Lauren is from Long Beach, New York. She graduated from the George Washington University with a major in International Affairs, dual concentrations in International Development and African Studies, and a minor in Public Health. While pursuing her undergraduate degree she assisted in the management of a mobile triage clinic in response to the 2009 earthquake that affected Indonesia. In addition, she interned in a Liberian refugee camp where she supported maternal health and prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) programs for HIV positive pregnant women. Upon completing her studies, she worked for the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) in pursuit of securing USAID funding to support HIV vaccine research and development. She then lived in Indonesia where she developed a humanitarian outreach program for a social-business that supported local orphanages, animal welfare organizations, and micro-finance programs.