Hannah Oreskovich Laut, known professionally as Hannah Laut, is a Web3 strategist, advisor, and public policy professional with a diverse background in healthcare, journalism, marketing, and cryptocurrency. She is a prominent figure in the Ethereum ecosystem, holding governance and strategic roles with ETHDenver and its steward organization, SporkDAO. Her work also includes regulatory engagement in Washington, D.C., and, more recently, content creation and advisory focused on professional sustainability and burnout recovery. ^[5]

Career

Laut began her career in healthcare, where she developed experience in research and science-based work. She later transitioned into journalism, applying these skills to reporting and storytelling, including work with VICE News. This period marked a shift toward narrative-driven roles focused on explaining complex subjects to broader audiences. After journalism, Laut moved into marketing within emerging technology sectors, progressing from marketing roles to a vice president position at a marketing agency. Her work during this period focused on strategy, communications, and leadership for technology-focused clients, including startups in the blockchain and cryptocurrency space. Over time, she began advising early-stage Web3 companies and protocols on positioning, growth, and communication.

From 2018 onward, Laut became closely involved with the Ethereum and broader Web3 ecosystem. She joined ETHDenver as a strategic contributor and, beginning in 2019, served as a founding board member and secretary of SporkDAO, and advised ETHDenver as Chief Steward of Strategic Initiatives. In these roles, she contributed to governance development, event strategy, and community engagement, while maintaining ongoing advisory work across the ecosystem.

In the early 2020s, Laut expanded her focus to public policy and regulatory engagement related to cryptocurrency and decentralization. Based in Washington, D.C., she worked with industry stakeholders, including participation alongside Coinbase and members of the Ethereum community, to support education and dialogue with policymakers. More recently, her work has also included independent content creation and advisory activities centered on professional sustainability and burnout, reflecting a broader shift toward issues of work structure and long-term engagement within high-intensity industries. ^{[1] [2]}

Panels

Pro-Crypto Movement

At ETHDenver in March 2025, Laut participated in a panel discussing Stand With Crypto, describing it as a large-scale pro-crypto advocacy movement with more than two million supporters focused on influencing policy and supporting industry interests. The panel highlighted the group’s role as a nonprofit advocacy hub that helps crypto users and builders engage with lawmakers, noting its contributions to the election of hundreds of pro-crypto candidates and to the growing bipartisan interest in crypto regulation. Panelists shared experiences engaging with elected officials, emphasizing that lawmakers are accessible and responsive when conversations focus on real-world blockchain applications and local economic impact. The discussion concluded with a call for grassroots participation and cautious optimism that clearer regulation could support innovation and sustainable growth in the crypto sector. ^[4]​

Bridging the Gap

At ETHDenver in February 2025, Laut moderated a panel on bridging cryptocurrency and traditional finance, introducing John Paller, Lucas Kalinski, and Patrick Hudgins to discuss the transition from DeFi to real-world financial applications. The conversation focused on how maturing blockchain infrastructure was enabling use cases such as on-chain health insurance, while also addressing regulatory challenges, capital efficiency, and liquidity requirements. Panelists discussed the role of transparency in reducing costs and improving efficiency, particularly in insurance markets, and explored broader applications, including underwriting risk, credit, and smart contracts. The session concluded with cautious optimism about the potential of DeFi-based models to address inefficiencies in traditional finance, provided regulatory and structural barriers can be navigated effectively. ^[6]