Lauren O'Brien

Lauren started at GMRI in October of 2018, and is now the program manager for the Marine Resource Education Program (MREP).

She is responsible for outreach and communication among the broad and diverse audiences of all MREP program regions. She supports the collaborative curriculum development for each unique MREP workshop and facilitates relationship development between fishermen, fisheries scientists and fisheries management, both at and following the workshops.

Prior to GMRI, Lauren earned an MS in Agriculture, Food and the Environment from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. With a focus on bridging the gaps between science and policy, Lauren specialized in collaborative resource management in her masters program, including a comprehensive focus on environmental and community resilience in the context of climate change and population growth. Lauren has a BA in Political Science from Villanova University, where she also studied pre-medical science, peace & justice, and Spanish.

Professionally, Lauren has worked as a program coordinator and educator in various community-focused positions addressing complex challenges in food and the environment. She values the hard-earned rewards of laborious work, having worked on many farms, including some oyster farms.

Outside of the office, you'll find Lauren balancing her multitude of outdoor activities (hiking, skiing, climbing, etc.) or somewhere indoors with her sketchpad or a good book. A native of Massachusetts who spent her childhood traveling up to Maine, she is excited to now call Maine home.