Mrs. Laura Graves has faithfully served as Principal of Holy Family Academy since the school first opened its doors, helping to build and shape the academy from its founding into the thriving Catholic academy it is today. As she begins her ninth year as principal and her twenty-eighth year in education, she remains deeply committed to the mission of forming young men and women who seek truth, pursue excellence, and strive for holiness in every aspect of their lives.

Mrs. Graves earned a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Secondary Education, with a minor in Psychology, from Loras Catholic College in Dubuque, Iowa, where she received the Hoager Award for Excellence in Foreign Language. During her undergraduate studies, she broadened both her academic and cultural horizons through study at the University of Quito in Quito, Ecuador, and the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Her undergraduate thesis focused on the development of foreign language programs in elementary schools, reflecting her early passion for cultivating a love of learning in young people. She later earned a Master of Science degree in Human Development Counseling from the University of Illinois.

Throughout her twenty-eight-year educational career, Mrs. Graves has served students and families in charter, public, and Catholic schools as a teacher, school counselor, and educational leader. She also served for three years as the Diocesan Crisis Team Coordinator for the Diocese of Phoenix, providing guidance and support to schools during times of great need. In addition, she is a Nationally Certified Counselor.

As a lifelong product of Catholic education, Mrs. Graves firmly believes that an authentically Catholic education is one of the greatest gifts parents can offer their children. She is passionate about preserving the rich tradition of the Church while fostering an environment where faith and reason flourish together. Under her leadership, Holy Family Academy has remained steadfast in its commitment to academic excellence, the pursuit of virtue, reverent worship, and fidelity to the timeless teachings of the Catholic Church.

Mrs. Graves considers it both a privilege and a vocation to lead Holy Family Academy. She is profoundly grateful for the opportunity to partner with families in forming the next generation of faithful Catholics, confident leaders, and lifelong learners, always seeking to do all things Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam—for the greater glory of God.