Born at a U.S. Army hospital on California's central coast, Lauing was raised in Palo Alto from age three by parents who were avid travelers and encouraged her interest in world history and cultures. She attended local public schools and earned a drama degree from Stanford University.

Her professional career spanned publishing (San Francisco magazine, Runner's World, and Sunset Books as a cookbook editor) and 16 years in development communications at Stanford. She has volunteered extensively with community organizations and served on boards including Hillel at Stanford, Friends of the Palo Alto Children's Theatre, and the Music Boosters at Palo Alto High School.

Lauing and her husband Ed raised three children in Palo Alto and have two grandchildren. In 2024, she and Ed participated in a Neighbors Abroad delegation to Oaxaca marking the sister city's 60th anniversary, an experience that inspired her board involvement with the organization.