Lauren Elfant is a seasoned attorney and equity focused leader with over 15 years of experience advancing civil and human rights, reproductive justice, and racial and gender equity. Most recently, she served as Chief Operating Officer at Public Allies, where she helped shape and implement a national strategy to activate and support diverse, proximate leaders across the country. In that role, Lauren oversaw a multi-million-dollar budget, led organizational infrastructure and process improvements, and directed the organization’s compliance, human resources, and culture work — all with a deep commitment to equity and impact.

Previously, Lauren was Deputy Director of U.S. Programs at the Center for Reproductive Rights, where she co-led a 60-person team spanning litigation, policy, and human rights advocacy. She played a key role in strategic planning, cross-departmental coordination, and managing high-profile initiatives.

Earlier in her career, Lauren served on the executive leadership team of the New York City Commission on Human Rights as Chief of Staff and Senior Policy Counsel. Drawing on her formative experience as a public defender at the Bronx Defenders — where she represented parents in child welfare proceedings — Lauren focused her work at the Commission on developing civil rights policies and legal enforcement guidance to expand protections against discrimination under the New York City Human Rights Law, with a focus on criminal justice and gender equity.