,” she says. “Permitting projects can be very intimidating for most people.”
When a hopeful owner is looking at developing a property, the process can feel like an overwhelming foray into the unknown. “In addition to helping acquire permits for projects, I also bring together design teams for many of my clients,” says St Laurent. “I help them select a surveyor, architect, engineer, biologist, septic designer, general contractor, geologist, and so on, depending on their specific project, and find the right team that suits their project and timeline.”
From that point, St Laurent helps guide each project to completion, acting as a representative to City, County, and state agencies for her clients. “I take so much joy in helping people navigate these processes confidently and make decisions that align with their personal risk tolerance and property goals,” she says.
St Laurent counts her role in the Air National Guard among her greatest achievements. “I’ve been serving in the Air National Guard for 15.5 years, first as a public affairs journalist and then as a public affairs officer when I was commissioned in 2016,” she says. “I joined this organization, a reserve component of the United States Air Force, when I was 18. Being in the Air Force has opened so many doors for me, both professionally and personally.”
While serving in the Guard part-time, St Laurent has still been required to maintain peak readiness, physically and educationally, completing training programs and regular weekend commitments in addition to balancing her career and personal life. “Doing this while getting my bachelor’s and master’s degrees, building a civilian career, starting my own business, and now raising two small children (2.5 years old and a newborn) is something I’m extremely proud of,” she says.
Throughout her busy and active career, St Laurent credits two journalism teachers and her military training as having the most profound impact. “One was Bob Dillier, a retired Stars and Stripes reporter who taught at the Defense Information School that I first attended in 2012,” she says. “The second was Joan Connell, an instructor at Western Washington University. Both gave me so much confidence in my writing abilities and made me feel that I could marry my interests in urban planning and journalism in a niche and fulfilling way. I believe that I’ve found that in the work I do now, but I often reflect on the way they helped me feel there were so many possibilities for me and gave me the confidence to explore.”
Her experience as part of the military also goes together with the way St Laurent views leadership. At its core, it means taking care of the team and the people around you. “In the military that means making sure your team members are being professionally developed and have opportunities to stretch, that they’re being paid, that their families are receiving the support they need, that we proactively communicate and help them feel connected and integral to the bigger mission,” she says.
In Bellingham, St Laurent believes the idea of leadership lends itself to connection, an idea she frequently puts into action. “It’s creating new opportunities for business, for personal or professional growth,” she says. “My friends and colleagues over the years know me as the person who arranges for unusual training opportunities. We don’t know how the Museum Archive works? Let’s reach out to Jeff Jewell and go get a tour and demonstration. I share an office space with a collective of businesses in the development industry, at 100 Pine Street. We haven’t had an open house? I helped organize and host a networking open house. I have a friend with an expertise that would benefit my military team. Let’s bring them in to teach a workshop. Connecting people is something I can’t help but do.”
As a professional who is recognized for their achievements in Bellingham and beyond, St Laurent’s advice to people starting their own career journey is optimistic and encouraging. “We don’t know what we enjoy (and don’t enjoy) doing for work until we try it,” she says. “I’ve never regretted taking a new job or choosing to try something different because each role has taught me a little bit more about what I need from my work, for my brain and my heart. Early in my career, I felt there was a need to have a career arc or trajectory that could be explained to a future employer. I’ve learned that you find more satisfaction when you let go of that idea. We can try new things, explore new industries, and return to work that feels most aligned with our needs and strengths. It requires being willing to explore and take a chance on something new, and to remember that no decision about a job or profession is permanent.”
As for her future? Francine St Laurent is happy not knowing exactly where her path will lead. “It gives me a sense of agency that we can make choices that suit our needs and goals right now, and that the future can be anything we hope for,” she says. “I have two small children and am delighted to be spending time with my family, enjoying our corner of the Pacific Northwest, and serving property owners in our community as a small business owner.”
Fun Fact About Francine St Laurent
- St Laurent grew up in the North Pole, Alaska, and letters to Santa are delivered to her hometown! When letters are received, sixth-grade students respond.
The Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce and Whatcom Young Professionals have announced the 2026 Top 7 Under 40 honorees, recognized annually for their contributions as young professionals in Whatcom County. The awardees will be celebrated at the Barron Home Services-sponsored Top 7 Under 40 Awards on October 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal, where one will be named Young Professional of the Year. Click here for event details and tickets.
