Lauren (she/her) was born and raised in San Francisco, California on the ancestral land of the Ramaytush Ohlone. She is currently an Education Program Associate at the California Coastal Commission, a state agency whose mission is to protect and enhance the coast for present and future generations. At the Commission, Lauren works on multiple public education programs such as the Coastal Art and Poetry Contest, Climate Video Challenge, Amateur Photography Contest, and Coastal Cleanup Day. In her free time, she enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends, cooking new recipes, and walks along the coast.