Lauren has worked for over 20 years on food policy and sustainable food systems. Lauren has a PhD in Environmental Studies from York University in Toronto. She is the author of Corn meets Maize: Food Movements and Markets in Mexico (2013), based on her research on agricultural biodiversity.
Before joining the Global Alliance for the Future of Food, Lauren held the position of Food Policy Specialist with the Toronto Food Policy Council, leading a citizen advisory group embedded within the City of Toronto’s Public Health Division. In this position, Lauren negotiated and developed municipal food policy and programs related to urban agriculture, healthy food access, and rural urban linkages. She has consulted on farm to fork initiatives and food policy development across Canada, and in Mexico, Cuba, France and the Netherlands. Lauren’s past work includes Founding Director of Sustain Ontario, and Board of Director roles with Everdale Environmental Learning Centre and Food Secure Canada. In the mid 1990’s Lauren co-founded Canada’s first certified organic rooftop farm.
Lauren teaches at the University of Toronto and is a research associate with Ryerson University’s Centre for Studies in Food Security.
