Willamette Valley Seed Collection Technician
[email protected]

Lauren works as the Willamette Valley Seed Collection Technician. Depending on the season, you can find her out scouting, making collections, or gingerly cleaning tiny accessions of seeds. She loves the wide array of species and locations she gets to work with and the collaboration that seed collection requires.

Prior to her time at IAE, Lauren received her B.A. from the University of Santa Cruz in Literature, where she developed a deep interest in the intersection between the humanities and the environment. Her work since has focused on community engagement, environmental education, and restoration. She relocated to the PNW to complete a term with AmeriCorps focused on native plant nursery work and its connection to salmon habitat restoration, leading her to the world of seed collection. She’s been hooked ever since. In her spare time, you can find her looking for mushrooms, trying new soup recipes, or experimenting with natural dyes to upgrade her knitting projects.