Lauren graduated magna cum laude from Middlebury College in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in international studies and a minor in psychology. She received her master’s degree in social work from Columbia University in 2008, followed by a postgraduate specialization in family and couples therapy from the Ackerman Institute for the Family. While in graduate school, Lauren held clinical placements as a school counselor and as a therapist for clients impacted by cancer. She later worked as a licensed psychotherapist for child, adolescent, and adult clients at two mental health clinics in New York City. Lauren also served as a field educator for Columbia University and Hunter College, providing clinical supervision and instruction to graduate students. Originally from Woodbury, CT, Lauren attended Taft as a day student and graduated cum laude in 1999. She returned to the Taft community as a member of the counseling department in February 2014. In the spring of 2020, Lauren graduated summa cum laude with a doctorate in psychology from California Southern University. Her dissertation examined the role of attachment-based interventions in strengthening adolescent coping abilities. In addition to her role as a school counselor, Lauren acts as the faculty advisor to the Peer Mentor program. She lives in Bethlehem with her husband and two children.