Farah Laurent is a Nurse Career Coach and founder of International Nurse Coach LLC. (Photo courtesy of Farah Laurent)
By John-Paul Bonadonna
As a student of the University of Windsor’s Nursing program in the early 2000s, Farah Laurent had no idea that her journey would one day lead her to national television, keynote stages and the frontlines of healthcare education across North America.
But the seeds of ambition and advocacy were already deeply rooted, and they’ve since flourished into a transformative nursing career that blends leadership, entrepreneurship and global influence.
After immigrating to Canada at age nine, Laurent chose to stay close to home and family for her post-secondary studies, enrolling in the then newly established collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at the University of Windsor.
“It was important to me to avoid student debt,” she recalls.
“Plus, Windsor was home.”
Farah’s determination and drive were evident early on.
When professors suggested seeking placements in surgical units, a norm for new nurses, Farah opted instead for the challenge of the emergency room.
“Professors told me I wasn’t ready for the ER,” she says.
“But I knew that’s where I belonged.”
After working for five years in Windsor, Laurent craved new challenges and moved to the United States, ultimately landing in New York City.
Over the next decade, her career would accelerate in unexpected ways.
She obtained a Master’s in Education from Norwich University and took on a range of educator and leadership roles, including Director of Education at NYC Health + Hospitals, and Associate Dean at a university in West Virginia.
But her path wasn’t always linear or smooth.
“Within five years, I was laid off three times,” Laurent notes, citing her commitment to advocacy and calling out unsafe practices as key reasons for her departures.
“But every setback was a setup for a comeback.”
Farah’s passion for supporting nurses through transition led her to launch her own business: Farah Laurent International Nurse Coach, dedicated to career coaching, personal branding and nurse empowerment.
“A lot of nurses don’t see themselves as a brand or business,” she says.
“I teach them to think differently—to see their expertise as valuable and monetizable.”
Despite lacking event-planning experience, she organized a nurse entrepreneurship conference in just 10 weeks. Held in Tampa, Fla. (where she currently resides), it drew 70 attendees from 20 states.
“Everyone told me it wouldn’t work. But I pulled it off with zero sponsors, doing all the marketing myself,” she says with pride. She plans to host the conference annually, expanding it nationally and one day, internationally.
Her influence continues to grow.
She’s hosted a podcast, The Nursing Dose with Farah, featuring guests like Dr. Katie Boston-Leary of the American Nurses Association. She’s also been featured on The Jennifer Hudson Show, where she was recognized for her contributions to nursing. With over 30,000 LinkedIn followers and recognition as a “Top Voice,” Laurent uses her digital platforms to reach and inspire nurses across the globe.
Laurent attributes her foundational clinical training and strong work ethic to her University of Windsor education.
“The immersive clinical consolidation prepared me well. It was more intense than what I saw later in the U.S.,” she says.
“The critical thinking skills I learned there still guide me.”
She’s quick to note, however, that traditional academic paths need modernization.
“Nursing education needs to evolve,” she says.
“More diversity, more flexibility and more support for second-career nurses and working parents. I want to help lead that change.”
Throughout her career, Laurent has defied expectations. Told she couldn’t work in emergency, she did. Told she wasn’t leadership material, she became a director. Told she couldn’t run a conference, she created one of the first of its kind.
“When people tell me I can’t, that’s my signal to go do it,” she says.
“You don’t need to have all the credentials on paper to lead. You need conviction, confidence, and persistence.”
And she never forgets where it all began.
“The University of Windsor gave me my start,” Laurent says.
“Now, I want to come full circle to show the next generation of Canadian nurses just how far they can go.”
This profile is part of a special series celebrating Alumni Week 2025. Discover events and more at uwindsor.ca/alumniweek.
