Born and raised in Monmouth, Illinois, this small-town girl with big dreams shattered expectations by becoming the first in her family to attend college. Layla pursued her Bachelor of Science degree at Western Illinois University, where she met the man who would eventually become her husband and life partner. Layla then earned her graduate credentials from University of Illinois at Springfield, graduating with her Master of Arts degree in environmental studies just weeks before becoming a mother to her son, Noah.

Layla and her husband Brian, a veteran of the United States Air Force, own and operate their wealth management business in Peoria, Illinois, where Layla is heavily involved in community work, volunteering for a variety of local and national nonprofit organizations. As the mother of a child who has benefitted from early intervention and special education services (Abigail), Layla is an advocate for those who live with developmental delays and learning disabilities.

She spends half of her time in Peoria, Illinois, and the other half in Nashville, Tennessee, taking full advantage of the offerings of both lovely cities. Wherever she is, Layla enjoys spending time with her friends over a meal at her favorite local restaurants or over a craft coffee or cocktail, patronizing small businesses. With a focus on her health and wellness, she can also be found on her Peloton, hiking in nature, or working out in some of Nashville’s most popular studios like Pvolve, Pure Barre, and Rumble boxing studio.

Her husband (Brian), two adult children (Noah and Abigail), and two Chinese Crested pups (Loki and Bentley) are her entire world.