She is an independent designer, writer, and speaker based in Seattle. Her work has been featured in Forbes, The Economic Times, and Quartz.
Most recently, she worked as a Design Lead for Google Maps and served as an early member of the Alphabet Workers Union. During her time at Google, she traveled across six continents, working to make Google Maps–a tool used by one billion people every month–more inclusive for motorbikes, public transportation, and communities new to the Internet. Throughout the process, she sought to design with a research-driven, equity-seeking approach–from bridging the gap between big tech and local communities to finding ways to cede power to people with lived experience. This work resulted in mapping out millions of historically excluded addresses, businesses, landmarks, and routes across the world. She regularly teaches at universities and conferences on inclusive and equitable design.
She grew up in Southwest Ohio during the decline of the manufacturing industry and the rise of the Internet. From her upbringing to her career in tech, she has witnessed the nuances of the Internet’s impact within the spheres of family, industry, local and global politics. In 2021, Lauren was a participating writer at the Tin House Summer Workshop. She is writing a debut memoir that examines the role that the Internet plays in our societies and whether it's possible to shift it towards a more inclusive and equitable direction.
Most recently, she worked as a Design Lead for Google Maps and served as an early member of the Alphabet Workers Union. During her time at Google, she traveled across six continents, working to make Google Maps–a tool used by one billion people every month–more inclusive for motorbikes, public transportation, and communities new to the Internet. Throughout the process, she sought to design with a research-driven, equity-seeking approach–from bridging the gap between big tech and local communities to finding ways to cede power to people with lived experience. This work resulted in mapping out millions of historically excluded addresses, businesses, landmarks, and routes across the world. She regularly teaches at universities and conferences on inclusive and equitable design.
She grew up in Southwest Ohio during the decline of the manufacturing industry and the rise of the Internet. From her upbringing to her career in tech, she has witnessed the nuances of the Internet’s impact within the spheres of family, industry, local and global politics. In 2021, Lauren was a participating writer at the Tin House Summer Workshop. She is writing a debut memoir that examines the role that the Internet plays in our societies and whether it's possible to shift it towards a more inclusive and equitable direction.