Illumia Names Laura Newell-McLaughlin Chief Operating Officer
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — [May 19, 2026] — Illumia, a leading provider of technology solutions that power payments, access, foodservice and operational experiences across higher education, healthcare, senior living and corporate environments, today announced that Laura Newell-McLaughlin has been named Chief Operating Officer.
In this role, Newell-McLaughlin will lead the next phase of Illumia’s operational unification, with responsibility for Enterprise Applications, Banking Operations, Program Management, AI Transformation, Client Support, Supply Chain, and Chennai Operations. She will focus on strengthening the systems, processes and operating capabilities that support Illumia’s product, technology and commercial teams as the company continues to scale under its unified brand.
Newell-McLaughlin will also play a central role in embedding generative AI across Illumia’s operations, helping the company increase efficiency, improve execution speed, and remove friction from internal workflows and customer-facing support processes.
"Laura has a deep understanding of our business, our customers, and the operational discipline required to serve mission-critical organizations where reliability matters every day," said Greg Brown, CEO of Illumia. "Her leadership will be critical as we continue to build the operating backbone that enables our teams to move faster, scale with discipline, and bring practical AI into the workflows that help our people and customers succeed."
Newell-McLaughlin brings more than 30 years of experience in payments, campus commerce, product strategy, and operational leadership. She has been part of the company’s evolution since 1993 through Academic Management Services, Sallie Mae, Higher One, Blackboard, and Transact Campus. Most recently, she served as Chief Commercial Officer, where she helped shape the company’s payments strategy, strategic partnerships, and product direction for higher education institutions.
Earlier in her career, Newell-McLaughlin held a leadership role at Sallie Mae. She is widely recognized for her expertise in payment strategy, performance, and the operational needs of complex campus environments.