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One of the founding members of a local multicultural organization recently announced her resignation.

Earlier this month, Summer Laws, Integrated Community/Comunidad Integrada executive director, announced that she is leaving the educational organization to enter the heath and wellness field.

Laws' absence will create a vacancy that Integrated Community is looking to fill. A committee charged with finding a new executive director is scheduled to meet Friday, Laws said.

Laws announced her resignation in an e-mail dated July 8.

"This decision (to resign) has been difficult, as I have enjoyed working and developing programs for Integrated Community over the past three and a half years," she wrote, adding that she enjoyed working with Integrated Community's staff and volunteers during that period.

"I truly believe in the mission and program of Integrated Community and look forward to watching the organization continue to grow and serve the immigrant and longtime resident community members," she wrote.

Laws said her decision to leave the organization wasn't prompted by conditions at Integrated Community.

"It was just time to move on," she said, adding that she has long wanted to pursue a career in health and wellness.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Laws' future course wasn't set in stone. Two career options in the health and wellness profession currently are available to her, she said, adding that she hadn't received confirmation on either of them yet.

Laws declined to comment on what specific positions she was considering or whether they would take her out of the area.

Laws was one of two co-directors when Integrated Community formed in 2004. She took over the executive director position about two years ago, she said, when the other co-director, Cody Reed, left the area.

Integrated Community operates in Moffat and Routt counties and provides services including language exchange programs and informational workshops for immigrants, according to the organization's Web site.

Mark Rydberg, Integrated Community treasurer/vice president, attributed much of the organization's growth to Laws' leadership.

"I think that she's the biggest reason that the organization is still around and that it's growing, without a doubt," he said.

Rydberg estimated that Integrated Community serves more than 300 people through various programs, including translation services for medical and legal needs.

Rydberg said he knows the qualities he wants in Laws' replacement.

"I think I'd like to see someone that has the same type of work ethic, but more importantly, a passion for the work," he said. "Somebody that believes in the mission of the organization and works hard to try to achieve that mission."

Bridget Manley can be reached at 875-1795 or bmanley@craigdailypress.com.