Laraine Duncan joined the staff of Mayor Don Plusquellic in April 2001 as an Assistant to the Mayor. Her primary duty at the time was to coordinate the implementation of recommendations from the ImagineAkron: 2025 project with groups and organizations throughout the city.

Laraine was appointed as Deputy Mayor for Intergovernmental Relations in January 2004. She is now responsible for maintaining relations and interacting with other elected officials throughout Summit County and on the state and federal level, and she tracks legislation that could impact the City of Akron. The Mayor has named her as his education liaison. In that role, Laraine worked closely with the Akron Public Schools on several key levy issues. The massive rebuilding project of the Akron Public Schools is her primary focus. She also oversees the Akron AfterSchool program, which will operate in 10 elementary schools this fall and serve over 1000 children. Laraine also maintains close ties with the Senior Education Advisor for the U.S. Conference of Mayors and keeps the Mayor apprised of educational issues on the national level.

Before joining the Mayor’s staff, she was the director of guest services for the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Prior to that, she was executive director of the Akron/Summit/Medina Private Industry Council. She also served as the district director for both U.S. Representatives John Seiberling and Tom Sawyer.

Laraine is a graduate of the University of Akron with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, and she is a 1988 graduate of Leadership Akron. She is actively involved in the community, serving on the boards of the Akron Digital Academy, the Akron Alternative Academy, Character Counts! Akron, and the Greater Akron Musical Association.