Lauren discovered POP while watching a television segment about a boy who underwent a bilateral hand transplant. She was immediately intrigued by the power of medicine and science to improve lives, and while she eventually gravitated toward engineering, the story stuck with her.

Lauren earned her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Florida State University and worked for a civil engineering firm for a year and a half. While she enjoyed the problem-solving nature of the work, she missed connecting with people. She thought back to the news segment she had seen and decided to pivot to a career in POP. Lauren is pursuing her master’s at the International Institute of Orthotics and Prosthetics in Tampa, Florida.

Lauren is passionate about helping people who need POP intervention because of diabetes complications. Her grandmother, who lived in Colombia, died from a diabetes-related foot infection because she was unable to access proper care. Lauren hopes to increase awareness and improve access to care for people in the United States and around the globe.