Laurel Shantini Collins

Laurel Shantini “Brown” Collins passed away on January 14, 2026, at the age of 48. She was born on September 30, 1977, in Kanpur, India. Laurel was adopted at the age of eight months and raised in Burlington, Massachusetts by her surviving parents, Christa and Elliot Brown. She attended Burlington Public Schools and had a love for education and learning.

Laurel was a fierce advocate for children with disabilities, especially her son, Andrew. Laurel used the knowledge she gained through advocating for her own children’s complex learning needs to start her own practice. She worked as a Special Education Advocate and Consultant, guiding families of children with disabilities through the complexity and bureaucracy of the educational systems.

She had an infectious smile and a love for 80’s pop music, Democratic politics, and taking in the nature of Horn Pond. An ideal day would be filled with good music, cat cuddles, dramedy romance movies, and a KitKat bar to end the night. She loved traveling around New England and taking in the beautiful scenery from the Vermont mountains to the North Shore seacoast.

She was the devoted mother of four children: Julia Collins of Acton, Andrew Collins of Woburn, Emily Collins of Arlington, and Sarah Collins of Boston. Her children were her pride and joy and she was proud of all of their accomplishments. Laurel found her sense of purpose through the people she shared her life with. She is also survived by her siblings: Joel Brown, Kirsten Brown, Nathaniel Brown, and Juana Brown Benavidez.

A memorial service will be held on February 14, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at Woburn United Methodist Church, followed by a reception at the church. Dress and express yourself however most comfortable, it’s what she would have wanted. The service will be live-streamed at Facebook.com/UMCWoburn

Below are two organizations which greatly impacted Laurel’s life:
Alcoholics Anonymous: https://contribution.aa.org
Federation for Children with Special Needs: https://fcsn.org/donate/