Lauren Lumbra

Civic Innovation Fellow

Originally from Vermont, Lauren is driven to build accessible, equitable, and responsive systems that reflect the strengths and needs of the communities they serve. She holds a Master of Professional Studies in Interactive Telecommunications from New York University, where she focused on user research and service design, and a Bachelor of Science in Community Entrepreneurship from the University of Vermont.

Her commitment to community-driven systems change began early in her career while supporting youth experiencing homelessness in achieving their housing and independent living goals, an experience that illuminated the impact of structural barriers and sparked her passion for designing systems that truly respond to people’s needs.

Since then, Lauren has used service design and user research methodologies to inform strategy, improve experiences, and promote inclusive decision-making across a range of roles. At the New York Public Library, she led research to better understand community needs in digital literacy and early childhood education, translating insights into evidence-based program improvements. With the NYC Media Lab, she supported startups and student teams exploring emerging technologies in media, education, and the arts. Her administrative work with international development firm Tetra Tech ARD further expanded her systems lens, deepening her understanding of operational equity and the behind-the-scenes structures that help organizations thrive.

At enFocus, Lauren is excited to combine research, service design, and co-creative problem-solving to help drive regional innovation. She is especially energized by initiatives that support underserved communities, champion inclusive design, and foster lasting systemic change.

Outside of work, you can find her diving into new books, playing board games with friends, exploring new places, or working on the occasional woodworking project.