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Lauren joined the Office of Victim Assistance in January 2024 as a Victim Advocate Counselor.ÌýLauren received her Bachelor's in Social Work from Stockton University and her Master's in Social Work with a concentration in child welfare and child well-being from the University of Pennsylvania. Lauren is clinically licensed inÌýColorado andÌýCalifornia.

Before joining OVA, Lauren worked as a child advocate social worker in Philadelphia, where she provided legal and social services advocacy.ÌýShe also previously served as a trauma therapist for children.ÌýAside from direct clinical services, Lauren previously worked with survivors of human trafficking in a policy role to advocate for survivor-led initiatives ranging in projects from state legislation to community-based advocacy.ÌýHer other advocacy efforts also include providing expert witness testimony in court proceedings, as well as organizing community wide discussions on how to best serve community members in a way that is based in harm reduction and amplifies the voices of survivors.Ìý

Lauren approaches therapeutic interventions and advocacyÌýusing a diverse set of modalities, including solution-focused therapy, polyvagal theory and IFS/parts work.ÌýLauren cares deeply about an individual's right to be supported and believed and is passionate about providing these services in a way that is welcoming, empoweringÌýand within a decolonial framework. Ìý