Laurie was born September 8, 1975, to Ed and Carol Dugan in Holdenville, OK. Laurie attended Pryor High School and the University of Central Oklahoma graduating in 1998 with a degree in Journalism/Public Relations and a minor in Political Science. Laurie was a successful graphic artist for many years and had a career in public relations before staying home to raise her children. Laurie is currently an accountant with Rooney Holdings (Manhattan Construction) where she has worked for two years. Laurie is married to Thomas Hunter and has two children, Zachary Pennington (born January 18, 2000) and Sydney Pennington (born June 3, 2004). The family lives in Broken Arrow, OK.