“My experience has given me a sustaining empathy and a profound understanding of the obstacles faced by individuals today that has allowed me to work directly with individuals and on a macro level to effect positive change.” 

Lauren Hodson is committed to improving public health in ways that truly meet the needs of people who use drugs. People experiencing substance use often encounter both stigma and numerous medical and legal systems, a complicated reality of intervention that Lauren once navigated herself. She reflects, “My experience has given me a sustaining empathy and a profound understanding of the obstacles faced by individuals today that has allowed me to work directly with individuals and on a macro level to effect positive change.” 

Lauren served as a certified birth doula in the Detroit area for five years, working collaboratively to help increase positive birth outcomes. This experience further illuminated gaps in the healthcare system and pushed Lauren toward a career in public health. She recently graduated magna cum laude from Wayne State University and she is now a graduate student in public health at U-M Ann Arbor. 

Beyond her formal studies, Lauren works as a harm reduction analyst at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, where she routinely advocates for the ethical treatment of people who are experiencing SUD and strives to increase access to safe using supplies and life-saving opioid reversal medication. She further dedicates her time as a community advisory board member for a multi-year, NIH-funded study examining how stigma impacts healthcare — especially for people with SUD and people living with HIV — and previously participated in a national group, hosted by the University of Washington, whose aim is to advocate for ethical and effective data collection practices for syringe service programs. After graduating, Lauren’s goal is to increase substance use resources for pregnant women and women with children.

CEW+ supports Lauren’s vision for public health and proudly names her the Susan Quackenbush Scholar.