With deep-rooted devotion to causes like environmental care and community access to healthy foods, it almost goes without saying that Lauren Vargo carries equity as a core value. We’re pleased to announce that Lauren has joined the Change Matrix (CM) team as a change consultant! She brings with her valuable evaluation and research experience.
She shared with us that she sought out her position as a way to ensure that her daily work would both align with and further develop her understanding of equity and the systems changes needed to ensure that it can be achieved in the field of public health. Read on to learn more about Lauren’s background, her project assignments, and what sets her apart from others in the field.
What drew you to CM?
I had been dreaming of stepping out of my comfort zone for a while, and I was on the lookout for a new position because I was in this debate of, “Do I want to do more meaningful work?” or, “Can a job be just a job?” I had been working in academic research — health equity, population and public health and I care deeply about the environment, which goes along with my education — but I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted. Having been in evaluation and research, I knew I enjoyed the curiosity and learning aspects that an evaluator role offered and was hoping to continue in the field.
When I saw the position with CM, I became obsessed with the mission, the values, the work, and the projects that are going on. I realized that it is important for me as a person that the work that I’m doing every day is contributing to actively making the world a better place. After I had my first interview, it was clear that CM had read my experience and saw me as a candidate with unique assets. Originally, CM was not hiring support for the Healthy Food for Denver’s Kids (HFDK) project, but because of my food systems experience, they added me to the project. That says a lot, that CM valued my experiences and wanted to build on my skill sets, as well as incorporate me on additional projects. I appreciate that in my place of work
What is your background?
I attended Ohio University for my undergraduate studies, located in the Appalachian region of Ohio. I studied geography and minored in environmental health, but outside the classroom is where my love of food and community health started. In Athens, Ohio, food isn’t always accessible to residents, so the thought that I’ve always had food and that I haven’t had to worry about it, fueled my curiosity about inequities. I worked as a nutrition educator for children. That was eye-opening, to see how different my experience growing up was. Directly following undergrad, I attended Cleveland State University and earned my master’s degree in urban planning and development with a specialization in environmental and sustainability planning. Simultaneously, I worked as a program assistant for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) nutrition incentive program, Produce Perks, in northeast Ohio. Through this role, I supported farmers’ market managers operating the incentive program and engaged in grassroots marketing efforts.
My community work supporting Produce Perks at farmers’ markets continued into my role as the Implementation Facilitator for the FreshLink Ambassador intervention. This intervention employed community champions from Cleveland neighborhoods to address a fundamental barrier to nutritious food access: social connections. I worked directly with the ambassadors by conducting trainings, community outreach, and conflict transformation. Through this experience, I learned that I am not the expert — community residents are, and I can better support communities by listening. I appreciate learning from those who have diverse experiences and insights.
Working on FreshLink at Case Western Reserve University connected me with the Swetland Center for Environmental Health, and my previous role as the Ohio Produce Perks statewide evaluation program manager. In this role, I led evaluation studies and collaborated with the Ohio Nutrition Incentive Network to present evaluation findings. My previous professional experiences contributed to my ability to connect with the evaluation work and truly understand the program data.
Which projects will you focus on and what excites you the most?
What I know of right now is HFDK, evaluation work for The National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health (NNED) — NNEDlearn, specifically. In addition, I am supporting evaluation efforts for the Wisconsin System of Care. As for what excites me beyond the projects, is the opportunity to work with Native American tribes. I value the history and traditions of tribes, but I have not had experience interacting with Native American communities through my evaluation work. Looking forward to learning, and unlearning, to better interact with and respect diverse communities.
What unique skill sets you apart from others in your work?
I really enjoy interviewing — getting to hear about an individual’s lived experience and passions lights me up. As a white female who grew up in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, I want to acknowledge the opportunities and privileges I have experienced. I think being really thoughtful about that fact — how I move through and experience the world — is a reason for daily reflection and reminds me to understand others’ experiences. How can I make a positive impact or support someone else? How can I support others to take steps in the direction that they’d like to go? Being of service by lifting up others is a value that is at the very core of my being. Outside of work, I teach yoga and that is another space where I can interact with and learn from people.
