Lauren is the Associate Dean for Special Libraries and Preservation. She provides strategic oversight to Special Collections, the Preservation and Reformatting department, the William R. Jenkins Architecture, Design, & Art Library, and Digital Collections.

Lauren's research interests include cultural heritage collections stewardship, museum libraries, artist's archives, digital preservation and disaster preparedness, and the history of the book in the United States from the hand press period to the digital present.

Lauren is currently Vice-President/President-Elect for the Art Libraries Society of North America. Lauren also serves on the board of directors for the Texas Collections Emergency Resource Alliance (TX-CERA).

Prior to her position at the University of Houston, Lauren was the Director of the Library and Archives at the Menil Collection.

She earned an M.A. in Library and Information Studies and an Advanced Graduate Certificate in the History of the Book and Digital Culture from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. She earned a B.A. in English Literature with a Minor in Studio Art from St. Mary's College of Maryland.