Lauren Waudé

Lauren is driven by the belief that housing is a human right and by her commitment to create a more equitable society, particularly for communities of color and other marginalized groups.

Before Meyer, Lauren worked in social services and community advocacy for more than a dozen years, focusing her work with families experiencing poverty and homelessness and immigrant and refugee communities. She has managed programs ranging from energy assistance, to food banks, resource centers, transitional housing, and tenant education and advocacy programs — always with a focus on housing as a major component to stability and self-sufficiency. She received a Master’s of Public Administration with a certificate in Nonprofit Management from Portland State University in 2013.

“I was attracted to Meyer because of its understanding of the crucial role that stable housing plays in personal success and its commitment to holistic and innovative housing solutions in this time of crisis. I am so excited to be a part of an organization with such a strong vision and commitment to equity.”

In direct service, Lauren served as the Energy Programs Supervisor at Hopelink in Redmond, Wash. before landing at Neighborhood House in Portland, where she was the Stability and Opportunity Services Assistant Manager. She is currently a board member at Independent Publishing Resource Center and serves on the Human Resources Committee for, and is a member of, the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon.

In addition to social services, Lauren has volunteered with several community-funded art projects in Portland, Samoa, and New Zealand.

Lauren's two-year fellowship on Team Meyer began in September 2017.