Lauren Asher, Public Member, is the Managing Director for Postsecondary Strategy & Innovation at the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. As president of The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS), Lauren led successful initiatives to simplify the financial aid application process, increase need-based grant aid, make student loan payments more manageable, and strengthen consumer protections. She then led a strategy consulting practice for foundations, nonprofits, and colleges committed to expanding educational opportunities. In a career spanning the nonprofit, philanthropic, and public sectors, she also served in senior positions at the National Partnership for Women & Families, Kaiser Family Foundation, and U.S. Department of Labor. Her nonprofit career began in California at Children Now.

In addition to her role as a WSCUC commissioner, Lauren volunteers as a college access coach for ScholarMatch and serves on the Kids Impact Initiative advisory board. She previously served as an inaugural advisory board member to California’s Cradle-to-Career System. Lauren holds an MPA from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and a BA from Brown University.

Current Term

2023 – 2026