Lauren Beal

Lauren Beal is a dedicated public health professional with extensive experience in substance use disorder (SUD) recovery program management, research, and policy advocacy, and grantmaking to support community-based interventions. She currently serves as a Grants and Community Program Analyst for Washoe County, where she leads the development and implementation of the Washoe Opioid Abatement and Recovery Fund (WOARF). In this role, she oversees funding opportunities exceeding $4 million, provides technical assistance to awardees, and facilitates strategic planning for the region’s opioid response, including the Washoe Opioid Use Disorder Needs Assessment for 2026-2029.

Previously, Lauren was a Senior Program Manager at the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, where she managed federally funded initiatives addressing opioid use disorder (OUD) and SUD in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. She developed and implemented training for judicial officers on best practices for supporting families affected by substance use, developed trauma-informed court assessments, and authored publications on enhancing court responses to OUD.

Lauren's expertise extends to research and advocacy for justice-involved populations with SUD. As a Senior Research Program Coordinator at Johns Hopkins University, she contributed to national studies on opioid use disorder treatment among incarcerated pregnant individuals and testified on policy reforms to improve access to care.

With a Master of Public Health from Columbia University, Lauren is committed to data-informed decision-making and community empowerment and has worked nationally and internationally to build the capacity of communities to develop comprehensive approaches to addressing substance use that center the healing and wellbeing of all. When not at work she likes to spend time in her garden with her dog Fig.