→ Leader of ideas & people for over 20 years
MURAKAMI
50th anniversary + Marisol Restaurant Opening at the MCA
Finding the sweet spot between culture and commerce, I built a customized holistic communications and operational plan designed to maximize this spectacular convergence of art, food, design, and learning.
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“Lauren asks all the right questions, then cuts to the heart of what’s important. Her leadership balances deep commitment to the vision with exactly the right dose of pragmatism. Her ability to move theory into action is unparalleled.”
→ Madeleine Grynsztejn
Pritzker Director, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
AllState
Mayhem
Making sure nothing disrupted our disruptive campaign, I navigated the process, nervous stakeholders, unexpected production challenges, and tricky roll-out to ensure its success.
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“Lauren always stood out among the 100+ Leo Burnett folks who worked on the Allstate business. She is the person everyone on my team wanted on their team -- including me. In fact, though she was not yet the senior account manager, I personally requested that Lauren work on some projects directly with me. She excels at building authentic, productive relationships with stakeholders at all levels. She evaluates business problems through the lens of individual partner's needs and vulnerabilities, delivering solutions that not only drive the business, but also ensure that every partner is heard. She makes everything she works on better. And she is a plum of a person -- Lauren is fun to be with, even when the going gets tough.”
→ Lisa Cochrane
Board Director, Consultant, Business and Marketing Leader
Abloh
At the MCA
Building a convergent audience experience that was both true to this multi-hyphenate artist's vision as well as authentic to the museum's mission required negotiation across internal and external stakeholders. I established the metrics, customized systems, and communication strategy that led it to be the most successful exhibition in the museum's history.
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“Lauren was my creative partner on two of the most ambitious exhibitions ever undertaken at the MCA--Takashi Murakami and Virgil Abloh. She harnessed her understanding of the market, the available resources of the museum, and the particular qualities of each artist to draw audiences of scale and scope never seen before, making them the best attended and most profitable exhibitions in the museum's history.”
→ Michael Darling
Former Chief Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
YMCA CHICAGO
The Power of Play
Building the Brand Platform and corresponding campaign for this powerhouse nonprofit required a customized process throughout all three stages of the work - Discovery, Design, Activation. I designed a system that ensured meaningful, active buy-in of capital “B” Brand from the Board to Leadership team to front-facing staff in the field.
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“Lauren has a deep understanding of how to work across a complex organization. She leads our partnership with a commitment to building and sustaining authentic relationships with staff and stakeholders allowing for a truly collaborative experience. She is decisive, a clear communicator, and an excellent problem-solver. We could not do it without her.”
→ Swathi Stanley
Chief Community Investment Officer and General Counsel, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago
“The first project I ever did with Lauren was one of the most intense and challenging experiences of my career, and I couldn’t have asked for a better partner. We were launching the infamous Mayhem campaign for Allstate. It was brave, disruptive work that’s now known as a resounding success. But at the time, it was uncharted territory and tensions were high. Lauren’s shared vision for the work, along with her ability to navigate every hurdle a campaign could possibly encounter, were vital to our success. Production issues, talent negotiation, legal challenges, tough personalities, aligning a nervous organization, and meeting the demands of an insufferable prima donna like myself, this one had it all.
A few years later, I asked her to join the Firestone account because we needed a partner who could advocate for bold work, successfully build relationships, and roll up their sleeves to get the work done. Lauren is a versatile collaborator and a doer that I’d trust by my side in any situation.”
Firestone
Whatever you drive, drive a Firestone
We convinced a retail-driven organization why brand affinity matters. To execute this breakthrough campaign, I built a robust execution and rollout plan to ensure the campaign’s success at all levels of the funnel.
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→ Britt Nolan
President & Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett
About me →
Client Partner. Account Lead. Director of CommunicatioNs
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Regardless of the title, my approach has always been rooted in the role that process plays in driving brand strategy and building meaningful creative experiences. This focus (some might call it an obsession) on the value decisiveness and thoughtful planning plays in finding the white space, selling the work, and executing a complicated creative experience cannot be undervalued.
When the plan is clear, the client is confident, and the team is collaborating, the outcome will almost certainly be great. These are just a few examples of where I was lucky enough to lead clients, teams and projects to a successful outcome.